The Pope confronts priestly
sins of child abuse -
and not just for show
by Bruno Mastroianni
Translated from
June 9, 2009
There is a subject about which no one can fault Benedict XVI in any way: his resolute and transparent battle against the cases of sexual abuse of minors by priests.
[We should be so lucky! Is the writer forgetting a couple of suits against priests in the United States which are trying to involve both the Vatican and the Pope - in his present position as well as in his earlier capacity as Cardinal Ratzinger? Or the vicious BBC documentary and related cabals accusing the Church of having ordered bishops in a 19060s decree to 'cover up' sexual offenses by priests?]
This Pope has never avoided the direct approach to a difficult problem. In the United States and in Australia, he took time to meet with some victims.
And as for the Irish cases, in 2006, when he addressed the Irish bishops who had come for their ad-limina visit, he called on them "to establish the truth over what has been happening". "to take all the appropriate measures to avoid that they may be repeated in the future", and above all, to take care of the victims.
And so the bishops of England, Wales and Ireland did just that: to get a clear picture of what has transpired, tend to the victims and roll up their sleeves to remedy the evil. Of course, there have been among the clergy those who hide from the truth, who defend themselves, or who try to parry charges.
But the Church of Benedict XVI does not shirk from showing its wounds. This Pope has a disarming confidence in the virtues of confronting the truth.
He expects that only good cam come out of it: because bringing the injuries to light will mean being able to start healing them. This explains his fearless serenity in facing sin - no matter how terrible and within his own 'house. He is aware of the universal need felt by each sinner for redemption.
It is not justicialism, nor a thirst to punish the culpable. It is to act, having in mind the salvation of souls - of those who sinned and those who were sinned against.
It is a beautiful lesson for today's society for which, after having set aside the concepts of sin and redemption, the only possible salvation seems to be that of keeping up appearances.
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 10/06/2009 01:47]