Madam, – In the ongoing saga of the abuse scandal and its cover-up, what most requires emphasis is the shocking fact that the Pope (as Cardinal Ratzinger) has been central to the process of concealment. Well might the guilty bishops claim (like the Nuremberg generals) that they were only acting on orders; well might a cardinal who erred wait until a fallible but omnipotent leader decides exactly who should resign.
We are watching the unfolding of a plot worthy of Shakespearean attention, a moral and political drama of global significance involving the silencing of conscience by authority and power and shot through with irony from beginning to end. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – I greatly welcome Pope Benedict’s letter to Irish Catholics.
It is comprehensive yet not too long, readable but not simplistic, focused, thoughtful, respectful and sensitive. Profoundly aware of its audience.
It is not the end of anything – it is a powerful blueprint for a profound renewal of the people of God in Ireland and the first and absolutely vital step of that undertaking.
Here Benedict shows the marks of true leadership and I for one am very grateful to be, with him, “a brother in the faith”. He has rekindled a fire which, with God’s help, will never be put out! – Yours, etc,
Madam, – I read, and reread, the pastoral letter from the Holy Father to the Catholics of Ireland on the Vatican website. Its pace is laborious and its use of over-elaborate sentence structure manifest. However, I persevered and did a bit of technical analysis. With its concluding “Prayer for the Church in Ireland” the document has 4,707 words, 54 paragraphs, 27,171 characters, runs single- spaced to seven pages and uses the word “sorry” once. Speaks volumes. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Why are the bishops in Ireland taking total responsibility for how child sex abuse cases have been handled in Ireland? From what I am reading, Pope Benedict XVI has been responsible for the systematic cover-up of child sex abuse cases from the time he was Cardinal Ratzinger and head of the office charged with promoting Catholic teachings on faith and morals, an office which he held for 24 years.
As a physician and graduate of TCD and as an Irish-American Catholic, I am saddened by what I have been learning of the involvement of our Pope Benedict XVI, if it is true, that in 2001 he issued a Vatican edict to Catholic bishops all over the world, instructing them to put the Church’s interests ahead of protecting the innocence of children.
Instead of reporting cases of child sex abuse to the legal authorities and removing the guilty priests from the active ministry, and possibly having them do jail time, it seems that Cardinal Ratzinger created a new principle called Exclusive Competence where all cases would be under the complete control of the Vatican.
To my understanding, this would mean that Pope Benedict XVI is responsible for obstruction of justice throughout the world, wherever child sex abuse is taking place by clergy in the Roman Catholic Church.
What is hard for me to accept is the fact that the priests involved in child sex abuse were sent to new parishes where other innocents were abused. This is clearly neglect of duty on the part of the church.
Would Jesus put protecting the reputation of his Church as more important than protecting the innocence of children? As a woman, I believe that the way the Vatican has handled this issue is symptomatic of the need for these celibate men to let go of their control of the church and free the Holy Spirit to continue the work that started at the Second Vatican Council which acknowledged that all the faithful belong to the priesthood of Christ.
We lay women and men have a real role to play in the hear and now if given a voice. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – I have had to ponder for several hours before I could write this letter. Words failed me.
The report that Andrew Madden, who recently “resigned” from the Holy Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church, has called on the Pope to resign from his office is quite staggering.
Is Mr Madden trying to destroy the church? What would he put in its place? In any case as he has resigned, what right has he to make any suggestions as to what should or should not happen in the church? The late Brendan Behan, once asked about the church said, “Sure what else is there”. His attitude holds as good today as it did then. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – I have followed closely the scandal that has rocked the Catholic Church, not only here in Canada, but in Ireland, the US and, most recently Germany. I read with horror the Commission’s Report into Child Abuse, and I’ve just read the Pope’s pastoral letter to the people of Ireland.
The Catholic Archdiocese of Nova Scotia announced at the weekend that it “requires any staff member who comes into contact with children, youth or vulnerable adults to submit to police record checks”. The new rules governing staff will also mean any one-on-one meetings can take place only in rooms and locations that are open to public view.
This give a clear message that Nova Scotia’s most precious residents will not be placed in jeopardy again, and that religious paedophiles will be treated like the common criminals they are. I call on the people of Ireland to demand a similar practice from their Government and from their religious leaders. – Yours, etc,