What do you think of the Pope's response to the current scandal?

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Indeed, what you say is quite true. The Faithful have obligation to support the Church as they are able. The Clergy, likewise have grave juridical obligation (with possibility of canonical sanction) to oversee the material goods and spiritual functions of the Church justly and responsibly.

Yet, one might well logically conclude that these obligations are in conflict if it becomes widely known or even perceived (i.e. via scandal) that those overseeing the Church are not acting justly and responsibly. In such a case, one knowing or perceiving this, as a matter of conscience, might very well question if his or her obligation is then somehow mitigated or even abrogated by moral circumstance.

For example, who among us would continue to give money to a parish where it was widely reputed that the pastor or other personnel where stealing directly from the church treasury unimpeded? Indeed, one might quickly come to the conclusion that such support at some point becomes, itself, wrong. Or, furthermore, who among us donates with enthusiasm if he or she believes the donation will simply be consumed by court settlements or civil penalties for abuse cases?

I certainly think this sense of right and wrong must be at work in the minds of those saying they will now withhold support until corrective action takes place.
 
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Yes, I would hope so. But when the “and all Catholic charities” phrase is included, I have to wonder.
 
At first I thought:

But then I came to see:

…is more the case.
 
Genesis315 said:
On top of this, in all other matters Pope Francis is known for talking to a fault, so it seems odd that all of a sudden he gets silent
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Yep, exactly. That’s what is making me suspicious of him, and I don’t like feeling that way because up until recently, I really liked Pope Francis.
 
Ok, there are probably lots out there who think Raymond Arroyo is one of the cabal out to get the Pope. But his interview with Bob Bennett last night people should watch. No one can say Bob Bennett is a traditionalist Catholic out to get the Pope (he is the liberal brother of conservative Bill Bennett)


This details exactly what we need. But Pope Francis will have to get on board.
 
Brendan said:
Would you suggest that all the bishops do the same when someone makes an accusation against a member of the clergy under their jurisdiction?
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Not quite the same. The accusation is against the Pope himself, i.e. an allegation that he was responsible for the cover-up. At the very least he should be entitled to “take the fifth” as you Americans call it, since he is the accused in this instance.
 
Entightled to keep silent? Yes, he is the pope, he can so choose. But not for the reason you imply. Taking the fifth is simply a means to never incriminate oneself in a criminal court. He can choose silence because he is the Pope, but I hope he does not do so to simply protect himself.
 
Obviously, he is not being silent to protect himself from self-incrimination in court, but he is being silent to prevent the media from twisting his words into something he never meant, in the court of public opinion. It’s a wise move.
 
I actually agree with you as to him responding directly to Vigano’s allegation against him. But silence cannot imply inaction. It has been over three weeks since the US Bishops conference requested a full investigation into the McCarrick affair. Since then, three prominent groups of lay people have submitted similiar requests, along with over a dozen individual bishops. Beyond that, three bishops (that I know of) have requested a special synod to address the situation.
I do not mind, nay I support, the Holy Father’s silence in responding to the Vigano allegations. I am deeply distressed about the silence in response to the call to action. This is not ignoring a just a few prepares wanting him to respond to questions about an encyclical. This is is silence from formal requests from lots of people.
If the Holy Father does not act, I am afraid his papacy may be effectively over, even though he may remain in the Chair of Peter for years. Too many bishops and prominent lay persons and priests are being ignored this time.
 
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We don’t really know that he is being inactive. I have no doubt that this is being discussed behind closed doors at the Vatican. What will come out of it is anybody’s guess at this point. What the Holy Father did say on the plane is that he would not discuss this issue.
 
Saw a sign on a high school teacher’s wall once that read:

“Silence is golden.
Duct tape is silver.”
 
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Another bishop calls for releasing the files on McCarrick:

www.lifesitenews.com

Cincinnati archbishop: Vatican must ‘open the McCarrick file’ - LifeSite

'I see no other way to get to the bottom of this very painful, this very sad situation.'
www.lifesitenews.com www.lifesitenews.com

One particular quote by the Archbishop stood out to me:
Apparently there is opposition to Schnurr’s desire for the McCarrick file to be opened. Schnurr told the radio host:

“I was speaking to one individual [about opening the file], and the individual said to me, ‘Well, why? This is all behind us. What good is that going to do?’ I said to them, “Behind us? There are victims today. They’re a part of the Church today… Moreover, those who don’t learn from the past repeat the past.”

The archbishop said that the Church has to find out what went wrong, who failed and why they failed.

“The only way to get to that, it seems to me,” said Schnurr, “is to open the file of the McCarrick case.”
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This makes me continue to wonder if an investigation will indeed take place. This individual who opposes looking into the McCarrick situation is proof that there are those who simply want to dust this all under the rug and pretend it didn’t happen. I also have a strong feeling that many in the Vatican, and potentially Pope Francis himself, are given to this same line of thinking as well.
 
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