Should Pope Benedict Resign?

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Yes

I might go hang out with the Lutherans until he does.

Of course, his replacement will likely be just as knee deep in the cover-up as he was.

He was the Archbishop, therefore, he is responsible for the actions of his Bishops. That is the POINT of a heirarchy, accountability.
 
At this point, no way should he resign. If it comes out with incontrovertible proof that he was neck deep in the scandal, than yes.
 
Paul1961 said:
If an investigation reveals that the charges are true, he should resign.

Every person complicit is allowing these pedophile priests to be moved quietly from post to post committing more and more atrocities should resign. :mad:

They really should be properly punished but resignation is a start.
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Apparently the last Pope didn’t agree with you. Why else would he reward Bernie Law with a plumb of an assignment in Rome, where he is safe from extradition back to Massachusetts? Of course, the spinless legal system in that state would never pursue and investigation anyway.
 
NO WAY!!!

The Holy Church is not, was not and will never be a democracy. Grassroots sentiment cannot overturn who the Holy Spirit has given the keys to!!!
 
How many recent scandals have there been within the past two or three years? I haven’t heard of any. That is why the media is digging up the long ago past. They just can’t let this go.

The Church is not a democracy, the Holy Spirit appointed Benedict not the members of the Church.

I can’t believe that so many people buy into everything that is said. Hopefully none of these people will ever be accused of abuse and be innocent, as it is almost impossible to prove you are innocent. People love scandal. My daughter lived in Europe and if you want immorality it sure is there. The US is fast catching up to them.

I feel for the poor dead priests that have no voice to say they are innocent.

I remember when I had small children I warned my husband not to have anything to do with the little girl next door, she was about 11, but very street wise. I knew even then that due to her reputation that she might accuse someone who was innocent. She got pregnant at 13 by a boyfriend.

Since my own situation I have a difficult time believing every accusation from teenagers 20 years after the fact. If a 3 1/2 year old can communicate what happened to them, I am sure that someone older by years would also be able to express to someone what happened. At this point I think what it is all about is MONEY, MONEY, MONEY!

Sorry but unless you have had the experience with abuse and have stood in those shoes a person really doesn’t have a true understanding of how it was many years ago. This was not my only experience with an abuser. I am not saying it doesn’t happen, but being an Archbishop in another area at that time and being asked to let a priest come into his diocese for treatment was considered normal. Treatment was recommended by the medical field for these men. Why not go after all the doctors and throw them in jail and sue them for covering up and misleading the Church and society into thinking that these men could be cured.

That little girl has suffered from what was done to her, so I have deep sympathy for young children if they are abused, but really don’t have any understanding of teenagers who know it is wrong and I could say more about 13 year olds and up, there are certain hormonal changes in their bodies at these ages and I really feel that plays a large part in why they keep quiet.

Yours in the Hearts of Jesus and Mary

Bernadette
 
Agape_Thom said:
Apparently the last Pope didn’t agree with you. Why else would he reward Bernie Law with a plumb of an assignment in Rome, where he is safe from extradition back to Massachusetts? Of course, the spinless legal system in that state would never pursue and investigation anyway.
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I don’t know if I would say “plumb” assignment.

He went from being an American Cardinal to a glorified tour guide at the Vatican. If thats not a slap in the face I don’t know what is.
 
Paul1961 said:
If an investigation reveals that the charges are true, he should resign.

Every person complicit is allowing these pedophile priests to be moved quietly from post to post committing more and more atrocities should resign. :mad:

They really should be properly punished but resignation is a start.
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I have to agree…It all stars at the top…And the millstone thing for the offenders sounds pretty scary too…
 
Should Mr. Obama resign because our government is corrupt?

Should i stop living because i am not perfect (actually far from it!)?

Most people are looking for any excuse to leave the Church because being Catholic, being a servant of others as Jesus taught us, is a sacrifice, not a fun filled party!

**"And he said to all, “If any man would come after me, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF and take up his cross daily and follow me.” **(Lk 9:23)

OUCH! i can’t deny myself! That is really difficult.

Think about how radical Jesus is, He is not preaching the “Health & Welfare Gospel” He is calling us to give up everything & follow Him!!!

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, Ora Pro Nobis Peccatoribus!

mark
 
Anybody who has not read “Goodbye, Good Men” and/or “Amchurch” has pretty much no idea what is really going on here.
 
To those who think the Pope should not resign, if he is found out to be deep in the scandal, with solid, 99 percent proof that he commited those acts, then would you change your mind?

Please don’t call me names or hate me for asking that!
 
It is human nature to remember the sins of others while forgetting the good. All of us have had to face this in our own lives. The sins of a relatively few priests against a much larger number of children helped to destroy their lives. It is now known that sexual abuse of children is extremely destructive. The fact that it happened ‘long ago’ --into the 1970’s and beyond-- means that most of the victims had to lead their lives without bringing their abusers to justice. They couldn’t even bring their sufferings to light, in most cases.

The church, I am sure, knew about these men before the complaints started coming in, but chose to do nothing except move them around, exposing other victims. The church, bishops mainly, did this because they didn’t want the church exposed to scandal, which they felt was a greater evil that what was being done to the children. This seems impossible but that was the thinking then. Priests are clergy could do no wrong. They were God’s representatives on earth. The children were lying. It was the children’s fault–or the adolescents’ fault–they tempted the priests.

The pope, as cardinal, made a fatal error in deciding not to prosecute Fr. Murphy. I am sure he was moved by compassion towards the old penitent, but also moved by the desire to avoid scandal. This proved to be his undoing. In trying to save the church, he postponed for 12 years any semblance of recognition and recovery for the aging victims, once again putting the reputation of the Church ahead of its members–the Body of Christ. If there is another case in Germany, and dozens are now surfacing, that involves Cardinal Ratzinger’s decision to ‘avoid scandal’–yet again, his pontificate will be over. He’ll stay on, of course, greeting pilgrims and saying blessings to the crowd at Christmas and Easter, but no one outside the Vatican and a few die-hards will ever again take him seriously.

And the moral authority of the church, already seriously compromised, will be lost indefinitely.
 
dnu said:
I don’t know if I would say “plumb” assignment.

He went from being an American Cardinal to a glorified tour guide at the Vatican. If that’s not a slap in the face I don’t know what is.
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He gets to say mass and eat in Rome. Last pic I saw, he had gotten quite fat.

In the US, he hung out with the Religious Sisters of Alma in Michigan. He could have stayed there.
 
I only wish the Vatican was as quick to come to the defense of victims as it is to come to it’s own defense against news stories. There was something very unseemly to me about it given the length of time it nornally takes to get a response about anything. I’m still waiting for a response about Cardinal Ratzinger’s involvement with transferring the priest in Germany.
 
anode said:
It is human nature to remember the sins of others while forgetting the good. All of us have had to face this in our own lives. The sins of a relatively few priests against a much larger number of children helped to destroy their lives. It is now known that sexual abuse of children is extremely destructive. The fact that it happened ‘long ago’ --into the 1970’s and beyond-- means that most of the victims had to lead their lives without bringing their abusers to justice. They couldn’t even bring their sufferings to light, in most cases.

The church, I am sure, knew about these men before the complaints started coming in, but chose to do nothing except move them around, exposing other victims. The church, bishops mainly, did this because they didn’t want the church exposed to scandal, which they felt was a greater evil that what was being done to the children. This seems impossible but that was the thinking then. Priests are clergy could do no wrong. They were God’s representatives on earth. The children were lying. It was the children’s fault–or the adolescents’ fault–they tempted the priests.

The pope, as cardinal, made a fatal error in deciding not to prosecute Fr. Murphy. I am sure he was moved by compassion towards the old penitent, but also moved by the desire to avoid scandal. This proved to be his undoing. In trying to save the church, he postponed for 12 years any semblance of recognition and recovery for the aging victims, once again putting the reputation of the Church ahead of its members–the Body of Christ. If there is another case in Germany, and dozens are now surfacing, that involves Cardinal Ratzinger’s decision to ‘avoid scandal’–yet again, his pontificate will be over. He’ll stay on, of course, greeting pilgrims and saying blessings to the crowd at Christmas and Easter, but no one outside the Vatican and a few die-hards will ever again take him seriously.

And the moral authority of the church, already seriously compromised, will be lost indefinitely.
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It also human nature to focus on another’s sins, while forgetting ones own.

The Church is not responsible for prosecuting anyone for criminal offenses. This the responsibility of the justice department.

In my area of the country it was often the family of the victim that demanded the secrecy.
 
motoeric said:
If he has been involved in a cover-up of these horrific crimes or has acted to protect those that have committed them or has even not taken action that could have stopped these atrocities from happening, then yes.

I don’t care about the NY Times. Whether they have an agenda or not is immaterial. Whether claims are true or not isn’t.

I don’t care about the social norms 20 years ago. We can’t claim that the Church is above moral relativism and holds to objective truths when it helps and then use social norms as an excuse when convenient.

If he is guilty of these things than he has shown that he has a problem with leadership and making command decisions. Yes, I believe that he will be protected from error in teaching and speaking ex cathedra, but that is not the sole function of the Pope.

The sadness that we all feel for the victims of these crimes is almost overwhelming. When you add the possibly millions of people who are less inclined to find salvation through the Church, it’s heartbreaking.

Eric
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I agree.
 
Rascalking said:
To those who think the Pope should not resign, if he is found out to be deep in the scandal, with solid, 99 percent proof that he commited those acts, then would you change your mind?

Please don’t call me names or hate me for asking that!
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Come back and ask that question again when you have some actual proof.
Gossip and speculations by scandal-seekers and slanders spread by Mother Church’s enemies do not qualify as “proof”.
 
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