Pope's letter on child sex abuse and cover up

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Chocks away

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Why is there such media interest in this? What can the pope say that isn't already said by right thinking people? It can be little other than a Cerberusian sop. Hopefully the (fast contracting) multitudes won't buy anything less than a complete overhaul of the Heaven's most successful (until now) quango. Women priests, bishops, cardinals and even in the top gig would make a difference IMO. Either that or remove hierarchy altogether. Personal ambition is not a good bedfellow with religious leadership.
 
Re: Pope's letter on child sex abuse

The word "sorry" would be a start. In fact, anything less than a contrite apology is an insult.
 
He blames it all on the secularisation of society. For centuries we Irish were good people despite fierce persecution by them Brits. Then along came TV, Rock And Roll, the Internet etc., we could cope with the Brits but we could not cope with this wave of secularisation! Some truth in what he says.
 
Yes, some truth, but otherwise a PR job and damage limitation. Nothing new apart from ecclesiastical spin. You mess up peoples heads and then blame them for not being able to think properly. Pure hogwash! Why did he have to wait so long before calling the bishops? Is this the opening gambit on letters to be sent to Canada, the US, Austria, Germany, Australia and Mexico? If this goes down well among the Irish it will be a prototype.
 
So let me get this straight, all those priests and religious orders abusing children is down to secular influences?

And if I pray and fast until Easter 2011 then it will make things better? What about them outing every single paedo they have in their midst, because they know each and every one of them. Perhaps that might be more useful.
 
I'm beyond angry; there is so much anger in me I'm not even sure there's room for me to recognise another emotion, nor is there room for a rational examination of that letter.

It starts with by adddressing itself to the "Dear Brothers and Sisters of the Church in Ireland" and ends with a "Prayer for the Church in Ireland". Why do I think that he is addressing the Church establishment and the Church organisation? In the middle it seems there are a few offhand platitudes addressed to the abuse victims and a plea to their abusers to "do the right thing" (my interpretation, I admit). Am I wrong? Please tell me I am.

Hopefully I'll be able to face reading it again when I'm calmer but right now I'm spitting blood.
 
I am struggling to see what he wrote in the context of a man who earnestly believes in God and that God can truly change lives and influence people via the Holy Spirit, through the power of prayer.
I am an unbeliever so it’s all hog-wash to me so while I want to hear a clear and unambiguous statement requiring all priests and religious to cooperate fully with the civil authorities under pain of excommunication (or whatever) but I have to acknowledge that he sees the world differently to me.

There were a few things missing. First off he didn’t acknowledge his own involvement in covering up the abuse and obstructing justice for decades.
Secondly he continued to talk about canon law; it holds no more authority in this country than the rules of a golf club so I couldn’t care less what their rules are. I am concerned that there is a continuing undercurrent of sedition in that he is indirectly extolling Irish citizens to give precedent to foreign laws over Irish civil and criminal law.
Thirdly he in no way connects this abuse to the wider abuse of children by priests and religious around the world. This abuse is particularly strong in countries where there has been an Irish influence; the USA, Canada and Australia.

There is no link what so ever between secularisation and child abuse, if anything the opposite is the case. While his clear call for abusers to report their crimes to the civil authorities is welcome; “At the same time, God’s justice summons us to give an account of our actions and to conceal nothing. Openly acknowledge your guilt, submit yourselves to the demands of justice”, there is so much misdirection and so many omissions that the whole letter is undermined.

It will be interesting to see what he says when he gets here.

What are the chances that he will be arrested the minute he lands in Dublin airport?
 
I read the full letter, including the prayer at the end.

I am shaking my head here at the sheer.....emptiness. ..of the letter.

For example, his "concrete initiatives to address the situation".

1. An invite to devote our Friday penances for one year to "to pray for an outpouring of God’s mercy and the Holy Spirit’s gifts of holiness and strength upon the Church in your country."

2. Organizing "periods of Eucharistic adoration"

And he says that "I am confident that this programme will lead to a rebirth of the Church in Ireland in the fullness of God’s own truth".



I know he is the Pope like but does he honestly think this will work? At the risk of sounding trite he needs to wake up and smell the coffee. Is it any wonder Martin Luther walked away.
 
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I can't be bothered to read the letter. (From the replies on here, it sounds as bogus as St Peter's)

Why didn't the guards just arrest the paedophiles? Did the guards know what was going on?
 
The_Banker said:
For example, his "concrete initiatives to address the situation".

1. An invite to devote our Friday penances for one year to "to pray for an outpouring of God’s mercy and the Holy Spirit’s gifts of holiness and strength upon the Church in your country."

2. Organizing "periods of Eucharistic adoration"
Click to expand...
As Eamonn Morrissey said in the 'Speed 3' episode, "Ted, Is there anything to be said for another Mass?"
 
Money would probably be a better 'concrete initiative'. The description 'concrete' suggests something tangible.
 
"must acknowledge the serious sins committed against defenseless children".
What about the crimes???
 
Can someone answer this for me?

If an accountant, lawyer, engineer, doctor, factory worker, librarian etc etc was to rape and abuse children they would be arrested immediately, prosecuted and jailed for a long time, along with having their names known.

Why were priests different?
 
I found the letter, which I read in full, dishonest and historically incorrect.

We must nail the lie that the Pope has repeated several times now, that somehow all the abuse was the result of secularism. What utter nonsense, particularly given that Ireland has only moved towards a more secular model in the last two decades or so, long after the first abuse cases were documented. Secularism has given people the confidence to confront the clergy, to think for themselves and to question.

The obvious and inescapable fact is that the approach taken by Cardinal Brady in 1975 was a Vatican inspired approach. The normal approach seems to have been to subject the victim to secrecy and move the perpetrator from diocese to diocese. This model has occurred across the Northern Hemisphere.

I went to a school where children were subjected to sexually abusive behaviour by one particular priest. It was at the lower end of the abuse scale, but I have no way of knowing whether worse went on in more secretive surroundings. In 1991 I confronted one of the priests from the school, one of Ireland's most well known schools, and he said that all the other priests knew of this particular priest's behaviour; but none spoke out. What this document failed to confront was the omerta and lack of moral compass within the priesthood. Few if any have stood out despite the fact so many of them knew what was happening.

By not acting against those within their church many priests are just as culpable as the actual perpetrator. However, those VERY FEW that stood up and spoke out were punished. That wasn't mentioned by the Pope in what to me is a selective and thoroughly self-serving missive. I listened to
Bishop McKeown on wednesday talking about those people who criticise them having an "agenda" against the church. Such use of words shows the mindset that can only be addressed by all bishops stepping down.

The attempt to lay the blame entirely on the Irish church, and omit the Vatican's part, is particularly disgusting and shameful. Pope John Paul 11 picked the hierarchy for their obedience and submission. They reported to Rome and the approach to dealing with the problem was Vatican inspired.

Now we need the politicians to show some spine and confront the education sector where the bishops still control many school boards. The clergy must step back and if we aren't to move to a secular school system, at least no member of the hierarchy should be allowed to have any influence on the schools.

We must put pressure on our politicians to shame Rome for the craven nature of this apology, and one step would be to demote the Papal Nuncio from being head of the diplomatic corps. We no longer live in 1932.
 
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