Bill Maher apologizes for calling Pope Benedict a Nazi
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, Apr 19, 2008 / 09:05 pm (CNA).- Comedian Bill Maher apologized on his HBO show Friday night for accusing Pope Benedict XVI of being a Nazi.  After some delay, the Catholic League reports, Maher acknowledged that Joseph Ratzinger as a young man was forced to join the Hitler Youth organization and was not sympathetic to the Nazi ideology.

Maher still insisted that if a CEO were in charge of an institution that housed child molesters, he would be fired.

Bill Donohue, President of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, responded to Maher’s broadcast apology.  “We accept Maher's apology for accusing the pope of being a Nazi. Too bad he didn't stop there. For him to suggest that Pope Benedict XVI was in charge of policing molesters, and failed in doing so, is patently absurd,” Donohue said.

Donohue said that, as head of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, the then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger’s principal job was to ensure theologians faithfully presented the doctrines of the Catholic Church.  Donohue argued the future Pope Benedict XVI was not in charge of enforcing “codes of conduct” until after the scandal of American clerical sexual abuse of children was publicized in 2002.  “By all accounts,” Donohue said, he “did so effectively.”

Donohue then claimed the Catholic Church was too large for effective oversight from Rome.
 
“Maher has to understand that no one person, including the Pope, could possibly be held accountable for the behavior of its employees in a global institution,” Donohue said. 

“There are priests from Boston to Bosnia, and it is simply preposterous for any one person to know exactly what is going on everywhere at any given time.  Maher would have been better advised to focus on those bishops who proved to be enablers-it is the bishop's job to know what is going on in his diocese, not the Pope's.”

Donohue also said it would be “great” if Maher “gave up his Catholic-bashing obsession once and for all.”

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Subscriber comments:
Published by: jen
mumbai 04/22/2008 02:16 AM EST
now who was that who called Pope Benedict XVI God's Rottweiler? here is an addition. God's Rottweiler has a kennel of Rottweilers to protect him. Thanks Mr Donohue for the quick nip at Maher. Hope he will stay!!
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Published by: Paula M.
Spokane, WA 04/21/2008 06:56 PM EST
This story should have included Mr. Maher's complete statement, which included:

"And the main point I was making was that if the Pope instead of a religious figure was the CEO of a chain of nationwide daycare centers, who had thousands of employees who had been caught molesting children and then covering it up, he would have been in jail."

I hate to say it, but Mr. Maher is right. The fact that the majority of pedophile priests, and those who actively covered up their crimes, are still walking free is an abomination. I pray for them to be jailed, tried, executed, and sent straight to hell by the Lord our God.
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Published by: father phil floersh, c.m.
tucson/as/usa 04/21/2008 02:27 PM EST
Maher did apologize but stuck his foot in his mouth when he expatiated on the subject of the papacy!!!

phil
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Published by: Deborah R. Fulton
Mt. Ida Arkansas USA 04/21/2008 10:18 AM EST
Thank you Mr. Donohue for your dedication and keeping us informed. Mr. Maher needs our prayers, maybe he will follow in new steps soon. We can only Hope and pray.
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Published by: P. Liddle
W. Chester PA USA 04/21/2008 05:50 AM EST
If the pope and the church really want to reach out and succor those who have been so tragically victimized by the hierarchy, a meaningful first step would be to waive application of the statutes of limitation applicable to civil claims for personal redress in this scandal. All else is mere lip service and obfuscation.
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Published by: Noname
Switzerland 04/20/2008 08:46 PM EST
It is quite amuzing to hear the fowl mouth of Mayer complaining that the Pope should rein in the entire world of priests when the network can't even rein in one fowl mouthed man by the name of Mayer! touche Mayer touche!
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Published by: Jeff
Dallas/TX 04/20/2008 08:02 PM EST
Watching today's beautiful mass on TV made me feel what the absence of angry, ugly people is like. Maher comes across like an angry kid who is upset about being on the outside.
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Published by: mmg
Anthem Az 04/20/2008 09:33 AM EST
We need to pray as a community for this person. What a pity for him to have such a harden heart. Jesus would want us to pray for the lost soul. May Mr. Maher be brought into the light and knowledge of our Lord. No one should have to continue living in ingorance, bitterness and hatred.
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Published by: Bob Rocklin
Redmond,WA 04/19/2008 10:52 PM EST
Maher did NOT apologize, he just dug his sick claws deeper into the hearts of all Catholics. We all know he is a very sick puppy as evidenced by the wacko causes he supports. He knows all and we 1.3 B Catholics plus billions more of faith - know nothing and are all pedo-types - sure Bill. They have fired other commentators/entertainers for far more mild views on religion, faith or whatever - yet the Jews who control the entertainment industry rejoice in Maher's comments and support his insane comments.SAD Commentary.
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