Man claims after Priest raped him as a boy, he said, "This is what God's love feels like"

Child sexual abuse scandals have plagued the Roman Catholic church for decades and the accusations show no sign of subsiding. In fact, they are increasing as more and more alleged victims come forward with claims of molestation.

One such scandal erupted in Los Angeles, California, where up to 200 priests were accused of child molestation. The Archdiocese is also accused of blatant coverup instead of vigorously pursuing an investigation.

According to NBC Los Angeles, one alleged victim, Dan Smith said that his parish priest would say, "This is what God's love feels like" after raping him repeatedly when he was a boy.

Dan was reportedly visibly distraught recounting his experiences 20 years after it happened and blamed the abuse for the recent breakup of his marriage.

Another alleged victim, former police officer from Oxnard, Manuel Vega, also recounted his experiences to NBC4, saying his parish priest forced him to masturbate while he took pictures.

Vega added that the public is not taking child sexual abuse seriously enough for they are "squeamish" about what it entails. Molestation involves, "sodomy--there's pubic hairs, there's sweat, there're smells, there're grunts," he said.

Both men are part of a 500-man class action lawsuit against the Los Angeles Archdiocese, and their lawyer Ray Boucher say many of these 200 priests still live close to schools, daycare centers and playgrounds. Moreover, their identities are concealed, protected because they have not yet been charged with a crime.

The suit, which was the largest ever, was settled in 2007 with some of the victims and the LA Archdiocese paid out $660 million without admitting wrongdoing.

Boucher now says that the Church is involved in covering up identities and has reportedly sent some of the accused priests out of the country, allowed others to retire or hide in rehab facilities.

The lawyer claims to know where some of these accused molesters are hiding and has mapped sixty locations where suspect priests live.

Other States and cities have their pedophile priests scandal. Cardinal Justin Regali resigned July 19, 2011 amid Philadelphia Archdiocese child sex abuse allegations against 37 priests, 21 of whom he allowed to remain on active duty after a 2005 Grand Jury indictment against the priests.

Another Grand Jury indictment was handed down in February, 2011.

Seattle, Washington also have hundreds of priests accused of sexually abusing children and in March, 2011, Washington Archdiocese paid out $166.1 millions to over 450 Native Americans and Alaskans victims.

The abuse is said to date as far back as 1960 and 1970, when the Oregon Province of the Society of Jesus operated schools and villages on reservations in Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Montana and Idaho.

COMMENTARY

Maybe we should call it what it really is:child rape. Maybe then all of society would be rightfully outraged and demand immediate and widespread action. We call it sexual abuse or molestation but hesitate from labelling it rape. Does it offend some sensibilities? Like Vega said above, it is not pretty--it is raw, disgusting, emotionally, physically and psychologically painful and abused children's lives can be irreparably damaged.

Some say the The Vatican has already apologized and monetary restitution made to some victims so those of us who continue to write and shout about this deep, dark sickness should shut up. That writing about it "exploits victims further." Does an apology make up for the worldwide pain these child rapists masquerading as priests have caused and continue to cause? Have any of these predators been prosecuted to the full extent of the law? Do many of them still live in hiding, with access to children?

How many are still at this very moment as I type, raping children under the cover of the Church?

Some presidential candidates like Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich, in their loud pandering on the campaign trail, have been throwing around the "Obama is waging war on Christians" verbiage. Santorum is even likening it to leading them to "the guillotine." Gingrich, not to be outdone, says Obama will wage war on Catholics the next morning if he is re-elected.

Not a word about child rape rampant behind the Roman Catholic Church walls and the glaring lack of prosecution for those crimes. I guess that is not as important as waging their war against women' reproductive rights. Birth control, contraceptives, barring folks from serving in the military because of who they love or their gender--all that is at the top of their agenda, not the safety of our children.

To read some of my other articles on pedophile priests in the RC Church, click links below:

http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/8600477-another-huge-child-sex-abuse-scandal-settled-by-rc-priests-166-million-paid-to-native-american-victims

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http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/9718478-video-update-philadelphia-archbishop-resigns-amid-indictments-in-huge-child-sex-abuse-scandal

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http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/8420531-video-update-21-of-the-37-philadelphia-priests-accused-of-child-sex-abuse-years-ago-have-finally-been-suspended-from-active-church-duty