Priest Kicking Out Skateboarders
 

Did anyone happen to catch the video of the dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral in Australia cussing up a storm at skateboarders? I had no idea skateboarding was considered a deadly sin. Where is the "adult" in this situation? Where is the "representative of God?"

Here it is, but don't watch if you are overly sensitive to extreme fowl language....

http://youtube.com/watch?v=HQAfalqo340

It reminded me of when I was a kid out playing with my friends. An elderly man down the street would scream profanities at us if we stepped on his grass - even a single blade. :rolleyes: We thought it was HILARIOUS to watch his face turn red then hear him blow off like a steam engine. We we were bored, we'd stand on the curb and touch our tiptoes on his grass - just for a laugh. :p He never let us down. :D

Listening to those boys laughing on that video brought back that fond memory. :D

We also had an elderly woman in the neighborhood that enjoyed our company and allowed us to play in front of her house. She even let some of the kids take over her garage and they put on plays for the parents in the neighborhood. We knew how much she loved her lawn and garden, so we were very careful not to disturb what she held dear. :)

The difference here is RESPECT. Yeah, I know we were just kids - but it's amazing how well kids can behave when they are treated like human beings instead of roaches. It was obvious that old man hated us - why should we obey someone who hates us? :mad: It was obvious "Aunt Jean" loved us - why would we want to upset her? :grouphug:

That man in the video spewed nothing but hatred from the start. As a result, those boys might be even more harmful the next time they are confronted with authority. What impression of religion or "sage words of advice" from their elders will those boys carry with them throughout their lives? :(

Apparently this all happened a year ago ???

It sounds shocking, but then I didn't see any of this except for a little bit that I heard on our news last night. Maybe it's all in the news again 'cause it was filmed and only recently placed on YouTube? Puzzled. I can't figure out the timing.

The group were apparently trespassing and skateboarding on the steps of a catholic cathedral and supposedly had damaged property. The Dean totally lost it by the sound of it. :eek:

He's lost his job which is appropriate in the circumstances although I think there's more to the story than has been stated.

Oh my Lord! The language & what you said, remind me of my neighbors. The mom swears all the times so the kids do. I once told her "So thats why the kids talk like that." This was a lady who also told me to go have a seizure. She called my DD a B**tch cuz she didn't invite her DD to a B-day party.

But that preist isn't as terrible as some preists in this city. Ppl said that when they were little, some priests raped them. This was many ppl in different areas. The preists were charged or something. Another preist killed a nun 10yrs ago. This was just found out it was him. Really.

Apparently this is the third time he has done this sort of thing,(according to the local news here in western australia) just the sort of example not needed for the younger generation!!!

"And forgive US our trespasses, as WE forgive those who trespass against us."

I've heard that quote before - anyone know the author? I wonder what it means. :rolleyes:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapc...eut/index.html

Placed on indefinite leave following this incident.

Thanks Junkie :p (sorry, couldn't resist)

I wonder why the article changed "seedy eyes" to "sleepy eyes" - The writer of the article must have been tired, huh? :rolleyes:

I had no idea children could be jackals and hyenas. Go figure - learn something new everyday. My son only has two legs, so he must not be one of those. :cool:

Does anyone know where the nearest skate park or designated area is for these kids? Doesn't seem fair to encourage extreme sports for medals, then condemn them when they practice. :rolleyes:

Anyone ever get arrested for practicing on your pianos?

I was thinking about all this some more seeing it's all over the media all of a sudden. What I still wonder about is why it took a year for this to hit the media? We've had a few very serious cover-ups in the past regarding horrific crimes committed against people by members of various churches. I'm wondering why it took a year for the skateboarders to put their film on YouTube and if there was other communication between this priest and his church about the incident long before that. I mean he was like the caretaker of the cathedral so if there'd been a serious incident like that you'd think he would have needed to document that or at least mention it to someone at the office/cathedral. So, why would it take a whole year after the incident for it to become public. I didn't watch the YouTube movie. Maybe it'd been posted there all that time and not too many people had seen it until now. I wonder if the archbishop (the priest's boss) was informed by the priest of the incident or whether he found out about it just recently due to publicity?

I was also thinking... why did the priest take it upon himself to remove the skateboarders? If they were in the church or trespassing in areas after dark where they were not legally allowed, then why didn't he call the security guards or the police to just have them moved along. I find it very hard to believe that the largest Catholic Cathedral in the whole of Australia would not have security guards to do that sort of work instead of the priest.

Kathy, to answer you question... I don't live anywhere near there but I checked Melbourne which is 1300 k away approx 800 something miles away for a skatepark and there is a huge one 5 mins from that particular cathedral. In fact it's huge... esp. for an inner city area like that.

http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/info.cfm?top=70&pg=1175
I think it's all shocking but I don't just see one side as being wrong here. I think they're all in the wrong, and I'm not even catholic, let alone religious lol :) The timing? Well, that sounds really really fishy to me. Was this another cover up? Why wasn't this priest reprimanded a year ago if it happened then? Did he keep incident a secret?

Heck I just woke up and I feel as if I'm in a detective novel LOL So many unknown answers and such vile behaviour. ugh

gotta dash for a while here. need to organize some people (my grown up children LOL)
On the skatepark site I notice they have links to laws and no go zones and all sorts of things. I've not read it all yet, but I'll put it here with the rest of the story.
From the little I've read, the city of Melbourne sounds a lot better and more organized for skateboarders than it does up where I live.

http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/info...a2=661&pg=1537
Skaters and the law

http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/info.cfm?top=43&pg=3493
No-go zones for skaters

ok dashing, back later.
Kathy, I hope you got some sleep!

Yes, mom, I took a nap. :rolleyes: :p

Yeah, I'm not excusing these boys - just sayin' they're boys.

If my son had done something like that, I'd be furious with that "man of God." He would have received a mouthful from me too. :mad:

However, my son wouldn't get off light. His skateboard would have been tossed in the garbage the moment he came home. I'd then drag him by his ear to the priest and make him humbly apologize for trespassing. :mad:

My son knows not to mess with Police and Missionary Men - they carry weapons of authority. He also had to learn how to walk the streets here without getting shot for trespassing. :cool:

Ya know, that would have been a perfect opportunity to "witness" the glory of faith without having to leave the country or bother poor "colored" people at mealtime with their sermons. He had little hungry lambs right at his doorstep that needed guidance. :hug:

Why couldn't he have seized that opportunity? Is a building and money more important than God and His children? Is his job title more important than God? Baffles me. :confused:

This is kind of a different take on things, but in my small town there was nowhere at all for skateboarders to skate. They were getting a bad rep for always zooming along the sidewalks. So a local church actually got together with them and helped them build a miniature skate park in a section of the church parking lot, and they have competitions every so often with prizes for the skaters. It has really turned into a much-used and appreciated program, and gives the church pastor and others a chance to influence these young teenagers who usually feel like outcasts. My own son is an avid skater, and goes there three or four times a week. In the last competition he took third.