Bishops not employees of the Vatican

[Santi2]

There is a catch here. If the Our Father, we ask God to forgive us as we forgive others. We know before saying this prayer that when we sin against God, we should apologize to Him. You cannot forgive someone who refuses to apologize to you. (They don’t want forgiveness and steadfastly deny that there is anything to be forgiven for.) You may think you ‘let it go’ (or that someone else should ‘let it go’) but that is not forgiveness, and whatever it is, it should not be confused with forgiveness.

Priests who have molested minors but refused to admit they have done anything wrong, and bishops who have shuffled them around while maintaining that they have done nothing wrong, CANNOT be forgiven because they have not asked for it. God’s forgiveness is ever-ready, but he doesn’t force it on people. Those who deny a need for it do not ask for it, and there is no reason to think they get it.

I understand what you’re saying, Mark. With pause for thought, I was rather presumptuous that the victims would find a one-size-fits-all with forgiveness and healing. And, perhaps, I will never understand that it may never be the case because I do not walk in their shoes. I can still pray, however, that even when not presented with the opportunity of a personal apology from the errant priests, for whatever reason, the victims would find comfort from the Holy Father’s apology for the wrongs done to them.