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Pope Benedict Calls Conference In Wake Of Disastrous Visit To Spain
11/08/10-by Bridgette P. LaVictoire
Pope Benedict is getting back from a rather disastrous visit to Spain where King Juan Carlos barely met with the pontiff, and Prime Minister Zapatero barely talked to him except to say ‘goodbye.’ Indeed, it almost seemed as if most of the royal family and the Prime Minister were just trying to make sure that Benedict did not leave papal arse prints on the door as he left. He has now summoned the cardinals from around the world to a day long summit in Rome next week in order to discuss the clerical child sex abuse scandal.
The Vatican is calling the session “a day of reflection and prayer” which might as well be code for ‘we hope and pray to God that the media stops covering this and everyone returns to the way things were in the thirteenth century. The meeting will be happening on 19 November the day before the anniversary of General Francisco Franco’s death and the installation of twenty-four new cardinals. The ceremony on 20 November is usually attended by many of the world’s top-ranking chruchmen.
The clergy have done what they can in order to try and put an end to the scandal that has rocked the Catholic Church in recent years. For the most part, in the eight years since the scandal first erupted in the United States, the abuse allegations have ballooned across the globe and done little to bring in the faithful. In Spain, the number of regular church goers is down to 15% or so. It has not helped that bishops and cardinals have covered up for pedophile priests and even Pope Benedict is accused of turning a blind eye to the suffering of children for decades.
Pope Benedict has admitted that the Church has failed to take sufficient measures to stop the abuse, but he has done little but to actually combat the problem. The Vatican has moved faster on taking out thieving priests than it has on molesting priests.
William Cardinal Levada, the American who is heading the Vatican office drawing up changes in policy to fight abuse, will be heading up the discussion of “the church’s response to cases of sex abuse. However, victims groups are not so sure about the results of the discussion. Barbara Blaine, the president of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests stated
” It’s easy and tempting to assume this is a positive sign. But that’s irresponsible. We’ll only know if this is a good development when we see action resulting from this meeting. To be swayed by mere talk is to betray vulnerable children and wounded adults. Talking about abuse is easy, preventing abuse is hard. It takes decisive action to oust predator priests and complicit bishops. And when it comes to abuse, this pope, like his predecessors, has shown little commitment to real action.”
Italy’s Cardinal Bagnasco, leader of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, deplored what he calls ‘sins of omission’ by the Church in its handling of sex abuse by clergy, but also told the biships at a meeting he was committing the Church toward facing and preventing such ‘mistakes.’
Of course, it is not so much of a mistake as a crime to do what the Church has been doing with the sex abuse cases.
8 Responses to Pope Benedict Calls Conference In Wake Of Disastrous Visit To Spain
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Jill
November 10, 2010 at 10:59 am
I followed the coverage here in Scotland – looked a successful visit in Spain. Good news doesn’t sell, so instead of focusing on the 250,000 who turned up, they report on the 200 who protested!! The Pope’srecent visit had a positive impact here in Scotland – hopefully it will in Spain too.
Bridgette P. LaVictoire
November 10, 2010 at 11:12 am
250,000? That’s ALL. I can remember when his predecessor could draw a crowd that was three to four times that. That really IS disastrous. Nice try spinning the story though.
Anthony
November 9, 2010 at 8:19 am
I hope I live a long enough life to see the complete downfall of the pathetic catholic church as well as all others!! They have done enough to surpress, control and destroy mankind! I long for the days that they are fed to the lions again! That may sound harsh, but is it any more so than the damage they have done to us by their exclusions? DOWN WITH THEM ALL
Chris Harris
November 14, 2010 at 1:17 am
Interesting article here shows the true nature of the Pope’s visit:
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2010/1112/1224283148339.html
It’s ironic how those who so often condemn others for being blinded by hate are in fact blinded by hate themselves.
Bridgette P. LaVictoire
November 14, 2010 at 8:32 am
Chris,
I am not blinded by hate. I do not hate Benedict. I just see beyond the distortions that those who adore him would like us to believe, and those like you who want to pretend that the visit was some wonderful experience are not looking at the realities that his visits changed nothing and do not alter the fact that people are rapidly moving away from Catholicism. It is amazing how those who are blinded by devotion cannot see what is going on. You see hatred in what I write, but that is only because of your devotion to Benedict. That means you do not see that his power in Europe and America is slipping away.
Ben Anthony
February 15, 2011 at 12:36 pm
Whom ever is looking at the situation, from whatever angle, we can all agree, sexual abuse and abuse of power and recycling abusers is very bad and criminal. But if you or anyone think this organization is going to fall, keep thinking. “The priests AND bishops (including the bishops of Rome) have been trying to bring the Roman Catholic Church down for at least 1700 years.”, to paraphrase someone else.
Michael Gregg
November 9, 2010 at 2:35 am
“Disastrous” visit to Spain???? Where you among the hundreds of thousands kissing in, perhaps? Ma fammi il piacer….
Gabrielle Azzaro
November 8, 2010 at 6:49 pm
The pope will do nothng more than listen to Levada – who did nothing to protect children when he was cardinal in the US – and pray. That is always his answer to everything – pray and do penance. But praying is not enough. Action is required and the hierarchy of the Catholic has not taken action in the crisis of clergy sexual abuse of innocent children and vulnerable adults. It is time that the pope add actually DOING something about the crisis instead of just talking and praying about it. Jesus didn’t just pray in Gethsemane, He actually carried His own cross to Calvary.