Catholic Officials on Edge After Reports of Priests Using Grindr

January 8, 2022 5:42 PM

A conservative Catholic media organization, The Pillar, has published several reports claiming the use of dating apps at several churches and the Vatican. In 2018 at least 32 mobile devices emitted dating app data signals from within areas of Vatican City that are off-limits to tourists.
posted by folklore724 (11 comments total)

Previously
posted by Big Al 8000 at 5:47 PM on January 8, 2022

So The Pillar is somehow trying to use this to prove that liberalism causes pedophilia? Is that what I'm getting from the article?
posted by clawsoon at 5:54 PM on January 8, 2022 [2 favorites]

I think the argument (from conservative Catholics and The Pillar) is that homosexuality and pedophilia are two sides of the same coin, and that liberal Catholics, by accepting homosexuality (even if not explicitly condoning it), are responsible for the priests who are abusing children. So, yeah; in a roundabout way, liberalism is the ultimate cause of the child sex abuse crisis in the Church.

(Never mind that one of the earliest Church documents we have more or less explicitly, depending on the translation, calls out pederasty as an issue in the ranks… No, it has to be the evil liberals and homosexuals, rather than a fundamental, long-standing issue in the Church.)
posted by boisterousBluebird at 6:35 PM on January 8, 2022 [5 favorites]

...liberalism is the ultimate cause of the child sex abuse crisis in the Church.

As a Catholic, I would prefer to see these right-wing loonies take their repression and Latin Masses and intolerance and go find an island or something.

The rest of us are trying to reform what we can (e.g., I would love to see women or married priests), while cleaning house.

These people are definitely not helping.
posted by wenestvedt at 7:14 PM on January 8, 2022 [4 favorites]

Are we to be surprised that the undisputed repeat world champions in institutional child sex abuse and coverups don’t take their vaunted vows of celibacy particularly seriously?

Shocked. This is my shocked face.

At least Grindr hookups are consensual. That’s a big step up for the Vatican.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 7:15 PM on January 8, 2022 [18 favorites]

Interesting that The Pillar calls out the Grindr evidence but is more circumspect about calling out their evidence of other heterosexual dating apps.
posted by Big Al 8000 at 7:42 PM on January 8, 2022 [4 favorites]

What would be funny would be if it were all just conservative Catholics in Vatican each trying to catch "the liberals" but instead all just detecting each other's honeypot traps.
posted by srboisvert at 8:06 PM on January 8, 2022 [6 favorites]

“It can be terribly threatening,” he said. “It can make all priests uncomfortable and worried.”

Fucking good. Go back to fearing God or whatever the fuck you think you're doing day-to-day. I don't fucking care. If you wanted the fear of being watched over every second of your life... It's here. Embrace it. I seriously don't understand why you're worried.
posted by Avelwood at 8:30 PM on January 8, 2022 [3 favorites]

What would be funny would be if it were all just conservative Catholics in Vatican each trying to catch "the liberals" but instead all just detecting each other's honeypot traps.

Aha, you have fallen for my trap! Wait, why are you taking off your pants? Eh, I guess we’ll just go with it…
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 9:11 PM on January 8, 2022 [3 favorites]

If you wanted the fear of being watched over every second of your life... It's here. Embrace it. I seriously don't understand why you're worried.

I mean, strictly speaking isn't it the position of the Holy Mother Church that the Almighty is already watching their every move and collecting intel for later use? Are they just mad that somebody else is horning in on their spiritual blackmail racket?
posted by Strange Interlude at 10:26 PM on January 8, 2022 [1 favorite]

Interesting that The Pillar calls out the Grindr evidence but is more circumspect about calling out their evidence of other heterosexual dating apps.

The Pillar is about as homophobic as it is possible to be. I’m disappointed to see it quoted here.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 10:34 PM on January 8, 2022 [4 favorites]