Pope Benedict XVI met Sunday with a group of clerical sex-abuse victims and told them with tears in his eyes that the Catholic Church would seek justice for pedophile priests and implement “effective measures” to protect young people from abuse, the Vatican and victims said.
Benedict expressed his “shame and sorrow” at the pain the men and their families suffered and prayed with them during the meeting at the Vatican’s embassy in Malta, the Vatican said.
It was the first time Benedict had met with abuse victims since the worldwide clerical abuse scandal engulfed the Vatican earlier this year, and it marked his most personal and forceful statement on the spiraling scandal since a letter to Irish faithful a month ago.
Tears and repentance are the only possible response for the people of God over this affair
Yes, #1. I think the pope gets it. The tears are one indication, and his unprecedented letter of apology to the Irish Church and people another. But carrying out reforms that demonstrate full repentance throughout the vast Catholic Church will be the hard part. But I get the feeling that Benedict XVI is determined to insure that these horrible, scandalous, inexcusable crimes are never allowed to continue, as they were in the past. However, I agree with Peggy Noonan that one way to signal such a new attitude and policy would be to strip the infamous cover-up artist Cardinal Law of his red hat, miter, and episcopal ring.
I really admire this pope.
David Handy+
Sincere tears, and bona fide metanoia. Yes, good.
How much progress has he made in the cleansing of the seminaries? Without that, history will repeat.