"I feel compelled to personally take on all the evil which some priests -- quite a few in number, obviously not compared to the number of all the priests -- to personally ask for forgiveness for the damage they have done for having sexually abused children. The church is aware of this damage, it is personal, moral damage carried out by men of the church, and we will not take one step backward with regards to how we will deal with this problem, and the sanctions that must be imposed. On the contrary, we have to be even stronger. Because you cannot interfere with children."
Some say this has been the strongest statement made yet by Pope Francis since being elected to the Chair of Peter. However, SNAP and other critics are saying that they want to see more action and less words. They seem be suffering from memory lapse when it suits them because the Pope named a victim of sex abuse to a panel that will advise him on the matter of sex abuse and how to prevent it.
What more does SNAP want? The Pope cannot arrest priests or prosecute them in civil courts. Snap's resources and time would be better spent pushing for investigations and changes to take place in other institutions. The Catholic Church is the ONLY institution that is tackling this issue head on and out in the open. Boards of Education throughout the United States send abusive teachers to "rubber rooms" and do not have any policies that truly protect minors in their care.
Both Pope Francis and Benedict XVI have done more than anyone else on this issue.
Source:
http://time.com/59389/pope-francis-asks-abuse-victims-for-forgiveness/
http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/11/world/europe/vatican-pope-sex-abuse/
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