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PDF versionWalking 350 miles, victim asks to meet pope
Oct. 11, 2011
VATICAN CITY -- Francesco Zanardi walked almost 350 miles to deliver a letter asking Pope Benedict XVI to meet Italian victims of clerical abuse and to work harder to ensure bishops around the world follow Vatican norms for dealing with accusations of abuse.
Zanardi, 41, set off from Savona, Italy, Sept. 22 and walked almost all the way to Rome. He said he was abused by a priest when he was about 10 years old, but by the time he reported it to police in 2007, the statue of limitations had expired.
Although more victims of the same priest came forward in 2010 and police are now investigating, Zanardi said, "this priest is still free. He lives in an apartment owned by the church."
The Italian police who patrol St. Peter's Square stopped Zanardi and Alberto Sala, president of an Italian organization that cares for abused children, Oct. 11 at a checkpoint. The men were unable to deliver Zanardi's letter to the Bronze Doors of the Apostolic Palace, but a Vatican employee accepted the letter.
"All accusations should be investigated and accused priests should be isolated from children during the investigation," Zanardi said.
In addition, he said, "it's important to respond to the victims -- they need an incredible amount of help. It's taken me 20 years to overcome the trauma and that's fast. I wanted to die. Victims feel they are at fault, that they are dirty. They need help."
Zanardi said it isn't right that Pope Benedict has met with victims from the United States, Australia, England and Germany, but not victims from Italy. In fact, he said, while his registered letters have reached the Vatican, he has never had a response from the pope or any Vatican official.
He said in his experience, guidelines issued by the Vatican over the past 10 years to improve child protection and deal with accusations of abuse "are not being applied. They exist only on paper."
In addition to asking for a meeting with the pope and for the application of Vatican norms, Zanardi also wants the Vatican to hand over its files of accusations to legal officials in the countries where abuse is alleged to have taken place.
Bishops are obliged to report to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith accusations against priests that appear well-founded.
This brave man is absolutely
This brave man is absolutely right - the policies, panels and procedures look great on paper. They just aren't applied in real life.
David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, SNAPclohessy@aol.com
Perhaps instead of praying
Perhaps instead of praying all the 20 mysteries of the Rosary, Benedict should really sit down – or kneel down before – these Italian victims who were neglected during the 27 years papacy of John Paul II, read our related article --- the Rosary could not defeat JP2 Army John Paul II Pedophile Priests Army in the 20th Century ... unlike the Battle of Lepanto in the 16th Century http://jp2m.blogspot.com/2011/10/rosary-could-not-defeat-jp2-army-john_0...
The Catholic church is
The Catholic church is determined to abuse God's laws and lie about their pedophile priests, so the congregation has to MAKE the leaders do the right thing or throw them out of the church. Catholics are so pitifully passive about child rape, they are an embarrassment in the eyes of God.
Let these two victims be two of the leaders.
1,000 years ago St. Francis
1,000 years ago St. Francis of Assisi walked to Rome and stood outside the walls of the Vatican in rags waiting to meet the Pope. When the Pope finally met with him, the Pope asked Francis why he was dressed in rags. Francis answered that this is what the Holy Wars conducted by the various Popes had done to the people, left them impoverished and in rags. History repeats itself. Refusing to allow married men to be priests, women to be priests, and paying off billions to silence victims of clergy pedophiles and sexually active homosexual clerical behaviors is bankrupting the church and leaving millions of innocent children around the world to die of starvation because of the abuse of wealth. Wealth that is used to cover up the actions of pedophile priests and sexually active homosexual clergy. Time for a change. Let's pray for a new enlightened Pope, and may it be sooner rather than later.
I have written a few times on
I have written a few times on other subjects - they never answer.
Guess they have forgotten about what you do to the least, they do also to Jesus!
According to what I was
According to what I was taught at my Confirmation and First Communion as well as what I was taught in Catholic High School and in a Catholic University, one would think the Pope would drive out and meet this fellow to bring him to Rome. The allegations which appear to be true should take top priority with any pope. Sadly, it does not. Christ asked us to be his witnesses. A witness must be authentic. Sorry this pope fails the test. Now more pews are empty.
Something about these abuse
Something about these abuse cases just does not add up. Some of the may have happened but it seems to me most of them did not (and the "victims" like the limelight). I was raised Roman Catholic and I went to Catholic school and was an altar boy and a choir boy. I went to a Jesuit University. I was never abused by a priest (hundreds of them). I was treated very well by priests (the nuns used to swat my behind with a yardstick -- my parents approved of it). I was always treated with respect and dignity and everybody I knew was treated with respect and dignity. So I take all of these allegations with a grain of salt. Some may have occurred but they were rare .. very rare. People like to imagine things and to read naughty in the tabloids. But the facts are often a lot less exciting than the stories. (ask any fisherman about that)
Catch 22, Dude. If victims
Catch 22, Dude. If victims step out in public, they "love the limelight." If they don't, their stories remain untold and the crimes of their abusers remain unanswered, contributing to your belief that most of it just never happened.
I don't think you can have it both ways.
Something about these abuse
Something about these abuse cases just does not add up. Some of the may have happened but it seems to me most of them did not (and the "victims" like the limelight). I was raised Roman Catholic and I went to Catholic school and was an altar boy and a choir boy. I went to a Jesuit University. I was never abused by a priest (hundreds of them). I was treated very well by priests (the nuns used to swat my behind with a yardstick -- my parents approved of it). I was always treated with respect and dignity and everybody I knew was treated with respect and dignity. So I take all of these allegations with a grain of salt. Some may have occurred but they were rare .. very rare. People like to imagine things and to read naughty in the tabloids. But the facts are often a lot less exciting than the stories. (ask any fisherman about that)
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