This shocks the conscience, unless you’re an old-school leader of the Catholic Church, apparently:
Dutch Roman Catholic Church ‘castrated at least 10 boys’
At least 10 teenage boys or young men under the age of 21 were surgically castrated “to get rid of homosexuality” while in the care of the Dutch Roman Catholic Church in the 1950s.’
… The NRC Handelsblad newspaper identified Henk Heithuis who was castrated in 1956, while a minor, after reporting priests to the police for abusing him in a Catholic boarding home.
…Evidence emerged on Monday that government inspectors were aware that minors were being castrated while in Catholic-run psychiatric institutions.
Minutes of meetings held in the 1950s show that inspectors were present when castrations were discussed. The documents also reveal that the Catholic staff did not think parents needed to be involved.
There are also allegations that Vic Marijnen, a former Dutch Prime Minister, who died in 1975, was linked to the case.
An independent inquiry uncovered a great deal of abuse in the Dutch Catholic Church, but a parliamentary inquiry is being blocked. Guess who’s involved in blocking it:
The minority cabinet comprising the conservative VVD party and the Christian Democrats, backed by Geert Wilders’ Freedom Party, have so far blocked a parliamentary inquiry.
Yup — Islamophobe, Pam Geller pal and Anders Breivik hero Geert Wilders is part of the coalition that won’t allow the Dutch parliament to look into this. Evil attracts evil, I guess.
I was a baptized and confirmed Catholic. I’m repulsed by the church of my youth. And I’m disgusted that this institution has the nerve to preach to me about morality.
(Via Andrew Sullivan. X-posted at No More Mister Nice Blog.)
