Man tries to attack Irish Bishop in Killarney Catholic cathedral

Am a Ugandan from Africa where the Catholic church in growing at a high rate,and we do thank God for that.The Irish p`ple i do request you to calm down instead of attacking the Bishops and priests while celebrating the Eucharist.I very well know that you really suffered and your cries have been heard by those responsible.Let`s stop judging the Pope the Bishops instead let`s us first hear from what they are saying. Welcome the Pope in your country and don`t look at him as a criminal rather look at him as some one with a healing word.What has happened to you,should not stop you from entering the church because those who have or commited those crimes it`s God who will judge them.Continue adoring the Holy Eucharist and i know God will heal your wounds. God bless you all.

As a protestant child I recall my close friends attending Catholic schools that every form of abuse was tolerated and approved by the Bishops and their cronies. It was quite a contrast to the treatment in Proddy schools. We were mostly treated like young gentlemen.

This letter is an improvement over the reaction to the US sexual abuse crisis when the Pope blamed the US and the media for it - slow progress. Still doesn't address the clerical culture that allows this to happen. Still doesn't address the accountability of the bishops who were complicit.

Actually, CitizenWhy, the number of ordinations to the priesthood is rising year on year. The numbers are far from shrinking. Why would anyone become a priest? Hmmmm...Why would anyone become a teacher, a doctor, a social worker, a Protestant minister, a policeman or even a parent? Perhaps to do something good with their lives, to help people, to give something positive to the world - yes, the vast majority of priests share these laudable goals with everyone else, believe it or not.

The bishops who covered up the sex abuse crimes by religious in the United States now join with the "Birthers" and other right wing fanatics to destroy health care in the U.S. Typical.

I knew and know many sane, dedicated Priests and Nuns. They gave of their time,showed kindness, leadership and compassion. Thinking about this kind of Clergy is what gets me through the nauseating stories and reports of the ones who did awful things. Why should the good be subject to punishment for the acts of the bad. Yes, Rome and the Pope needs to do a lot more to heal this. They need to come into the real world and really feel the anger. They were protected for so long as above reproach of any kind. Imagan, thirty or fourty years ago telling your parents, or another Priest or Nun that a Priest had abused you, touched you improperly. You would have gotten a good slap up the side of the head, told make a prefect act of contrition and ask for God's forgiveness. It was the culture of the Church and the Clergy of the time. It's going to be a long road back. I still like my Church and feel it has much to offer. Just my personal opinion.

The big hi hats or fish heads and the fancy skirts might be put in the closet for a while and maybe the big limousines in case they get a kicking on the streets.

The Pope "apologizes." No corrective action. Things will be business as usual. The church to churchmen is always more precious to God than human souls. ... Face it, the infallible church wants to hold on to any clergy it can, no matter how unworthy, in order to shore up its shrinking numbers. .. Why would any sane person become a priest and work for these people?