Minnesota Archbishop Tells Court He Thought Pedophilia Was Legal

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Pedophilia and child abuse is so widespread and normalized among Catholic priests that one archbishop did not even realize it was against the law, according to court documents.

Pedophilia and child abuse is so widespread and normalized among Catholic priests that one archbishop did not even realize it was against the law, according to court documents.

Archbishop Robert Carlson, who is embroiled in a child sex cover up scandal, claims he didn’t know it was illegal for priests to have sex with children in the 1980s.

‘I’m not sure whether I knew it was a crime or not,’ Carlson responded. ‘I understand today it’s a crime.’

Archbishop Robert Carlson, who was chancellor of the Archdiocese of Minneapolis and St. Paul at the time, was deposed as part of a sexual abuse lawsuit in Minnesota involving the archdiocese and the Diocese of Winona.

When asked when he first realized it was a crime for an adult – including priests – to have sex with a child, Carlson, 69, shook his head.

‘I don’t remember,’ he testified.

Daily Mail reports: Yet according to other documents released by attorney Jeff Anderson, who is representing an alleged clergy abuse victim, Carlson showed clear knowledge that sexual abuse was a crime when discussing incidents with church officials during his time in Minnesota.

In a 1984 document, for example, Carlson wrote to the then-archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis – John R. Roach – about one victim of sexual abuse and mentioned that the statute of limitations for filing a claim would not expire for more than two years.

priest-pedophile
‘I don’t remember’: When asked when he first realized it was a crime for an adult – including priests – to have sex with a child, Carlson, 69, shook his head.

He also wrote that the parents of the victim were considering reporting the incident to the police.

Carlson’s role at the time was to investigate abuse claims. He admitted in his deposition that he never personally went to police, even when a clergy member admitted to inappropriate behavior.

In the testimony, Carlson responded 193 times that he did not recall abuse-related conversations from the 1980s to mid-1990s.

Carlson also said that even in 1996 he did not know that pedophilia was a disorder that couldn’t be cured.

“I did not know that, but as a pastor, I was becoming increasingly concerned,” Carlson said.

pedo-priests
Carlson left the Archdiocese of Minneapolis and St. Paul in 1994, and eventually became St. Louis archbishop in 2009.

Carlson left the Archdiocese of Minneapolis and St. Paul in 1994, and eventually became St. Louis archbishop in 2009.

The Archdiocese of St. Louis said in a statement on Monday that Carlson had given testimony ‘several times many years ago’ about the same allegations.

‘In this most recent deposition, while not being able to recall his knowledge of the law exactly as it was many decades ago, the Archbishop did make clear that he knows child sex abuse is a crime today,’ the statement said.

‘The question does not address the Archbishop’s moral stance on the sin of pedophilia, which has been that it is a most egregious offense.’




Baxter Dmitry

Baxter Dmitry

Baxter Dmitry is a writer at The People's Voice. He covers politics, business and entertainment. Speaking truth to power since he learned to talk, Baxter has travelled in over 80 countries and won arguments in every single one. Live without fear.
Email: baxter@thepeoplesvoice.tv
Baxter Dmitry

9 Comments

  1. He was just getting legitimate law and Vatican laws mixed up. After two thousand years of Roman Catholic priest raping little boys with no punishment from the Vatican, one would surmise that raping little boys by priest is allowed under Vatican Law.

    • You got it wrong Mr. Carleton, Cannon Law (1917) had a provision dealing with sexual sins of clergy and religious, but the specific term is not used.

      • Theres laws against raping babies in Washington Dc also, but it is still condoned by the leadership, and no one but low level minions and those who made the wrong people, ever pay the price. That id officially, un-officially, condoning the act.

        • John, you said for two thousand years the Roman Catholic priest [were] raping were raping …with no punishment from the Vatican. That is untrue. You don’t know what you are talking about.

          • Go right ahead and make your children/grandchildren available to the pedophile priest. Thats a good Catholic! “God” will bless you. I mean pedophile priest have needs also.

  2. His name is Carlson my name is Carlton..how peculiar….you guys know how I am always raving on about child molestation.. what a coincidence…how very peculiar

  3. So what do the Good Book say Father, sucking dick is acceptable as long as it is little boys…?

  4. How bizarre when priests are supposed to be celibate…as in NO SEX…what a crock that someone would say this kind of ridiculous crap? NO SEX is NO SEX, whether it’s with a consenting woman or adult male, a teen, a child or a dog…NO SEX is NO SEX…this guy is pathetic and needs to spend a whole lot of time alone contemplating his nonsense!

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