This column was hesitant to write about the Pope stepping down. Should people who are not Catholic interfere with the Papacy and the Church?
Actually, in this case, yes. Crimes have been committed. Worldwide.
Benedict XVI was the cardinal charged with handling the sex abuse scandal that has wrung the moral prerogative out of this faith. His lack of sufficient action and not challenging tacit denial influenced those lower in the political hierarchy to protect the priests and not the children. He did meet with many victims but never sought to deal with the essence of the issue: priests who were preying on children in their parishes.
It is being revealed that the files in the Vatican show that local bishops who wanted abusive priests removed were overruled by those in seniority in Rome.
In fact, media, concerned congregants and priests who wanted change were all castigated by the church instead of the priests who violated their vow, and more importantly, harmed their parishioners.
The innocent and abused were bullied and the guilty were protected.
What kind of religion is this?
By the way if you haven't seen the documentary Mea Maxima Culpa about this scandal, which focuses on a priest who abuses over 200 boys at a school for the deaf, watch it as soon as possible. If you don't have HBO, invite yourself over to a neighbor's house.
And there appears to be no shame, institutional introspection or moral housecleaning.
Presently, the American branch of the Catholic Church is criticizing the Obama administration for trying to find compromise about birth control. They are damning him, if you will for seeking a solution that transcends faith.
Again, the Papacy is removed from the views of a majority of their faithful about his issue.
Lance Armstrong has been vilified for taking drugs, lying about it and then bullying others to keep his secret. This column doesn’t understand the high dungeon this generated. It’s a bike race.
But so many children, so many young boys were abused, shamed and denied their faith because of arrogant priests and the institution that shielded them.
What would the reaction, and criminal penalties be if a lay organization had such widespread pedophilia throughout the world? What it just be shrugged off and ignored?
Since 2001, Cardinal Ratzinger was in charge of every file about priest abuse cases. He had access to it all. Cardinal Ratzinger is now Pope Benedict XVI.
Pope, before you step down, release the files about the predators in the church that you certainly must love and have pledged fidelity and ask those remaining at the Vatican to take the right actions.
Comments