Pope orders Vatican officials to tackle child sex abuse scandals

[estesbob]

Pope Francis has directed the Vatican to act decisively on ecclesiastic sex abuse cases and take measures against paedophile priests, saying the Catholic church’s credibility was on the line.

The announcement was quickly dismissed by victims’ advocates as just more talk. “Once again … a top Catholic official says he’s asking another top Catholic official to take action about paedophile priests and complicit bishops,” said Barbara Dorris, an official of Snap, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, a US-based organisation.

guardian.co.uk/world/2013/apr/05/pope-vatican-child-sex-abuse

 

[oldcelt]

Pope Francis has directed the Vatican to act decisively on ecclesiastic sex abuse cases and take measures against paedophile priests, saying the Catholic church’s credibility was on the line.

The announcement was quickly dismissed by victims’ advocates as just more talk. “Once again … a top Catholic official says he’s asking another top Catholic official to take action about paedophile priests and complicit bishops,” said Barbara Dorris, an official of Snap, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, a US-based organisation.

guardian.co.uk/world/2013/apr/05/pope-vatican-child-sex-abuse

Although some are dismissing this announcement, my early read on Pope Francis is that he is one to take the bull by the horns. I am hopeful of good things…it is certainly an issue that has overshadowed the many positive things that the church does.

 

[ReConverted]

Pope Francis has directed the Vatican to act decisively on ecclesiastic sex abuse cases and take measures against paedophile priests, saying the Catholic church’s credibility was on the line.

The announcement was quickly dismissed by victims’ advocates as just more talk. “Once again … a top Catholic official says he’s asking another top Catholic official to take action about paedophile priests and complicit bishops,” said Barbara Dorris, an official of Snap, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, a US-based organisation.

guardian.co.uk/world/2013/apr/05/pope-vatican-child-sex-abuse

**I hope he lowers the boom on those perverts. **

 

[ReConverted]

Although some are dismissing this announcement, my early read on Pope Francis is that he is one to take the bull by the horns. I am hopeful of good things…it is certainly an issue that has overshadowed the many positive things that the church does.

 

[mountee]

Never ceases to amaze me how quick people are to judge and dismiss others. When I read that was one of our Popes first moves I thought “good for him”. Time will be needed for the real value of this new Pope to be appreciated. We must remember to pray for him.

 

[ReConverted]

If you mean my comment about perverts, a child molester is by definition a pervert, clergy or not.

 

[estesbob]

Although some are dismissing this announcement, my early read on Pope Francis is that he is one to take the bull by the horns. I am hopeful of good things…it is certainly an issue that has overshadowed the many positive things that the church does.

I agree. I think that , after reading the article, one can dismiss SNAP as being serious about working worth the Church on resolving this problem. I personally believe the Churc has made great strides in confronting and rectifying this situation

 

[ReConverted]

I’m very happy with Pope Francis. He seems to be a good and Holy man.

 

[ReConverted]

I agree. I think that , after reading the article, one can dismiss SNAP as being serious about working worth the Church on resolving this problem. I personally believe the Churc has made great strides in confronting and rectifying this situation

Unbelievable. We’re talking about kids being** raped**. This is the “Filth in the Church” that Benedict XVI spoke of.

 

[Corki]

Never ceases to amaze me how quick people are to judge and dismiss others. When I read that was one of our Popes first moves I thought “good for him”. Time will be needed for the real value of this new Pope to be appreciated. We must remember to pray for him.

I agree. I think that , after reading the article, one can dismiss SNAP as being serious about working worth the Church on resolving this problem. I personally believe the Churc has made great strides in confronting and rectifying this situation

SNAP has such a convoluted agenda. They do not have any real credibility anymore but the media still loves to quote them.

Unbelievable. We’re talking about kids being** raped**. This is the “Filth in the Church” that Benedict XVI spoke of.

Agreed. But SNAP is also part of the filth. Cracking down on abusive priests shouldn’t mean that everyone else gets a pass.

 

[Theophorus]

Pope Francis has directed the Vatican to act decisively on ecclesiastic sex abuse cases and take measures against paedophile priests, saying the Catholic church’s credibility was on the line.

The announcement was quickly dismissed by victims’ advocates as just more talk. “Once again … a top Catholic official says he’s asking another top Catholic official to take action about paedophile priests and complicit bishops,” said Barbara Dorris, an official of Snap, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, a US-based organisation.

guardian.co.uk/world/2013/apr/05/pope-vatican-child-sex-abuse

Good to see that once again he is following the example of his predecessor, our Pope emeritus Benedict XVI, and has taken the same hard line. (I expected nothing less from Pope Francis)

 

[jeanannemarie]

Unbelievable. We’re talking about kids being** raped**. This is the “Filth in the Church” that Benedict XVI spoke of.

What do you want to see done? I never understand what outcome people want to settle this issue.

 

[estesbob]

What do you want to see done? I never understand what outcome people want to settle this issue.

SNAP evidently wants Cardinal Law hung, drawn and quartered. They say he is one of the most powerful clerics in the Church-in reality he assigned to a Church in Rome where his duties mainly consist checking the level of Holy Water in the holy water fonts

 

[jay29]

The left will turn on the Pope very soon. It’s only a matter of time.

No artificial contraception
No female priests
No married priesthood
No abortion
No gay marriage

 

[jay29]

I agree. I think that , after reading the article, one can dismiss SNAP as being serious about working worth the Church on resolving this problem. I personally believe the Churc has made great strides in confronting and rectifying this situation

SNAP is agaisnt Catholicism. Innocent priests are still persecuted by them. They are totally discredited on every level.

 

[Brendan_64]

I for one hope that Pope Francis does actually grasp this issue and deal with it properly, as I do not believe we have not dealt with it properly at all so far. This issue needs to be tackled at the highest level with no excuses at all for even the most senior clergy involved in covering up the abuse. How many of us on here could name at least 4 cardinals who are known to have been involved in covering up the actions of pedophile priests? And these same people were all in the conclave.

I believe that cardinals, archbishops, bishops, monsignors, priests, deacons, any one of them who is found to have been involved in pedophilia or the covering up of pedophilia ought to be defrocked. That would send a clear message to all within the Church that such behaviour will never be tolerated ever again. It would also send a convincing message to the wider world that we are serious about tackling this issue, rather than just saying that we are.

I believe that the reason that the wider world doesn’t believe we are actually serious in dealing properly with this issue isn’t because they are anti-Catholic, it’s because we have so far failed to deal with this issue in a convincing manner. We will never be able to evangelise properly and save the souls of mankind if the world thinks we are turning a blind eye to those involved in covering up pedophilia within our clergy. If we don’t seriously deal with this issue properly (and so far we haven’t) we cannot carry out the mission given to us by Christ to successfully spread the Good News to save humanity.

I really do hope that Pope Francis will deal with this properly. Starting at the very top and working down would send a very clear message.

 

[Elizabeth502]

I’m thrilled that the Pope is doing this, and hopefully he will also establish some timelines for action. What the world perceives as Church paralysis on the issue is a perception which enlarges when Rome drags its feet. (I do realize that the Vatican bureaucracy works slowly, but unfortunately that pace is often at the cost of international credibility, as to the integrity of the Church. Speed matters.)

As to SNAP and other groups, I have no private information or objective evidence about their “intents” which others have referred to. I will only share my perception, which is strictly mine: Some unfortunate victims seem to behave as if there’s a special status to having been a victim. What molesting priests did was repugnant and answerable to God, but the way in which some victims seem to make a professional career out of victimhood also does not benefit radical reform (i.m.o.)

When we have been received hurt of any kind from a person in a position of power – or for that matter when we have been unjustly treated in any situation – we should turn that negative into a constructive, rather than focusing on our personal martrydoms. Some victims have been very constructive; others, not so much.

 

[Lucky7]

I for one hope that Pope Francis does actually grasp this issue and deal with it properly, as I do not believe we have not dealt with it properly at all so far. This issue needs to be tackled at the highest level with no excuses at all for even the most senior clergy involved in covering up the abuse. How many of us on here could name at least 4 cardinals who are known to have been involved in covering up the actions of pedophile priests? And these same people were all in the conclave.

I believe that cardinals, archbishops, bishops, monsignors, priests, deacons, any one of them who is found to have been involved in pedophilia or the covering up of pedophilia ought to be defrocked. That would send a clear message to all within the Church that such behaviour will never be tolerated ever again. It would also send a convincing message to the wider world that we are serious about tackling this issue, rather than just saying that we are.

I believe that the reason that the wider world doesn’t believe we are actually serious in dealing properly with this issue isn’t because they are anti-Catholic, it’s because we have so far failed to deal with this issue in a convincing manner. We will never be able to evangelise properly and save the souls of mankind if the world thinks we are turning a blind eye to those involved in covering up pedophilia within our clergy. If we don’t seriously deal with this issue properly (and so far we haven’t) we cannot carry out the mission given to us by Christ to successfully spread the Good News to save humanity.

I really do hope that Pope Francis will deal with this properly. Starting at the very top and working down would send a very clear message.

I do think the Church has done a lot to try to keep this from happening again; however, I agree that Church response to those involved in the past has fallen short. I think this Pope is a pope of reform and I believe he will tackle this appropriately.

 

[gus]

I do think the Church has done a lot to try to keep this from happening again; however, I agree that Church response to those involved in the past has fallen short. I think this Pope is a pope of reform and I believe he will tackle this appropriately.

 

[gus]

The Pope should look to the US model.
The complience measures adopted in 2004 have been as successful and anything adopted by any institution.
Recognizing the serial nature of the true pedifile.
setting up a reporting system and better screening of seminaians.
higher minimum age for candidates is also s must.
Remember it was less than 2000 priests who committed 80% of the crimes in a 50 year period.