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Pope sends 'pastoral letter' to Ireland amid protests from Irish Church abuse victims

By
ANTOINETTE KELLY,
IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Friday, March 19, 2010, 2:59 PM
Updated Sunday, March 21, 2010, 11:53 AM

 

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Pope Benedict XVI

IrishCentral.com Poll

What do you think about Pope Benedict's letter to the Irish Church?

It was a sincere apology that will help heal the Church


It was a sincere apology, but he side-stepped what concrete action the Church will take


It was just more of the same religious jargon, and doesn't change a thing


It was a letter from a morally corrupt man as guilty as the pedophile priests


The Pope must personally apologize to Irish Catholic Church sex abuse victims, and admit the Church abused its power and covered up for pedophile priests, a large Irish victims' group said Friday — the same day Benedict signed his promised "pastoral letter" to Irish Catholics.

"One in Four" has a clear agenda for Pope Benedict XVI's upcoming pastoral letter to Ireland's Catholics — which will be released Saturday — about the scandal that has rocked the nation.

One in Four wants the Pope to admit that the Church — "at the highest levels" — has known about the pedophile priest problem and its cover-up for decades.

The victims' group suggested the Pontiff say "We have pursued a deliberate policy of cover-up, protecting sex offenders in order to avoid scandal, with no regard for the safety of children. The scandal of clerical sexual abuse is international and extends far beyond the Irish Church."

One in Four also demands that Benedict admit that his Church had "silenced and sanctioned courageous priests and lay people who have tried to expose the endemic sexual abuse."

The letter's release date would have been touchy, and its content controversial, no matter what — but in recent days it has come to light that Ireland's top cleric, Cardinal Sean Brady, had sworn two children to secrecy during a 1975 probe into their abuse by the notorious pedophile Father Brendan Smyth.

New abuse scandals have also come to light in the Pope's native Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and Switzerland.

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6 Comments

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Report abuse
Posted by knowthyself on Mar 30, 2010, 12:31 AM EDT
Is this Pope For Real? He knew about the Pedophile Priests & Bishops when he was a Cardinal in the Vatican. he was second in command to Pope John Paul ll,and his Right Hand Man Many letters were written to him From Bishops from America , Ireland, $ Germany .He knew about the Transfer of Pedophile Priests to other Parishes.The Fast Shoe Shuffel, Biship Law was Called Back to Rome Because he was not doing his Job of keeping his mouth shut to the press he was giving out Secrets of the church. The Vatican is in Denial, and needs a House Cleaning starting from the Pope Down !!
Report abuse
Posted by McNamara31 on Mar 20, 2010, 10:29 AM EDT
This man, not only allowed the abuse of little children and veiled it in secrecy; he has shaken the faith of billions and caused the closing of countless schools and cuts to catholic aid agencies because of the 2.5 billion paid out in the United States alone. Accountability requires resignation.
Report abuse
Posted by kickstar on Mar 20, 2010, 05:10 AM EDT
And after he admits all this stuff would he take his ugly head away and hang himself.....Please
Report abuse
Posted by murphy666 on Mar 20, 2010, 02:17 AM EDT
Once a Nazi, always a Nazi.
Report abuse
Posted by KathyCallahan on Mar 19, 2010, 08:25 PM EDT
I'm so very very glad my grandparent's are no longer able to read the New York Times. I was thinking about that tonight in a whole new light as I reread Page 1 and Page A 3 story about Cardinal now the Pope Ratzinger, 'Father H' and Dr psychiatrist account of what happened and his most fervent recommendations that were scoffed off all the while Father H was transferred and raped more children. Like Ratzinger didn't know anything about Father H. The pope warmly embraced and harbors former Cardinal Law. The Drs. dead accurate depiction of father H's mindset is soul chilling, "unmotivated and unrepentant, worried about losing his post.' Calling Martin McGuinness: I am confident the people of Ireland have had it and are ready to begin again but not with the likes of them and the pope in Rome
Report abuse
Posted by CitizenWhy on Mar 19, 2010, 03:16 PM EDT
How can the infallible admit errors? How can the CEO say his global corporation runs as just that, an organization organized for its own benefit and not that of its clientele? How can an insulated leader see from someone else's perspective? Forget it Ireland, no admission.
 


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