MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Francis pledges clergy and bishops abusing children will be held accountable
Pope Francis has celebrated a large open-air Mass in Philadelphia, ending his six-day visit to the US. He appealed for unity and family love, as thousands of people gathered at the city's Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Earlier, the pontiff prayed with a group of victims of child sexual abuse, saying “God weeps” for their suffering. Read full article
Comments
Disclaimer & comment rulesIt shouldn't need to be said!
Sep 28th, 2015 - 11:45 am - Link - Report abuse 0@1 No, but people want to hear it. Some still want to condemn a whole religion for the actions of a minority.
Sep 28th, 2015 - 12:23 pm - Link - Report abuse 0It had to be said, and Francisco said it. Of course, the world will be watching future moves. The Catholic Church cannot continue to enable and protect dangerous deviant individuals.
Sep 28th, 2015 - 12:44 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Time is up for you then, eh Enrique?
Sep 28th, 2015 - 01:05 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@3 Reekie
Sep 28th, 2015 - 06:05 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“Of course, the world will be watching future moves”.
According to the Vatican, there are an estimated 1.2 billion Roman Catholics in the world (about 17% of the population), just over 40% of them living in Latin America . How does that represent “the world” ?
”The truth is that the survivor community has been asking the Church to take several simple steps to protect children and hold perpetrators and enablers accountable for years, but the Church has refused to take these actions.
Sep 28th, 2015 - 06:46 pm - Link - Report abuse 0[ Last year, the UN strongly criticized the Church for failing to stamp out abuse and for allowing cover-ups.]
“If Pope Francis wishes to take effective action to back up his words he could take these steps immediately.” I wouldn't hold your breath on that one.
As for those who state that it is a minority of abusers they need to read the Philadelphia stats and explain to the rest of us how 100's of thousands can be anally raped (boys) and girls raped by a minority. The RCC have admitted that ”up to 11% of the world's 'fathers' have been wrongdoers. There are 410,593 priests (not counting bishops: 5,065) so there is a potential 45,165 kiddy fiddlers in dresses. Even if we take The Dope of a Pope's number of 2% (nobody knows where that comes from) there are still 8,211! As a minimum this “small number” is raping 12 boys or girls EACH!
I would be interested to see what these apologists (if in fact there is more than one) think is a LARGE number.
Held accountable? What a few Hail Mary's and Our Fathers?
Sep 28th, 2015 - 07:50 pm - Link - Report abuse 0How about PUNISHED instead? As in locked up away from society so they can do no more harm?
How about letting a completely INDEPENDENT criminal investigation look into these crimes? How about throwing open the shroud of secrecy around the Vatican and letting the truth out for a change?
How about getting down on your hands and knees and begging the people who were abused for forgiveness? Not just for the abuse that they suffered, but for the fact that the Catholic Church covered up these abuses, for decades, perhaps even centuries?
Internal investigations are no good. External investigations by EXPERTS in this field are needed.
As for God weeping? What a load of bollocks!
God washed his hands of the kiddie fiddlers a long, long time ago. I hope they all burn in hell.
Thankfully No Religion is on track to overtake Catholicism as Australia's largest belief system next year.
Sep 28th, 2015 - 11:07 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Catholicism and other religions can fade further into the background. The less prevelent the religion the less prevalent the hidden abuse.
Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!