In fact, the article about the priest that blamed victims is here also
Something is awry about this, as well
Victims' groups criticize pope's handling of church sexual abuse crisis
Though he may have frequently offered apologies, victims’ advocacy groups said that Pope Benedict XVI failed to rectify the harm done to the hundreds of thousands of children who were sexually abused by Roman Catholic priests.
The groups — commenting in reaction to the news that the pontiff will step down at the end of the month — said Pope Benedict “kept the culture of secrecy intact” and that he allowed hundreds of bishops who knew of the abuse to remain in their jobs.
“Instead of remedies, he gave us words. Instead of true penitence, he gave us public relations,” said Anne Barrett Doyle, co-director of BishopAccountability.org, which tracks priests accused of sexually abusing individuals. “His failure to enact real change in the church’s handling of sexually abusive priests will be his significant and shameful legacy.”
Ms. Doyle said Pope Benedict could have enacted true reform by forcing the immediate resignation of bishops who did little or nothing to stop predator priests.
She said the pontiff could have decreed that every diocese post on its website the names, assignment histories, and allegations of accused priests.
“Benedict’s words rang hollow,” she said.
Ms. Doyle said that the pope, when he traveled to the United States in April of 2008, promised that the church would do “whatever possible to help, to assist, to heal” victims.
She said, however, that the pontiff has spoken “as a shocked bystander, as if he had just stumbled upon the abuse crisis.”
Ms. Doyle said Pope Benedict was fully aware of the abuse, since he once headed the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which was one of the Vatican agencies at the center of the crisis.
“Pope Benedict followed the same script church officials have used for years, speaking of abuse in oblique terms and only when forced to do so — ignoring the cover-ups, using past tense, as if to pretend clergy sex crimes and cover-ups are not still happening now,” added Barbara Dorris, a spokesman for the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.
She said the pope still has time to “show true leadership and compassion” to take tangible action to safeguard vulnerable children.
Ms. Dorris urged the College of Cardinals to think about the sexually abused when picking a successor.
“For the church to truly embody the spiritual teachings of Jesus Christ, it must be led by a pontiff who demands transparency, exposes child molesting clerics, punishes wrongdoers and enablers, cooperates with law enforcement and makes true amends to those who were hurt so greatly by Catholic priests, employees, and volunteers,” she said.
The groups — commenting in reaction to the news that the pontiff will step down at the end of the month — said Pope Benedict “kept the culture of secrecy intact” and that he allowed hundreds of bishops who knew of the abuse to remain in their jobs.
“Instead of remedies, he gave us words. Instead of true penitence, he gave us public relations,” said Anne Barrett Doyle, co-director of BishopAccountability.org, which tracks priests accused of sexually abusing individuals. “His failure to enact real change in the church’s handling of sexually abusive priests will be his significant and shameful legacy.”
Ms. Doyle said Pope Benedict could have enacted true reform by forcing the immediate resignation of bishops who did little or nothing to stop predator priests.
She said the pontiff could have decreed that every diocese post on its website the names, assignment histories, and allegations of accused priests.
“Benedict’s words rang hollow,” she said.
Ms. Doyle said that the pope, when he traveled to the United States in April of 2008, promised that the church would do “whatever possible to help, to assist, to heal” victims.
She said, however, that the pontiff has spoken “as a shocked bystander, as if he had just stumbled upon the abuse crisis.”
Ms. Doyle said Pope Benedict was fully aware of the abuse, since he once headed the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which was one of the Vatican agencies at the center of the crisis.
“Pope Benedict followed the same script church officials have used for years, speaking of abuse in oblique terms and only when forced to do so — ignoring the cover-ups, using past tense, as if to pretend clergy sex crimes and cover-ups are not still happening now,” added Barbara Dorris, a spokesman for the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.
She said the pope still has time to “show true leadership and compassion” to take tangible action to safeguard vulnerable children.
Ms. Dorris urged the College of Cardinals to think about the sexually abused when picking a successor.
“For the church to truly embody the spiritual teachings of Jesus Christ, it must be led by a pontiff who demands transparency, exposes child molesting clerics, punishes wrongdoers and enablers, cooperates with law enforcement and makes true amends to those who were hurt so greatly by Catholic priests, employees, and volunteers,” she said.
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