Pope speaks out about sex abuse scandals

Associated Press ^ | March 21, 2002 | By VICTOR L. SIMPSON - Associated Press Writer

[MeekOneGOP]

	Posted on Thu, Mar. 21, 2002
	Pope speaks out about sex abuse scandals By VICTOR L. SIMPSON Associated Press Writer VATICAN CITY - Pope John Paul II on Thursday broke his silence on the sex abuse cases rocking the Roman Catholic Church, saying the "grave scandal" was casting a "dark shadow of suspicion" over all priests. In an annual message to priests worldwide, the pope said "as priests we are personally and profoundly afflicted by the sins of some of our brothers who have betrayed the grace of ordination." He said they had succumbed "to the most grievous forms" of what he called, using the Latin phrase, "mystery of evil." "Grave scandal is caused, with the result that a dark shadow of suspicion is cast over all the other fine priests who perform their ministry with honesty and integrity and often with heroic self-sacrifice," the pope said. John Paul said the Church "shows her concern for the victims and strives to respond in truth and justice to each of these painful situations." It was the first time the pope publicly addressed the issue since widescale accusations of sexual misconduct by priests surfaced in the United States in recent months. The accusations have led to the resignation of one bishop, from Palm Beach, Fla., and tarnished the reputation of Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston for failing to take action against a child-molesting priest. The problem has worldwide implications for the Church. In January, the Catholic Church in Ireland agreed to a landmark $110 million payment to children abused by clergy over decades. More than 20 priests, brothers and nuns have been convicted of molesting children. Sexual abuse cases involving cover-ups have also been reported in England, France and Australia, among other countries. John Paul has been described as particularly saddened by sexual harassment allegations leveled against the archbishop of Poznan in the pope's native Poland. Archbishop Juliusz Paetz, who worked with John Paul at the Vatican and was sent by him to Poland in 1982, denied the allegations in a letter read in parishes last Sunday. For years, the Vatican viewed such reports as attempts to discredit the church or as part of an orchestrated campaign against celibacy. At a Vatican news conference to present the pope's letter, Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos said John Paul was "supportive" of bishops and priests in dioceses shaken by the scandal. But he refused to answer specific questions about the sex scandal, reading a written statement that defended the Church's efforts to uphold morality and punish wrongdoers within their ranks. He cited a study showing that 3 percent of American clergymen had the "tendency" to abuse minors and that 0.3 percent were pedophiles. He said there were no comparative studies for other categories "including parents and relatives."

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© 2001 startelegram and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.
http://www.dfw.com

[MeekOneGOP]

Easy Link

http://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegram/2906127.htm

[wideawake]

Holy Father, as a loyal Catholic, I beg you: start firing and excommunicating people!!! Immediately!!! Starting yesterday!!!

[fooman]

As another Catholic, I concur. Probably half or more of these cases are bogus-- designed to bankrupt the catholic church while the leftist lawyers pocket the money. I will not give any money to my diocese, only our local school. Why pay for millions of dollars to go directly to the trial lawyers.

[kjam22]

Only God is holy.... and he doesn't typically fire or excommunicate anyone. Men fire and excommunicate according to scripture.

[IW]

It's just one long bus ride that will never end. One old pedophile gets on a bus and heads out, a few minutes later another old pedophile arrives on a bus, to take his place.

[Doc Anonymous]

Anti-Catholicism is no excuse for ignorance of scripture:

Bible, Revised Standard Version

6 matches.

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1Cor.7

1. [34] and his interests are divided. And the unmarried woman or girl is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please her husband.

Eph.1

1. [4] even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.

Eph.5

1. [27] that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

1Pet.1

1. [15] but as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct;
2. [16] since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy."

Rev.22

1. [11] Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy."

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[VeritatisSplendor]

He cited a study showing that 3 percent of American clergymen had the "tendency" to abuse minors and that 0.3 percent were pedophiles.

This is very valuable information! Does anyone know where to find the cited study? The numbers sound approximately right to me.

[wideawake]

In the literal sense you are quite correct. As we are told every Sunday at Mass: "You alone are the Holy One, You alone are the Lord, You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ . . . all life, all holiness comes from You".

Of course, Scripture refers to many believers as "saints" (in the Greek hagioi or "holy ones"). It is in this latter, derived sense that the Pope is called holy.

St. Paul was not ascribing the transcendent holiness of God Himself to the "saints in Jerusalem". Nor am I to the Pope.

[07055]

The only reason the Pope has spoken out now is because the scandals are costing the Church big bucks. The only way to keep the Church's attention on getting rid of these bad actors (including the Cardinals) is to withhold your money from the collection plate.

[MagnusMat]

I hope this doe snot turn into Catholic Bashing. There are just a smany Protestant ministers involved in this too and Jewish leaders too.

[meandog]

Holy Father, as a loyal Catholic, I beg you: start firing and excommunicating people!!! Immediately!!! Starting yesterday!!!

Firing, yes! Excommunication, no! As a "high" church Episcopalian, who shares much of catholism's liturgy, I must remind you that the Church should not cut off Her flock from the altar rail--Christ teaches that all are worthy of forgiveness (providing, of course, the penitence is paid).

[wideawake]

Excommunication isn't permanent. It's a wake-up call. If penance is done, excommunication can be undone. We're on the same page.

[Richard Kimball]

I hope this doe snot turn into Catholic Bashing.

I would never put any doe snot in one of my posts. However, this tarnishes all Christians, and you are correct. It is not just a Catholic church issue.

[ThomasMore]

I'm with you, wideawake. This is an awful time for the Church. And I believe we are only seeing the tip of the iceburg.

[End Times Sentinel]

I beg you: start firing and excommunicating people

As a Catholic who’s been described as “The kind of Catholic who makes other Catholics feel guilty about their commitment to Catholisim” I couldn’t agree with you more.

The level of evil that one has to sink to, not only to attack a child- almost certainly damaging them for the rest of their lives, but to assume the role of a PRIEST, yet through their actions, repeatedly commit a Mortal Sin. This is certainly grounds for excommunication.

The damage this causes is to great to ever be forgotten. Serious action is the only thing that can save The Church from being diminished for generations.

Owl_Eagle

”Guns Before Butter.”

[sinkspur]

I hope this doe snot turn into Catholic Bashing. There are just a smany Protestant ministers involved in this too and Jewish leaders too.

You're probably right about this, but our problem, as is always the case, is that the COVER-UP by the bishops has caused the boil to fester. Protestants typically fire the offending minister on the spot.

[wideawake]

If money was truly the issue, then the "vernacular Mass" experiment would have been discarded long ago after attendance at Mass halved, nor would the Church's finances ever have been allowed to go into the red.

The issue is that Church leaders have too long kept their heads in the sand and hoped the problem would go away - and now they're realizing that it won't go away as long as predators are allowed to roam around in the Church.

Being a pastor isn't about smiling and shaking hands and giving sermons. It's about defending the flock from the wolves. The Church's pastors have become fat and complacent, that's the problem.

[wideawake]

Thank you. St. Francis of Assisi died a deacon because he never felt that he was worthy of being a priest.

Yet we allow filth who assault children to soil the grace of ordination.

The seminaries need to be cleaned out as well.