Posted on 08/20/2018 6:46:42 PM PDT by marshmallow
VATICAN CITY, August 20, 2018 (LifeSiteNews) – Nearly a week after last Tuesday’s scathing Pennsylvania grand jury report exposing 70 years of clergy sex abuse of 1,000 known victims on the part of some 300 priests, Pope Francis responded to the scandal today, stating that “clericalism” was the root cause.
The letter is facing criticism from faithful Catholics for failing to specify any concrete actions he would take to address the crisis, and ignoring the underlying issue of rampant homosexuality in the clergy.
“Clericalism, whether fostered by priests themselves or by lay persons, leads to an excision in the ecclesial body that supports and helps to perpetuate many of the evils that we are condemning today. To say ‘no’ to abuse is to say an emphatic ‘no’ to all forms of clericalism,” he stated.
He called clericalism a “peculiar way of understanding the Church’s authority” that is “common in many communities where sexual abuse and the abuse of power and conscience have occurred,” and that “not only nullifies the character of Christians, but also tends to diminish and undervalue the baptismal grace that the Holy Spirit has placed in the heart of our people.”
In his letter “to the People of God” (published in full below), the Pope called for collective Church-wide penance, fasting, and prayer as a response.
He did not, however, acknowledge the issue of homosexuality among clergy, offer concrete steps for resolution of the crisis, nor recognize the role bishops have played in the scandal. In fact, the word "bishop" does not appear once in the entire letter.
Cardinal Raymond Burke stated in two interviews concerning the crisis that only the Pope can address situations of misconduct or negligence by bishops, not a bishops’ conference.
“It is the Roman Pontiff, the Holy Father......
(Excerpt) Read more at lifesitenews.com ...
What an idiot.
The Pope does what he does best...he obfuscates.
Wow....I’ve seen tone deaf CEOs before but this guy is on a whole different level.
If I suddenly became pope I’d probably drop the celibacy requirement except maybe as an extra honorific priests who really wanted to could work for. It served a purpose in its time but its not like its a biblical requirement or even one found in early tradition. In a secular age where the job of clergy has lost most of its temporal luster it just screens out too much and the wrong sort of people are left over.
Predatory queers, not pedophiles.
...Normal but not chaste..
Okay... whatever...
The equivalent of tossing a smoke grenade.
The church needs to understand that one cannot be truly absolved of sin unless that person pays both a religious punishment and civil punishment. If a priest has hurt a child he needs to answer to the authorities and not hide behind the seal of confession.
What a joke
It’s not homosexuality, it is power and control, more twisted sick and disgusting than can be imagined
This Pope is Satan’s disciple.
Pope better be quiet or he may find himself on the gallows.
Wuerl is one of the worst. I read the link to Cardinal Burke’s column. The Pope must address the homo issue because it’s yuge.
In this context, what is clericalism? I understand it to mean priests having a say in political matters, in which case Pope Francis is amazingly clericalist.
Can someone tell me what clericalism is and how to aim my pistol at it if it gets near my kids?
I suggest that homosexuality is demonic.
No, I am not saying that homosexuals are demonic...I am saying that their urges are demonic.
No Hope with this Pope.
.
The Great Veil of this
Organization is torn
Completely and found
Utterly Bankrupt.
The Pope misses the obvious cause, Satan. This sex abuse is totally evil and the Pope’s wish-washy theology doesn’t recognize the pure evil that has taken over the Church. These events should cause a crusade against evil. There should be mass excommunications of the offenders especially bishops and Cardinals. The Pope should reinterate that homosexuality is evil and a grave sin. No more pandering to the LG etc. groups. The Pope should call for fervent prayers to deliver the Church from Satan’s grasp.
I am very grieved for the faithful Catholic folks of the world who have built their spiritual foundations inside the Catholic faith, only to be betrayed by the flawed human leaders who have perverted the power they were entrusted with.
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