Pope Begs Forgiveness for Abuse

[alp227]

Source: Reuters

Filed at 7:36 a.m. ET

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict begged forgiveness from God and victims of child sexual abuse by priests on Friday and vowed that the Catholic Church would do everything in its power to ensure that it never happens again.

Benedict made his comments, some of his clearest ever about the scandal that has swept the Church around the world, during a homily in St Peter's Square to conclude the Roman Catholic Church's "Year of the Priest" celebrations.

Wearing white and gold vestments as he spoke to some 15,000 priests, Benedict said the year that was to have celebrated the priesthood had been marred because "the sins of priests came to light, particularly the abuse of the little ones."

"We too insistently beg forgiveness from God and from the persons involved, while promising to do everything possible to ensure that such abuse will never occur again," he said.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2010/06/11/world/europe/international-uk-pope-abuse.html

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Wow, an act of desperation right here. (How many non-clergy molesters does the Pope think would deserve forgiveness?)

[sakabatou]

1. My response:

[Chulanowa]

2. he should put that into writing

And get his wrinkled Sith ass locked up if he doesn't follow through.

[NanceGreggs]

3. A bit of honesty ...

... albeit inadvertent, got through there:

"The year that was to have celebrated the priesthood had been marred because 'the sins of priests came to light' ..."

Marred not by what priests did - but the fact that it came to light.

[trotsky]

5. Nice catch!

So true, so true. In fact, when one looks at the history of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy, it is clear the church's #1 priority was to HIDE those sins rather than address the problem.

[arcane1]

4. Does this mean he thinks he's gonna die soon?

:shrug:

[Toasterlad]

21. Only If God Answers My Prayers.

[kirby]

6. God may forgive you, but its time to answer to the LAW. n/t

[NoNothing]

7. How many non-clergy molesters does the Pope think would deserve forgiveness?

Uh...all of them, I would presume. That's pretty much standard Catholic doctrine.

[saigon68]

8. Lookout for MR WINKIE

[Wizard777]

9. I think it is a very bold thing to do, a very rite thing to do, and a very right thing to do.

I'm Impressed.

[gratuitous]

10. Would Benedict grant absolution under those circumstances?

It's been a while, but as I recall Catholic doctrine on the sacrament of Penance, there are four elements to true absolution: Recognition that one has sinned; Confession of the sin; a sincere desire to change the behavior; and restitution where to do so doesn't inflict further damage. There seems to be recognition, confession and a stated desire to change in Benedict's statement. But there seems to be one element missing. Think, think: What could it possibly be???

:think:

Would Benedict grant absolution in the confessional without some commitment to all four elements?

[hedgehog]

22. I don't think he's met any of the requirements at all, but then,

I don't think this is all about the pedophilia. The pedophiles managed to go about their business because the Church authorities were more concerned about maintaining their power than anything else. If I may paraphrase Cardinal Bernardin, what we have here is a seamless garment of sin. The rules about contraception, a celibate male priesthood, divorce and remarriage all go back to the need for a small group of men to maintain power over the rest of the Church. They would rather drive millions away than admit error, ever. Apparently, the members of the hierarchy are the only Catholics who still don't read the Bible. Otherwise, how could they have missed this Golden Oldie?

" Woe to the shepherds who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture, says the LORD.

Therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, against the shepherds who shepherd my people: You have scattered my sheep and driven them away. You have not cared for them, but I will take care to punish your evil deeds."

[hlthe2b]

11. Resign and then we'll talk

:eyes:

[Towlie]

12. Looks like he's about halfway through the Kübler-Ross Five Stages of Grief

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%BCbler-Ross_model

[yellowcanine]

13. It would mean more if he hadn't tried the modified limited hang out strategy first.

Very Nixonian of him.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limited_hangout

[No Elephants]

14. Seems like only Easter when child rape news was being referred to as "petty gossip."

Donations must have gone down a lot.

[snooper2]

15. As Dick Cheney would say...

GFY

[valerief]

16. No. You will never be forgiven. If there's a hell, go there and die. nt

[Kolesar]

17. I heard that Pope JP2 might never get beautified

Not that he is getting any prettier.

[AngryOldDem]

18. I'd put more stock in this apology if the Church refers any allegations

to the proper legal authorities. Otherwise, this is the same old meaningless claptrap.

[Heywood J]

19. Forgiveness would start by putting Bernard Law

on the first plane back to Boston. It would continue by turning over everyone else in the Vatican who's involved in the scandal to civil authorities.

[Toasterlad]

20. Toasterlad Tells Pope to Fuck Off.

[David__77]

23. Oh but there is so much for which that institution may beg forgiveness.

The question is, why is the spirit and content of Vatican II being destroyed? Why is liberation theology, the most positive contribution from the church ever, resolutely opposed by the hierarchy?

[KansDem]

24. My, how "Christian" of him...

We too insistently beg forgiveness from God and from the persons involved...

You need to include the rest of us, too, Pope. After all, criminality and hypocrisy affects us all, no matter what religion we are...or aren't.

[ccinamon]

25. 35 years ago....1974...

that's when I first heard about pedophile priests -- and it is STILL going on....STILL being covered up....STILL catholics give a pass to the priests, the pope and the church....I don't understand at all why this is still going on and the catholics are ok with it.

liars at the top, molesters in the middle, and enablers (parents and parishioners) on the bottom...they are all complicit in this.

[tiny elvis]

28. have you seen 'murmurs of the heart'?

french movie written and directed by louis malle, i think
it was made about 1974 but the story is about the '50s
watch the first twenty minutes or so and see what a french catholic boy in the '50s thought of priests

[pattmarty]

26. Fuck him and the hypocritical catholic church.

[6000eliot]

27. I guess the money isn't coming through like it used to.

[SemperEadem]

29. monetary restitution

you can afford it.

[katty]

30. stop begging forgiveness: remove predators now!