Pope says he is 'deeply ashamed' of clergy abuse scandal

Pope Benedict XVI said Tuesday he was "deeply ashamed" of the clergy sexual abuse scandal in the Roman Catholic Church and will work to keep pedophiles out of the priesthood, addressing the toughest issue ...

[Been there]

Blah, blah, blah.

[Don Schenk]

There are actually two problems with the pederast problem:
--One is the hypocrisy of people who ignore the fact that the problem is just as bad with ministers and rabbis ("Pedophiles and Priests" by Philip Jenkins, Oxford University Press) and estimated to be "100 times worse in the public schools" by the US Department of Education (Charol Shakeshaft of Hofstra University, in a 2004 study).
(Look at the way the law actually protects schools from being sued, and how someone will probably respond "Don't believe those public school kids!')
--The other is the way the media ignores the fact that only about 4% of the accused priests (who themselves are only 4% of the totla priests) are accused of "pedophilia", sex with a pre-pubescent youngster, while over 80% are accused of homosexual seduction.
But the homosexual seduction of teenagers has been promoted by the media (the 1982 Mariel Hemmingway movie "Personal Best", the comicstrip "For Better or For Worse", the annual college "V-Day" productions of "The Vagina Monologues") while the media has attacked those dioceses tha tupheld the Vatican ban on ordaining oprnly homosexual priests (the 1984 Jack Lemmon movie "Mass Appeal").

[BUSH WAR CRIMINAL]

Is he? His shame didn't stop him from trying to cover it up before he became Pope. Typical. Shame begins when you're CAUGHT.

[bob]

Good job Pope.

[ora et labora]

Benedict wasn't addressing the problem in public schools or in other denominations. That there was such a problem in the RC Church is what he's speaking to. Your insistence (which is understandable, granted) that equal attention be paid to the other areas in which this happens doesn't really adress what happened in the church, and why people are skeptical about the institution that, for so long, looked the other way (at the very least).

[A Catholic]

Don, 96 per cent of the priests are doing the Lord's work. Unfortunately, "Good News" doesn't sell newspapers or other media advertising.

[Addendum]

... and the rabble feed off the bad news.

[doindawash]

Really? Then why did he try to cover it up...Hey Pope do you know George & Dick?

[Alfred E Newman Esq]

Well if memory serves, the Vatican is still harboring a fugitive from justice, the former Bridgeport cardinal Bernard Law, who kept tranfering pedophile priests from one church to another. Law, quietly left the US before the scandal focused on him, and he's been hiding in the Vatican ever since. Perhaps the Pope might, as a sign of good faith, offer Law up to the authorities, if he truly is deeply ashamed.

[Inde]

If the Pope is so ashamed of the scandal's.
When is he going to get rid of the clery & BISHOP'S THAT COVERED IT UP?

[Pope on a Rope]

A Catholic wrote:

Don, 96 per cent of the priests are doing the Lord's work. Unfortunately, "Good News" doesn't sell newspapers or other media advertising.

So in other words, it was just a few bad apples. If that was the case, why the cover-ups? Why were accused priests moved around from parish to parish rather than being fired?

I hope to GOD nobody you know is ever victimized by someone in a position of power. These priests used the fear of GOD to silence children and their families. Some of these children were victimized a second time when thier own families turned on them for having the NERVE and the DIRTY MOUTH to actually accuse a priest of such horrible things. You go ahead and blow it off if that helps YOU get thru the day. Chalk it up to a few bad apples if that makes YOU feel better.

The truth is this was institutionalized abuse. Pedophiles FLOCKED to the Catholic Church because they KNEW they wouldn't be prosecuted.

[A Catholic]

Pope on a Rope wrote:

<quoted text>
So in other words, it was just a few bad apples. If that was the case, why the cover-ups? Why were accused priests moved around from parish to parish rather than being fired?
I hope to GOD nobody you know is ever victimized by someone in a position of power. These priests used the fear of GOD to silence children and their families. Some of these children were victimized a second time when thier own families turned on them for having the NERVE and the DIRTY MOUTH to actually accuse a priest of such horrible things. You go ahead and blow it off if that helps YOU get thru the day. Chalk it up to a few bad apples if that makes YOU feel better.
The truth is this was institutionalized abuse. Pedophiles FLOCKED to the Catholic Church because they KNEW they wouldn't be prosecuted.

Like I said, 4% is the figure. Why the cover-up? I can't answer that one, but it won't get in the way of my supporting the other 96%. Instead of concentrating on what was, try to focus on what is and move on. Your being stuck in the past won't help anyone. There isn't a whole lot that can be done for the victims or the offenders, but do we need to continue bashing the other 96%? Do you like witch hunts?

[Jesus is Crying]

A Catholic wrote:

<quoted text>
Like I said, 4% is the figure. Why the cover-up? I can't answer that one, but it won't get in the way of my supporting the other 96%. Instead of concentrating on what was, try to focus on what is and move on. Your being stuck in the past won't help anyone. There isn't a whole lot that can be done for the victims or the offenders, but do we need to continue bashing the other 96%? Do you like witch hunts?

Witch Hunt??? The Catholic Church ALLOWED children to be sexually abused and turned their focus to protecting pedophiles and instead of doing Jesus's work and PROTECTING the children, they called them LIARS.

Cardinal Law is still hiding out in the Vatican and the Pope SAYS he's ASHAMED???? More two-faced nonsense from an organization that specializes in it.

You want people to belive this Pope when he says he's "ashamed" tell him to turn Cardinal Law over to the authorities. Then and only then, can he be believed. But until that happens the church is nothing but a bunch of hypocrites. Sit there on your high horse and keep spouting that 4% BS. I'd like to see where you get that figure anyway. I'm sure it's bogus.

[rainemonday]

Jesus is Crying wrote:

<quoted text>
Witch Hunt??? The Catholic Church ALLOWED children to be sexually abused and turned their focus to protecting pedophiles and instead of doing Jesus's work and PROTECTING the children, they called them LIARS.
Cardinal Law is still hiding out in the Vatican and the Pope SAYS he's ASHAMED???? More two-faced nonsense from an organization that specializes in it.
You want people to belive this Pope when he says he's "ashamed" tell him to turn Cardinal Law over to the authorities. Then and only then, can he be believed. But until that happens the church is nothing but a bunch of hypocrites. Sit there on your high horse and keep spouting that 4% BS. I'd like to see where you get that figure anyway. I'm sure it's bogus.

I AGREE JESUS IS CRYING!!!!

[RideEmCowboy]

Don Schenk wrote:

There are actually two problems with the pederast problem:
--One is the hypocrisy of people who ignore the fact that the problem is just as bad with ministers and rabbis

It is disgusting when people try to "justify" the sexual molestation of minors (anyone under 18), with the claim that others do it too.

It doesn't matter what other do.

Let's keep the focus on the Catholic Church. A majority of Catholic priests either personally sexually molested minors, or knew it was happening and failed to stop it. The sheer scope of the numbers involved, is both overwhelming and disgusting.

Don't forget that even Pope Benedict is amongst the guilty. And he should be ashamed of himself!

[Father Michael Jude Fay]

Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston was the really eviel one who shuffled Pedophiles and then when confronted with it called it "a bookeeping problem.' Pope JP II should have removed him pronto. Instead he waited for a near coup in Boston and then gave Law a sweet gig in Rome. Pope JPII does deserve some of the blame but by 2002, he was to ill to know what day it was. Pope Benedict actually went after some people JPII protected or looked the other way on. The problem in the Catholic Church is not pedophiles but gay Priests. Until you get rid of the Homosexual culture and cluless leaders like Cardinal Egan and Cardinal Mahoney nothing will change.

[Double Standard]

Pope on a Rope wrote:

<quoted text>So in other words, it was just a few bad apples. If that was the case, why the cover-ups? Why were accused priests moved around from parish to parish rather than being fired?

That's an easy one. You can't fire someone over an unproven allegation. If you support the firing of a priest over something unproven, then Bill Clinton should have been fired after the rape allegations brought by Paula Jones, Kathleen Willey and Juanita Broaddrick.

[Ragland T Tiger]

Easier said than done...

[Give me a break here]

WHY oh why are there so many, so many idiots posting to this article who just don't GET IT? Listen up you knuckleheads! The very few same-sex attracted Bishops were the ones who covered for the same-sex attracted priests who molested teenage boys! Can't all of you see what was happening? The same-sex attracted perverts who had power as Bishops, for example, Rembert Weakland in Milwaukee (look it up at wikipedia) covered up for the same-sex attracted priests! There, I stated it twice, do you finally get it? Can that be any clearer?

Pope Benedict XVI is stating the truth and is right on target: get the same-sex attracted pervs out and keep them out!!!!! The stats are all in the report you can Google as "John Jay Report" It is a small percentage of the total priests, but those same-sex attracted perverts caused the problem that was living hell for those victims and their families!

[Ava Mae Lewis]

Um..........same sex attraction is not the same thing as pedophilia...the difference between adults and children... among others.

No, the man who is Pope today earned his creds and worked his way up by reassigning priests from parishes where they had gotten into trouble raping kids, to parishes where no one knew the priest's pecadillos and so there were whole other sets of victims.. All under the cloak of secrecy and privacy and ignoring the wounded...

Well he should apologise...