"If the girls float, they're guilty." Pope Benedict the Ratzinger.

Isn't it about time their tax-free status was removed?

The NPR piece makes no mention of involvement by Cardinal Bernard Law, formerly of Boston, who has been identified as having a primary role in the recent suppression of American nuns:

"Three respected Catholic publications are reporting that Cardinal Bernard F. Law, the controversial former Boston archbishop, played a key role in the Vatican’s decision to tighten its grip on the largest association of Catholic nuns in the United States."
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2012/05/05/cardinal_law_reportedly_pushed_vatican_to_investigate_catholic_nuns_in_the_united_states/

"Law resigned as Boston’s archbishop in 2002 following articles in the Globe reporting that he had allowed priests accused of sexually molesting minors to continue serving in parish ministries where they persisted in abusing children."

[The Boston Globe's work was recognized with a Pulitzer Prize, in which the modest Mr Rezendes shared.]

It is possible that the cardinal has played no role in the inquisition of the Girl Scouts:

"Since turning 80 last year, Law has relinquished his seats on all Vatican congregations, as well as his post at St. Mary Major Basilica. But [Boston College theology professor Richard] Gaillardetz said he believes Law will continue to wield influence in Rome.

'The fact that he steps down from those congregations doesn’t mean someone isn’t having a cappuccino with him to talk about the next appointment in the United States,' Gaillardetz said. 'He can play an enormous role.'"

The AP piece regarding the Girl Scouts run yesterday by the Boston Globe does not mention Cardinal Law but the writer does place the current matter in an organizational context strongly suggestive of the ex-pat cardinal:

"The inquiry coincides with a broader effort by the bishops to analyze church ties with outside groups. [Fort Wayne Bishop] Rhoades' committee [on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth] plans to consult with Girl Scouts leaders and with the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry, which has been liaising with the Scouts for two years about various complaints."
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2012/05/10/girl_scouts_under_scrutiny_from_catholic_bishops/?page=full

I am sick and tired of a bunch of silly, psychologically sick and disturbed, mostly old men, trying to suppress and subjugate over 1/2 of the world's population.
I don't much care if it is the Catholic Church or the Taliban....it is all the same.
There are times when I think that investing in burka futures might be a good bet. How sad is that?!

Hands off the Girl Scouts Padre. Cookies okay, Girl Scouts not Okay. Capiche?

There was a time when I truly loved my church. I even seriously onsidered joining the priesthood, and thought that i might better serve God by doing so. I never really left, but I'll never return so long as vile old men such as these continue to claim to speak His will. The biggest reason why I left was because the faithful have no option to vote the bums out, and my only personal option was to nail another 94 edicts to the Wittenberg Door. Since we see what longterm difference that made to the Church, I just try to live my life as best as I can, and refuse to let the forces of Old and Evil have any further say.

Bojack has become a site for virulent anti-Catholicism. He should be ashamed of himself, instead he's proud to host posters who call the bishops "old vile men" and "psychologically sick and disturbed" Look, if the Catholics are going to join with the girl scouts they have a right to make sure they agree on what is taught to the youth. Shame on Bojack and the posters for their prejudice. This site can be proud to join with the Oregon Ku Klux Klan of the 1920's that also tried so hard to build anti-Catholic hysteria.

So what?

Here's a suggestion if you don't like what the Catholics are preaching.

Don't be Catholic.

You can change religions. You can become Muslim. They seem to be all the rage with the "cool kids" these days. But they don't like Girl Scouts and BBQ.

You could become Jewish. But they have a whole lot of things you have to do too. But they don't like BBQ either.

There's all kinds of things you can do if you don't care for a religion's teachings.

But one thing you can't do is make them change them. The Constitution says so.

The following statement is from the Washington Post, May 10:
"The sometimes tense relationship between the Catholic Church and the Girl Scouts appears to be moving toward a resolution, as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has asked scout leaders to clarify programs and material that some religious conservatives think promote contraception and abortion."

You can read the whole article at

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/catholic-bishops-continue-to-delve-into-concerns-about-girl-scouts/2012/05/10/gIQAqaRlGU_story.html

The moral values at stake are the same sexual values that were so shockingly violated by priests and religious. The Church has always taught that our sexuality has its proper expression in marriage and the world is littered with consequences of our failures.

I guess I feel the same way about the Girl Scouts talking about sexual issues with kids as I feel about teachers in school doing it. Who are these people, and what do they know of our family's values? I don't know why a volunteer organization run ostensibly by Moms would be discussing birth control at all - it doesn't sound what the Girl Scouts are all about. Now if they did some education and put out a booklet like the Boy Scouts to promote awareness of child abusers and what to do to prevent an attack or what to do when one is approached or has been attacked, that would be a good thing.

It's about time some organization has sarted to review the girl scouts. I've kept my daughter out of GS for the same concerns raised here.

"You can change religions. You can become Muslim. They seem to be all the rage with the "cool kids" these days."

There have been some idiotic comments on this site, but this one takes the cake. Yes, everyone in the States just LOVES Muslims, so much so that they're seeing a huge influx of "cool kids" reading the Koran at open mics and opening up boutique burka stores. Halal butchers on every corner! All those positive Muslim role models Hollywood has been promoting are finally starting to pay dividends!

You don't need the KKK (what, no Hilter reference?) to drum up "anti-Catholic hysteria." The church and their protection of pedophiles over children has already taken care of that.

Girl Scouts dont do everything right, but at least they're attempting to foster generations of strong women. That's far more than you could ever say for the Catholic church. In fact, the Vatican has been doing the exact opposite since its inception.

The Catholic priesthood has proven to be an international pedophile ring. Don't give money to it -- Jesus wouldn't.

I have to agree with Jack on this one. By and large Catholic priests no longer have much, if any, credibility concerning morality.

Most religions if not all religions have outlived their "usefulness".
We should stop paying attention to what folks do in the privacy of their homes
and pay more attention to what these supposed religions are espousing and telling us to practice. As far as I am concerned they are a buncha anti-christs.
Whatever happened to the live and let live philosophy and the Golden Rule.
Jiminey crickets.

John -

You mis understand much of the comments made here -- and you sadly confuse anti Curiaism and anti clericalism with anti Catholicism.

TRy really studying some church history. Find out how things worked up until about 580 VCE.

What passes for the Catholic church's structure, organization and heirarchy would be anathama (deliberate word choice) to the folks present at the founding, or for the next 500 - 600 years.

And the last thing the Vatican wants the laity to learn about and study is that early church organization.

Remember Jim Jones?

The controlling pius "old Boys:
"Just another cult only longer longevity.