Don’t know why anyone would be surprised that the current pope and his predecessor knew about, and participated in covering up, sexual abuse by Catholic clergy. The man didn’t spring up from nowhere to become pope. Before he got that job, he spent his life as part of the hierarchy of the Catholic Church. And I honestly find it hard to believe that in all those years he never heard one rumor or complaint about abuse by clergy.
Once again, this is the Catholic Church saying it wants to resolve the issue while simultaneously slamming the doors shut and retreating to their Cone of Silence. Because all their words have, so far, not meant shit. They’ve got no coherent, institution wide plan for addressing the issue. They have no plan for an institution wide overhaul of the practices that have allowed the abuse to flourish. There is no plan evident that would speak to the problems at the core of the Catholic Church’s ministry which is the bizarre rules governing the priesthood that almost guarantee problems – problems that only see the light of day when the media shines that light. Otherwise, the Church just keeps adding more curtains on the windows so no light ever gets through.
I think we are seeing the collapse of the Catholic Church in most first world countries. And if they don’t clean up their act, Third World countries where the church continues to flourish will soon join the rebellion against it. And yet the Church still can’t get beyond what it sees as its primary goal – protect the institution. The sacrifice of the life and health of a few thousand children is, in their thinking, simply the price they have to pay to maintain the institution. Somehow, they’ve managed to interpret the teachings of Christ to mean that above all else – protect the Church.
I guess they missed that part of Christ’s teachings regarding children.