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Historic breakthrough as Pope vows Vatican action on child sex abuse priests

Benedict assures victims that Church will act on pedophile priests

By
ANTOINETTE KELLY,
IrishCentral.com

Published Wednesday, April 21, 2010, 3:03 PM
Updated Wednesday, April 21, 2010, 3:33 PM

 

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Historic breakthrough: Pope Benedict vows action by Vatican against pedophile priests after months of non-stop scandal
Historic breakthrough: Pope Benedict vows action by Vatican against pedophile priests after months of non-stop scandal

Pope Benedict XVI finally announced today that the Vatican would take action against pedophile priests.

The historic breakthrough comes after months of non-stop revelations about the global child sex abuse crisis in the Catholic Church.

Speaking in Rome today, the pope said the church plans to take major steps in bringing pedophile priests to justice.

The pope said he had made a solemn promise to eight abused men in Malta at the weekend as part of his trip to the Catholic island nation.

Benedict said many tears were shed at the meeting.

"I shared with them their suffering, and emotionally prayed with them, assuring them of church action," Benedict said.

Today's historic admission is the first time the church has moved to focus on victims rather than protecting the predator clerics.

Just last week a leading Swiss theologian accused Benedict of masterminding an international cover-up over the child sex abuse.

Fr Hans Kung blasted a furious missive to the Catholic bishops accusing the Pope of engineering the global cover-up.

However today's admission has raised hopes that the Vatican will finally address the problem that is ripping the church apart.

The Vatican has spent more time of late blaming media coverage for the problem and defending the Pope rather than trying to get to the root of the problem.

Leading European Jesuit journalist Andreas Batlogg said “The focus is now on victims, not on protecting the church, that I think is the breakthrough right now."

Last week, the Vatican distributed internal guidelines for handling pedophiles and stressed that any abusers found within the church should be handed over to the relevant authorities.

And in Malta, Benedict said the church would do “all in its power to investigate allegations, to bring to justice those responsible for abuse and to implement effective measures designed to safeguard young people in the future."

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5 Comments

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Report abuse
Posted by KathyCallahan on Apr 22, 2010, 06:17 PM EDT
The pope just returned from a meeting in Malta with five individuals who were sexually abused by priests while growing up in an OrphanagE. The only place that I can see the pope ever having a top secret meeting with four Irish victims is on Aryan Island at dusk. Cork, Dublin, Galway? Never. Because there would be massive spontaneous and emotionally explosive 'street scenes' and people with bullhorns and blackberries in hand demanding justice and more than a modicum of the truth. There worst nightmare comes true. The pope and bishops know full well that since the Ryan and Murphy cats are out of the bag for good Now -they cannot control the Irish or erace traces of their indelible and eloquently expressed memories.
Report abuse
Posted by jacersisityourself on Apr 22, 2010, 02:12 PM EDT
I quite agree w/ irishathens and KathieC. It’s too late for those who were abused but hopefully a saving grace for many future potential abuse victims.
Report abuse
Posted by irishathens on Apr 22, 2010, 06:42 AM EDT
Like many I listened to his speech with interest..Talk is cheap I'm now waiting for action.
Report abuse
Posted by bcoc1124 on Apr 22, 2010, 01:32 AM EDT
I'll believe it when bishops and other enablers are held accountable
Report abuse
Posted by KathyCallahan on Apr 21, 2010, 09:51 PM EDT
All of the very hard work coming from disparate locations/ addresses, individuals and media outlets such as Irish Central empire helped to create a Irish Catholic driven all the way to the Vatican watershed event in our lifetime.
 


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