Pope Benedict XVI spent the past few days in the UK. While there, he met with five former victims of sex abuse by priests. According to CNN, the pontiff expressed his "deep sorrow" for the scandal.
But is he really sorry for the abuse, or is he just sorry they got caught?
Talk is cheap, you see. So let's once again take a look at his actions, which I've documented before, because this nonsense is nothing new. This pope has a long history of covering up the problem. Apparently, protecting the Church's reputation is more important than protecting its children.
Back in 2001, when we still knew him as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the British press leaked a confidential letter from Ratzinger to all Catholic bishops ordering that "the church's investigations into child sex abuse claims be carried out in secret," and asserting "the church's right to hold its inquiries behind closed doors and keep the evidence confidential for up to 10 years after the victims reached adulthood." In other words, keep it all under wraps until the statutes of limitations expire.
In 2002, he discounted the whole issue, referring to the media coverage of clergy sex abuse as a plot to discredit the Church.
Then, in 2005, after he had assumed the papal throne, he asked then-President George W. Bush to grant him immunity from prosecution for covering up clergy sex abuse allegations in a Texas diocese. (Wuss! Equally disgustingly, Bush complied.)
And, while the pope spews his cheap apologies with impunity, the victims remain damaged for life.
The pope is supposed to be Jesus's representative on Earth. I cannot imagine that Jesus would be pleased about all this.
You really get it, Mary. I'm a victim of this crime who reports on it at http://cityofangels8.blogspot.com and it's so good to see a "civilian" who gets it. Please keep reporting on these crimes, see ya someday- Kay E
ReplyDeleteSorry you had to go through that, Kay. Keep up the good fight!
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