The pope's empty words to Ireland

Sr. Maureen, you are right on. This episode is another test for Benedict XVI. So far at least, he is failing the test miserably. Unless the scales fall from his eyes and he removes the offending bishops, he will have forfeit his moral authority.

Steve

Only when we as Catholics face the fact that the pope and our leadership are up to their tiaras in this scandal, that they have covered-up and actively abetted child molestation will we heal.

And yes, sister, your fellow female religious continue to ignore their victims and deny any wrong-doing.

A few reflections related to this article:
1)Because of the internet it will be impossible for Rome to get away with as much deception and evasion as they have in the past. The church has its holy ones who won't play games. Rome's current game plan seems to be to tough it out and "play like" they are doing someting really positive, but in effect to do very little. It's two steps forward and 1.999 steps back. Seem to promise, go through an exercise of sorts, then waffle and melt away. As I recall the pope has next to no pastoral experience and apparently that is true of his advisors. This may explain the denseness.
2)As has been often pointed out it is a systemic problem: Ireland, America, Canada, Australia, the Latin countries, the African countries, Germany, peasant Italy. Not for nothing is the saying "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you always got".
3)What do you suppose would happen if those who were enablers took themselves to monasteries to seek true conversion and to repent for the great harm they have done to the church. Would that help end our anger (mother of 4 here)?It might, but unfortunately these tough clerical businessmen seem to care only that they were caught. Yes I am talking about Cardinal Law especially.

Protector P
Of O
Pedophile P
Enablers E Resign now, before you do my Church more harm.
Large banners with such sentiments in many languages should wave whenever Ratzinger shows his face in public.

Let's face it there is no sense of having done anything wrong in hiding this abuse of children. They got caught and since they belong to this exclusive club, no one will suffer.
Let's count on the civil authorities where some punishment might ensue.
The Pope speaks so much of the evils of the secular world in this case the secular world needs to be the recourse in seeking action.

Sister Maureen Paul,

First of all, permit me to respond to your many misstatements and downright lies:

1. You said, "Pope Benedict's repetition over and over again that the sexual abuse of a child is 'a heinous crime' and 'a grave sin which offends God and wounds the dignity of the human person created in his image,' in country after country may, to use Bishop Diarmuid Martin's words, 'even be empty.'"

If the Pope hadn't said it, you would have immediately criticized him for not doing so. This suggests that no matter what the Pope said, you wouldn't have been satisfied.

2. You and Michale O'Brien said, "I agree with Michael O'Brien of Right to Peace in Ireland, who said, 'It's unbelievable what we heard today from the pope, this is the man who is in charge of the Catholic church worldwide and he hadn't even the gumption to say he was sorry for what happened to us.

'All he's done now is to add salt to the wounds, and this is very hurtful," he added. "We were expecting something and we got nothing.'"

Well, BOO-HOO for you and Michael O'Brien. On behalf of the Pope, I'm sorry. Now, get over it! You know he is sorry. He wouldn't be having these meetings if he weren't! Please.

3. You said, "Rather the question that has to be asked and answered is what is wrong with the underlying governmental structures of the institutional Roman Catholic church that gave bishops license to act with such utter abandon of its most vulnerable members in countries worldwide?

What flaws in the fabric of the church contributed to the bishops actually enabling further abuse by transferring priests from place to place over many years while threatening and intimidating victims and their families? What allowed this conspiracy, this collusion to happen in country after country and on such a scale?"

Yes, Sister, and what about the dear Sisters who operated the laundries in Ireland. I don't hear your outrage over your fellow sisters' misdeeds. Oh, wait a minute, they are women, so they are fellow victims of patriarchal oppression that enabled these institutions to continue. Once again, I think it's time to stop blaming people and get on with life.

4. You said, "There should be some outline, a paradigm of reform and renewal included in the pope's expected pastoral letter to the People of God in Ireland.

Such a letter from the pope will be read very carefully by peoples around the world who expected something more substantive than just the words of sympathy and concern they received when the pope visited their countries, especially the United States where not one bishop was removed from office or criminally prosecuted because of his part in covering up for abusive clerics and enabling their continued abuse over long periods of time.

It appears now that such a pastoral letter to Ireland will not be forthcoming and that will be a tragedy because the People of God did have hope."

To this, I present the following questions:

1. Were you present for the meetings between the Holy Father and the bishops of Ireland?

2. Did the Holy Father and the Irish bishops personally telephone or e-mail you an account of the meeting?

3. Has your crystal ball informed you what the results of the Pope's words to the Church in Ireland will be?

4. Have you gotten a copy of the pastoral letter the Holy Father is planning to address to the people of Ireland?

I daresay the answer to all of these questions is a resounding NO; therefore, your opinion is offers nothing other than yet another opportunity for you to bash the Church and the Pope. As a victim's advocate, all you are doing is perpetuating your victims' victimhood and keeping you employed. May God have mercy on your soul.

Very soon, we will stop waiting for those who aided & abetted the molestation of our children to apologize and to remove themselves from office...they are weak men, very weak indeed. Certainly not leadership material or caliber.

And yet...we spend big bucks on inspecting religious orders of women who daily minister to victims of such crimes, the sick, the dying, the uneducated, the poor. Strong women, very strong indeed. Leadership material and caliber.

The old boys' club will soon be no more; it is obvious they have read the handwriting on the wall...and they are scared.

Sister Maureen should seek an audience with "her boss" - if she has the answers - try to enlighten him. If that doesn't work, suggest sister should think of becoming a candidate for the papal office - bet she support women in the priesthood!!! Bah

It seems that many people (in Ireland and the US) will not be happy without some papal groveling. But these are often the same people who think Rome has too much power and influence in the local Church. Which is it? Should Rome have the power to over see the administration of local parishes or should that be left to individual bishops and national conferences? If the latter, than look for your apology there. Do you really want Rome more deeply involved?

Thank you for your thoughtful, knowledgeable, and charitable comments on this issue, Sr. Maureen Turlish. Your patience and kindness are beyond belief in the restraint that you've shown. I suppose this is praiseworthy, but now let's get down to brass tacks and take off the gloves!

I totally agree with support Sr. Maureen Turlish's sentiment in her article about the pope's empty words on priest sexual abuse in Ireland.

If Benny, in his Ratzinger days, instructed those bishops to do whatever it took to avoid scandal, and to report sexual abuse complaints to Rome, but not to the cops, how could he now say he is sorry that the bishops followed his job instructions? He seems about as guilty of these crimes as Cheney was when he finally admitted his complicity in the Bush administration's torturing of detainees!

But then, what does a dumb "pay, pray and obey pew warmer like me know anyhow, eh?

Excellent article. Does the heiarchy read this stuff or are they in such a state of self absortion they just ignore it and go along their merry way as if nothing has happened.

Sr. Maureen is absolutely right in her assessment of the situation. What is truly tragic is the those in authority from the Pope on down the heirarchical chain do not understand the widespread pain and indeed ruined lives this has caused. They hear it with their ears, but their hearts are hardened to the victims. Words are cheap, and the Pope's words were even insulting to the victims who carry wounds that are so deep as to leave indelible marks on their entire lives. Who is going to give them back their innocence, who will give them back their sense of the world being a place of goodness, who will give them back their lives? Certainly not our Leaders, they haven't up until now. Where are the prophetic voices among the bishops why are they not crying out in the wilderness of their gatherings, and doing reparation for the evil with which they colluded.

If the Church covered this scandal up for decade after decade, why does anyone expect it to come clean now?

It's been obvious for a long time that Rome's and local diocesean responses are just enough to push back and give false hope to those who complain. The failure to respond is now worse than the Scandal itself. Or, rather, the BIG LIE is being practiced to perfection.

Lets us all pray for for the victims of the tragedy and Pope Benedict XVI and the Catholic Church.

It is high time for the laity to step in and take control of this problem. We have waited long enough for the clergy to handle it, and the latest lame attempt by Benedict 16 is one more example of how that is not going to happen. Enough!! Let's take charge of this problem now.

Thank you, Sister Maureen - you raise the questions behind these scandals. Because they go to the root of the flaws, the 'answer' will be obvious: DISSENT!

JPII and B16 - with a rare exception (oops, euh, mmm, mistake: the great Kevin Dowling from Rustenburg, South Africa comes to mind) - appoint(ed) those to office who will only use the rear mirrow: WHAT WILL ROME THINK. So, there is no credible hierarchy nor magisterium anymore => always look at the bright side of live: actually, we might be graced!

Let's pick up & study the ecclesiology behind this and learn about moral failure by ideology; might result in very many nominal bishops to leave - or just accept that they have been left. At least, it would stop the crime of having abusers giving a new free ride.

Very well said, Sister Maureen! You are speaking the truth and I have always believed nothing will change until the person at the very top (The Bishop of Rome) owns up to the cover-up, apologizes and makes radical changes regarding the distribution of power (ordain women and make celibacy optional and move the church's understanding of human sexuality into this century with a total re-examination of its' flawed and outdated teachings), and so far, Benedict has been nothing but a disappointment in every one of these areas. The dark and ignorant comments by many who wish to preserve the status quo make it all the more important to point the finger at the root causes. Rome continues to shoot themselves in their feet and the wounds of those who were abused become more infected.

Right on, Sister! Power without accountability is always a recipe for disaster. Unless that model of church governance changes, we can expect the billion or so Catholics who are not part of the heirarchy to become increasingly alientated from the thousands who are.

But, maybe that is a good thing. I mean, if we don't really like them, or bother to listen to them, how much harm can they really do? I can envision a Church where Bishops function like the senile old Aunt or Uncle at a family gathering, always there, going on about something or other, tolerated but otherwise ignored by their family members.

Come to think of it, that kind of describes the present state of the Church.

Thank you Maureen for your very clear, compassionate and helpful article.
I am in absolute agreement with you that the hierarchy - the pope with the bishops and their presbyters who betrayed our trust - must take responsibility for their actions.
I wonder, though, when the pope himself will take personal and institutional responsibility as the pope for what has happened.
In major organizations, the CEO or the Chair of the board is ultimately responsible for the successes and the failures of the mission of the organization.
If it is now true that most bishops see themselves as nothing more than branch managers of the vatican (which is in itself a clear departure from the ecclesiology of the Second Vatican Council) - and there is evidence today that this is more and more the case as we see many an individual bishop pledging unswerving loyalty to the Apostolic See over and above their commitment to the People of God in their care - then the CEO or the Chair of the Board is ultimately responsible. For us (because this seems to be the way the church now works) this is the pope.
In many organizations it is irrelevant whether or not the one in charge knew or did not know about corruption and wrong doing. If it is the latter, they typically admit in public to gross negligence, they express their contrition and then they resign.
The price this pope ought to pay for winding back and devaluing the collegiality of the episcopal college while at the very same time strengthening his monarchical style of leadership is obvious . . . especially to the victims who refuse to be silent, to their advocates who cry out on their behalf for justice and to those who still tenaciously believe in the action of the Spirit at the Second Vatican Council.
Since this matter concerns many Catholics not only in Ireland but in many countries, a first 'prophetic' step toward healing would be to remove Cardinal Bernard Law from his public roles in Rome and within Vatican congregations, send him back to the US and allow the full extent of the criminal justice system to deal with his gross irresponsibility and sin.

I applaud the work of Sister Maureen and all those who have and are working to bring relief to all who suffer at the hands of pedophiles and those who work in any manner to hide and protect the guilty from just laws. Your work must be very difficult and emotionally draining. I pray that your spiritual works of mercy will help in the healing process.

I can only imagine that any words, works, or even compensation would seem empty to all those affected by these terrible evil deeds of clergy, women religious and those who helped perpetrate these crimes. No one, not even His Holiness, can ever say enough or do enough. The removal of bishops who allowed these crimes to be carried on is not defensible. The removal of sisters and brothers whose institutions perpetuated these deplorable crimes and other offences against the innocent should be punished by the appropriate authorities of the country wherein they reside. They should, of their own accord, remove themselves from places of power and reconcile their actions with God and with those whose lives have been scarred. They should also face the law of the land and rise to accept what they have done to our society and Church. The Holy Father, I believe, is, by his authority, leading those who have gone astray - no who have lead those who are innocent into the evil world of abuse, doing what is is called to do.

I am always saddened by those who heap all the evils of the world onto our Holy Father. We do not know him personally. His only defense for some would seem to be an all-out hold on all Church ministries until every evil in the world is corrected. It's a very bizzare understanding of the world and the Church. How do we know that he hasn't quietly and with great dignity spoken to those involved? How could he speak with evryone personally? Maybe His Holiness has a letter to send out to be read by all. Would this be enough? Hasn't he and others already written and said much on this matter already? Do we need more? Maybe.

I cannot belive that Sister Maureen and others believe that Pope Benedict is not doing all he can do and that he is adding salt to the wounds by his silence or actions. I can't believe that His Holiness, in a true spirit of respect for all who have been harmed, hasn't already spoken with all those involved? I cannot imagine him not treating everyone with great dignity, even those who perpetrated these horrible crimes. Yes, I beleive that we need to treat those who have done wrong with dignity, however incongress it may seem.

It is part of our American idealism, I guess, that we need to know every detail however morose or offensive. I find this kind of news very insensative to all concenred and gives one more reason for those who are against the good works of the Church another fault to nail into its crucifixion!

I, myself, weep for those who are suffering and pray that God's will is done. I hope one day we will all know peace. I believe that there will be joy tomorrow and that even the innocent who have been torn assunder will know the compassion of God.

God bless us all with hope.

St Francis is reported to have said go forth and preach the Gospel... use words only when necessary. It's time for the pope and the bishops to stop with the words.

When the Church rids its priesthood of the homosexuals perpetrating these horrible crimes against children, and their collaborators who cover up these crimes, only then it will begin to heal.

Even TIGER WOODS is more believable than this Pope...if you can believe that!
I'm with the Brits:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/ni/2010/02/make_the_pope_pay_campaign.html

There are two things we must understand: 1) There is no collation between Catholicism as founded and defined by Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church, whose membership is not over 1 billion as the hierarchy claims but rather a limited membership of those who have voting rights in the next conclave (even the clergy and bishops are papal lap dogs waiting for their loyalty to be rewarded with a red hat), and 2) This Catholic Church is nothing more and nothing less than a pedophile organization.

When the Boston scandal erupted I watched TV programming very late at night. Many of the panel discussions between Catholic Church reps and the news media were televised. Parents of victims, victims and others were interviewed documentary style. I will never forget one in particular. A U.S. Monsignor whose name I do not remember relayed this story. He was commissioned by Rome, 20 years BEFORE the Boston fiasco to do a study on the whole church sex abuse situation in the US. This man spoke from the depths of his soul. He took this assignment very seriously and spent the next 2 years completing it. He sent the final report to Rome to the cardinal that had commissioned him. This report brought to light that the situation was so dire, so encompassing that if the Church did not act immediately to turn the tide, it would essentially be destroyed from within. He waited...and waited....and waited for a reply. He contacted Rome many times asking for comments, replies, any kind of acknowledgment. None ever came. So there he sat that night still in disbelief that all of his efforts were not even acknowledged. Ever. You could see the pain in his eyes and the frustration he felt at a church that ignored his extensive study done at THEIR request, but more importantly that did nothing about his findings.

Enough Sister, etc. you don't have the facts, yet you write like you do. Talk about throwing rocks! There is no doubt some in the church made mistakes and some even tried to cover up for their mistakes. We are human and thank God for confession! HOWEVER, I know first hand that Psychologist's and Psychiatrist's also gave BAD advise. Some thought they could cure these Priests, move them, give them a fresh start, but unfortunately abusing more children. Not an excuse or pardon because some also said they could never be cured and just chose to save face. I was there, I know. The Catholic Church from the Pope to the laity know what has been done and are taking steps to never let it happen again. I also have heard many from the Pope to the laity "asking for forgiveness." Yes, more than just Priests are culpable. I am sure you do great work comforting victims. They need our understanding and prayers. But WE also need to forgive, otherwise we will never be able to get on with our lives. I pray that you are helping victims get on with their lives and not holding them in a victim holding pattern for the rest of their lives. The words and tone of your article leaves me to believe the latter. I will pray a rosary tonight asking Mary to comfort all victims and help those with such harden hearts.

It really is time that Catholics around the world really see what is going on. I remember being taught that if I go to confession and confess my sins to the priest, if I SAY I am sorry, but do not mean it and do nothing to try not to commit the same sin again EVEN GOD WILL NOT FORGIVE ME. If God will not do so, then how are we to be expected to forgive the pope who has never once expressed his responsibility, sincerely apologized for that - not the general wrongdoing in the church - and promised to do something to see that this sin is not committed again? The pope is speaking pretty, empty words - he is a "clanging cymbal." I just hope that he remembers that he, too, will one day face his Maker, and although God is a merciful God; God is also just.

Thank you Sr.Maureen. You are right on of course! I am a former SNDdeN and have been reading your comments on the NCR comment section. Thank you very much for stepping up and saying what had to be said--all in the spirit of St. Julie.

Dear Sister,

Thank you for your comments and your ministry. So sorry that you and your other women religious are the ones under investigation. I consider this a real diversion to Rome from the sexual abuse scandal. You wrote:

Until or unless Pope Benedict acknowledges and addresses the governmental structures and policies that led to this terrible abuse of power by the bishops and other church authorities, an infinite number of words of sympathy or shock will not be enough to assuage what those victim/survivors have suffered at the hands of abusers while others continue to suffer because of what they have learned about the criminal and immoral actions of the episcopacy.

I do not believe that Pope, Cardinal, Archbishop, Bishop or priest will ever acknowledge the corrupt sinfulness in all of this. If there was only one prophet among them we could save this church, if it's worth saving anymore.

Sister's words, and those of all others who express such horror and disgust over clerical sexual abuse, would be much more credible if they wrung their hands as vigorously about all the non-clerical sexual abuse, which is now epidemic in our western society. But our media ignores all sexual abuse except that perpetrated by Roman Catholic clergy, giving the impression that this evil exists only in the ranks of Catholic clergy and religious or is more prevalent there than in any other profession or segment of society. That is a form of slander against the Church. It is also an injustice against the victims of sexual abuse, because sexual abuse by a non-clerical person is just as much sexual abuse as if it were by a person with a Roman collar. If we are truly concerned about these victims, then let us out ALL the abusers, not just the Catholic religious ones.

Sexual abuse is a serious social problem, causing harm and pain to so many people. Let us tackle it in an objective and impartial way instead of using it as a stick to beat the hierarchy and further a liberal agenda.

Thank you, Sister Maureen for your candid analysis. You hit on one point, in particular, that I think is at the crux of the entire problem. Over a 20+ year period when Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI, was Head of the CDF, he saw enough legitimate complaints of abuse, molestation, rape and sodomy to paper the Vatican, inside and out I doubt if very few of the allegations made in orphanages, institutional schools, parishes, hospitals, Catholic Schools, etc. were "news" to him. He was part of the problem, since he enforced Pope John Paul's agenda of protecting "his divine priests," bishops, etc., and being more concerning about their reputations and the Church's assets than the welfare of those who had been abused and spiritually devastated. By not "Challenging the Prevailing (Vatican) Culture," he casually participated in and encouraged the institutional coverups, which had been part of the Church's Modus Operandi for decades.

For the Pope to admit that the bishops were complicit in participating in the coverups, he knows that the entire world would expect him to acknowledge his share of the blame and GUILT, as well. As the proclaimed, "Vicar of Christ on Earth," it would be impossible for him to make this acknowledgment, without loosing a high percentage of his credibility among rank and file Catholics. How could a man be the Vicar of Christ on Earth, instantly, on the day of his Papal Inauguration, when for over 20 years prior to his inauguration he participated in coverups that would have made Jesus more enraged than he was with the money-lenders in the Temple? Impossible! And, he knows it!

A few years back a story circulated that one day a man dressed like Jesus showed up at the Vatican. Everyone was in a tizzy. A cardinal ran into the Pope's office and asked, "What should we do? Jesus is outside? The Pope said, "Look busy!" Now, if the same story were told today, the Pope would probably say, "Look innocent!"

Sister Maureen, please keep writing! I thoroughly enjoy your inside analysis whenever I come across it! Jeannie (from the old VOTF message board (2002).

Homosexuality doesn't cause abuse of children, but it seems very likely to have caused abuse of teenage boys. Of course, few on the politically correct side will acknowledge this.

Angela Malmgren, you're right to ask "Where are our leaders"? They are there, just take a look, heads down, sputtering in the sand. However, I do recommend that you take a look at Bishop Geoffrey Robinson. This Australian Bishop has spent years trying to convince his fellow bishops, and the Vatican, to look at the possible systemic causes of this terrible disease within our Church. Very little result so far - but his existence does give us hope. And, yes, he is a faithful son of the Church, faithful in the right way.

The press statement issued by the Irish bishops is indeed instructive.

It is predictably the same gruel served before with American bishops in 2002. So horrible, so sorry, we are correcting everything, but no concrete action to hold bishops accountable for the crimes enabled by their obsession with secrecy and their reputation.

It is the hierarchy’s ownership only of the solution that is so frustrating, instead of the heart of the crisis in clear, concise terms. We get the antiseptic language of public relations: failed “to act effectively” or “errors of judgements and omissions” vs “criminal endangerment of children” or “obstruction of justice."

We get theologizing about faith and sin, generalizing about lack of respect of the human person, as though diluting culpability in some theoretical framework. Lack of faith and such are simply red herrings masquerading as profundity. People sin because they do not respect Catholic principles. Well, yes, of course.

The actual exercise of power on the ground is absent from any reckoning. Every Irish bishop believes he did nothing wrong personally. Are they that dense? Sorry, it all just happened. Bless me Father, for mistakes were made. Such a dysfunctional system right under their noses, and by the way, “the system made me do it.”

The press release ends with prayers and hopes for restoring the church’s credibility, holiness and strength in light of lack of trust and damage to her witness – all laudable petitions. But not one clear request for prayers for the healing of those molested in body and soul. Clerical narcissism at its naked best; it’s always about them.

A letter in the Irish Times by Ruth Chipperfield of Dublin,said it all;

"The Pope chose to address the problems in the church by summoning the Irish bishops to Rome to talk about “the trials for the church”.

There could have been another way. The Pope would come to Ireland, simply and without ceremony, on a scheduled flight. Nobody would trouble him because they wouldn’t recognise him.
He would be wearing sackcloth and ashes, and his eyes would be full of tears."

As a Catholic I am truly ashamed. To the victims might I say this ....not by way of lessening their agony but by confronting the reality.... The pope and the other bishops are celibates.....they do not live in a world of deep and enriching human relationships.......most cannot empathize.....Jesus, by contrast called men from the ordinary everyday lived experience of family and work. Jesus , whether he was married or not at some stage , seemed to connect with ordinary people : he ate with them; he understood them. Most of the hierarchy are cocooned in a world of latin sanctimony. that is where they feel comfortable; dressing up in latin and lace. gopd help us when the new sacramentary is unleashed upon us.

Methinks TNCath doth protest too much. Ah! Perhaps, Sr. Maureen, you have rightfully, logically, and truthfully touched a raw nerve in clericaldom. Please keep this needed pressure up. May God continue to give you the grace of insight and holy wisdom, which our leaders seem to fall so short of.

I'm afraid that continuing membership in the Catholic Church would imply acceptance of sexaul abuse even if I state my opposition to no changes taking place. Status quo means nothing changes in the hierarchy. We all risk maintaining the moral wrong until hierarchical changes are made for sexaullyresponsible possibilites for religious life.

I think something we all overlook that child abuse was something everyone hid up until quite recently. The public was more concerned with the shame than it was with the child. Families in all strata of life covered it up. We know that some cases, where a priest had abused a child, the family would be too shamed to do or say anything about it. Note too that the police wouldn't do much as Father could do no wrong.
Another thing we don't credit enough is the position that bishops held in society, and it isn't very long ago that Cardinals were truly "princes of the church."
In other words, while the abuse was always a hugely dehumanizing event for the abused, the family and the hierarchy were always more important.
But the Pope and the hierarchy have had enough time to learn that things have changed and that we now value an abused child nearly as much as we value family and certainly more than we value the hierarchy.
It is simply STUPID for bishops to mount the usual defenses. The penduluum has swung and the reality of the child abuse scandal is vividly apparent for all to see. Sister Maureen's statement that the hierarchy failed its most vulnerable is spot on. And, yet, in too many cases, it should also be admitted that they didn't know any better.

Like Nixon's Watergate mess in 1973, the COVER-UP has become bigger than the original deed...
It drove Nixon from office, perhsps it will also drive some of these enabling Hierarchs from governing the People of God any longer!

Where have all the flowers gone?
Long time passing

Where have all the young girls gone?
Long time passing

Where have all the young men gone?
Long time passing

The innocence, purity, beauty, sensitivity and love of many of our young Catholic girls and boys destroyed over years of sexual abuse, exploitation and cover-up by those religious leaders who have ignored their cries, suffering, desparation, heartache and feelings of hopelessness.

When will THEY ever learn?
When will THEY ever learn?

When will WE ever learn?
When will WE ever learn?

Sister Maureen, keep up your faith-inspired work and advocacy on behalf of all of our children and those victims of sexual abuse. You have a true friend here in Philadelphia.

All victims of abuse especially children who were robbed of their innocence can look to Jesus the Innocent One who suffered and died for them.If they feel let down by human justice they can be assured of Divine Justice "Woe to those who scandalise my little ones"
I would urge all victims of abuse to avail themselves of healing masses where the holy oils are given for the sick and dying. It is a wonderful sacrament that brings comfort and strength.If you are unable to bear the thought of entering a church or approaching a religious ask a catholic friend to come with you or if you have a friend in this circumstance pray for healing for them. Jesus is the Great Healer and some people have been so deeply traumatised by this evil that was visited upon them that only His healing touch will bring them relief.

Way to go, Sister! WE have to keep telling it like it is and believe in miracles!

I keep reading that he should do more, but noone ever has a list of suggestions that would be what they wanted besides firing a bunch of men that did the same thing that countless mothers in homes with incest do every day. COVER IT UP, SCAPEGOAT THE VICTIM...Would firing the ones that made the strategic choice of looking out the church reputation over individuals really help? Or would the next man at the helm do the same thing. Maybe training on the effects of child abuse and a new system of reporting and awareness taining for parents, and lay oversight of orphanages would help. The U.N. is mired by child sex abuse in its overseas workers right now, 30 years ago the stats for Boy Scouts was one reported molest per week. If you looked a public schools and Prostestant churches collectively instead of individually you'd find the same problem. So just because the Catholic Church is worldwide and has the most members does not mean it has the most molest or the biggest problem, it just has the deepest pocket and the most enemies.....

Sister would have some credibility if she called for the resignation of the superiors of the women's religious orders who are guilty of abuse. No--she and the LCWR turn a blind eye to it. They are so happy to call out bishops and men (and rightfully so) but they are so arrogant to think that what they did (the same as the bishops!!) is perfectly ok and they are immune to criticism.

Does anyone really believe that the Holy See, the vatican, the pope or any of the cardinals or bishops will ever own up to their abuse of power and authority? I don't. More and more catholics will come together in small faith communities and basically ignore those church authorities who have lost their moral credibility anyway.

I read: "not one bishop was removed from office or criminally prosecuted because of his part in covering up for abusive clerics and enabling their continued abuse over long periods of time.

It is not the role of the Church to criminally prosecute anyone for a crime. If a person allegedly commits a crime the onus is on the civil authorities to bring a case against them.

Also the head of the Church is Jesus Christ, not the pope, so we Catholics should rally together, remembering that the Catholic Church is the one true Church.

TNCath You're wrong. The Pope is GUILTY. So is JPII. They both IGNORED abuse reports over the last 30 years. BXVI's Congregation duty was to investigate these abuses. Cases were reported to him. Silencing, cover-up dorectives were sent out by Ratzinger. Victims reported repeatedly to JPII since 1979, again in 1989, 1995 finally with Canon lawyers in 2000 no longer could victims of Legion of Christ founder still be ignored. They directly wrote to JPII. Vows of Silence, book, documentary and other books report this very very accurately.

Written directives from Rome , from the popes, were sent out to dioceses to ignore and silence victims of abuse and to move predatory priests parish to parish, even country to country. So, yes, the popes are GUILTY.

For me, the depth of corruption in which the hierarchy is mired is captured in the appointment this past January of Bishop Robert F. Vasa to be coadjutor bishop of Santa Rosa. Quite apart from Bishop Vasa's alleged virtues or failings, ten years or so into the pedophilia scandal, the Vatican ambassador (Apostolic Nuncio) to the U.S. nominated a bishop with a known weak record in handling sexual abuse cases to be bishop of a see which has had a tragic history of such cases (as well as financial shenanigans) for at least three decades.
After such a lapse of due diligence (i.e., not finding or reporting the relevant facts to the appointing authority), the Vatican bureaucracy and ultimately the Pope, APPROVED this nomination. Remember that all bishops are required to make ad limina visits to Rome every 5 years; so Bishop Vasa was not (or should not have been) an unknown quantity to Rome.
Either a sizable number of people are not doing their jobs properly, OR the Vatican is simply saying "This abuse thing is just a tempest in a teapot, and we're going to keep doing things the way we've always done them".
The whole thing is absolutely Orwellian (a la "1984"). Black is white, up is down, bad is good. It cannot continue. We need a new and better way of choosing bishops. At the very least, we should return to the previous system of getting local input. But we really need something much more robust.