Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley says new Pope must deal with bishops who protected abusive priests

falconflash You still have your head in the sand. Its not on the individual (priest) level, its on the corporate (Vatican) level. The crimes orchestrated worldwide by moving abusing priests was done with full knowledge and intention of the Vatican.They chose to save face over the destruction of young life. Why can't you get that.I'm sure you would if it was your child.They have proved they cannot be trusted (heirachy) and must work to regain the trust of the faithful.Cardinals like Law of Boston were rewarded by Rome for their handling (obstructing)of abuse cases. Why would that be done? It was done because he was doing the Vatican's business as directed.The facts speak for themselves, and if Christ came back today he go down to the Vatican with a big broom a sweep them all out to the curb.

In America, if you are a corrupt cop, lousy teacher, or child molester priest you pay for your transgressions as an individual. Americans realize that after you get rid of the bad cop, teacher, or priest you then maintain your support for all the other thousands of cops, teachers and priests who are doing a fabulous job. You never ever take down the whole system, you improve it. The Church in America is strong, vibrant, growing. Sorry if that disturbs you.

& I WANT AMERICANS TO STOP HARBOURING AND HIDING THE PRIESTS FROM OVER HERE IN IREALD WHO FLED TO AMERICA IN TIMES OF SEXUAL ACCUSATIONS.. THEY SHOULD BE SEND BACK TO IRELAND AND INVESTIGATED PROPERLY BESIDES HIDING AWAY OVER THERE.. BISHOP CASEY INCLUDED !!! WHEN IN TROUBLE THEY ALL SEEM TO FLEE TO AMERICA .. FUNNY THAT !!

EphraimKibbey, down through the ages, the Hierarchy of our Church has always taught "do as I say, not as I do."

EphraimKibbey You've said it far better than I.

falconflash - REAL Catholics and Christians of other denominations are saying that the RCC heirarchy need to reevaluate what they have been preaching (but often not following) and reconcile their teaching and their actions with the teachings of Christ. To call one's self a Christian means that you ACTUALLY try to follow His lessons! The RCC heirarchy (not the laity) have strayed away from Christ and its the thinking, believing REAL Catholics and Christians all over the world who are asking that the RCC heirarchy return to His fold by both teaching His lessons and following His rules. They have seen that it is the priests, bishops and cardinals who have become CINO's (Catholics in name only) by their hypocracy.

falconflash You must be completely clueless to what has occurred and orchestrated, worldwide since 2002. Try to educate yourself on the very available facts and you won't be posting such empty comments as branding people "Church Haters" because they refuse to support a leadership that concealed criminal activity, and spent 2 billion dollars (of our contributions) covering it up. This is not the church Christ left on earth; this is the perversion of men trying to protect image over vulnerable children. Start by pulling up Enda Kenny's and Diarmuid Martin's comments about abuse, then go on to read the Boston 2002-2003 Grand Jury reports about how the church obstructed justice then come back and talk to me.Then read about the 200 deaf children abused by one single priest and the Vatican refused to act.It never ceases to amaze me just how far some people will bury there head in the ground so the truth can not enter it.Many parents, like myself, have not left the faith, but will not stand by while peoples faith was manipulated to conceal corruption and abuse.

Dismantled by order of McNarmara31? Like Penn State the offending parties are removed, we learn how to handle this type of problem in the future, but we let the past go. I don't know about you, Mc, but many Church-haters (communists, masons, gay militants, abortionists, Loyalists) thought they could change the Vatican into the Democratic party. LOL...the Church will come back stronger-- and hopefully more conservative.

"The report says that US bishops adopted a zero-tolerance policy on clergy sexual abuse a decade ago" Did they do this on their own; because it was the right thing both spiritually and legally? Absolutely not. The bishops enacted these measures, because the Boston Globe "rightly" wouldn't let up on their criminal activity in Boston.And, as for dealing with the bishops that's like dealing with the troops who were only following Vatican directives. Now that the Pope is gone the entire Vatican infrastructure that enabled worldwide abuse to be covered up has to be dismantled; but the chance of that is beyond weak.

Let the lawful civil authorities handle cases if, and only if, a crime was committed. Bishops can't be in the business of turning rat on people, it is the police and district attorneys job to investigate, arrest and charge a person with a crime. If and only if a Bishop has strong evidence of a crime, and not just allegations, then he should approach the police if the offending priest doesn't turn himself in....

joan1954 - there are many good MARRIED people who work 24/7 jobs. My father was an ObGyn. He always said that babies don't care what time it is or what you have planned! As a child, I got used to hearing the phone ring in the wee hours of the morning and a bit later hearing him go out the door. I taught school with my phone number in the book for 35 years and answered homework questions whenever a child called. Chosing to live any life of service to the community shouldn't mean that you have to give up the joy and support of a spouse and family. It did not mean that to early Christians and the only reason that it is now the case with RCC priests was that during the middle ages, Rome feared loss of property to the heirs of priests and so declared that they must be celibate. Rome's greed dictated this policy which then filled the priesthood with pedophiles and other criminals who took their vows for show and but ignored them in private.

Ratzinger did nothing to stop it. He was appointed by John Paul II to do so, but in fact he did not. He should be the first prosecuted.

Dr. Rosemary Eileen McHugh, Go raibh mile maith agat! Your comments regarding our Church are right on the mark.

Cardinal O'Malley, the odds are great that the new Pope could be one of those "bishops." What then? We know those "bishops" are participating in the Conclave! They have had no problem becoming cardinals under the Pope Emeritus. The real issue is will the new Pope be "CLEAN?"

Cardinal Sean has done some strange things in Boston. He cleared out the chancery of priests and nuns and brought in at least 17 individuals with a salary of 150K. His director of human resources is not Catholic. He has plenty of pro abortion Catholics in key policy positions. He is a Capuchin classmate of "The Last of the Mohicans" Charles Chaput AB of Philly. They are polar opposites. Yes indeed, he did officiate at the funeral of Edward Kennedy.