Foreign Affairs
Related: About this forumPope to sex abuse victims: I beg your forgiveness
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_REL_VATICAN_POPE_SEX_ABUSE?SITE=VANOV&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULTPope to sex abuse victims: I beg your forgiveness
By FRANCES D'EMILIO
Associated Press
Jul 7, 9:08 AM EDT
VATICAN CITY (AP) -- Pope Francis has begged forgiveness from the victims of clergy sex abuse in his first meeting with several abuse survivors.
The Vatican quoted Francis as expressing personal `'sorrow" in his homily at a private Mass with six victims Monday for the `'sins and grave crimes" of clerical sex abuse against them.
Added the pope: `'I beg your forgiveness, too, for the sins of omission on the part of Church leaders who did not respond adequately to reports of abuse made by family members, as well as by abuse victims themselves."
`'This led to even greater suffering on the part of those who were abused and it endangered other minors who were at risk," the pope said, according to the English translation of his homily, delivered in Spanish.
pipoman
(16,038 posts)Couldn't be that the policy of "abstinence" attracts people who believe they are doomed to hell because of who they are results in a poisoned pool of candidates, huh...
rurallib
(62,471 posts)one fucking apology. I never wanted to be in a lawsuit, I never wanted to have some spooky priest talk about forgiveness and love and all sorts of voodoo shit. All I ever wanted was an apology from the fucking diocese that hired the SOB that molested me. A fucking call or even an email.
But we know that would have been admitting guilt and thus weaken their court position as they tried anything they could to worm their way out of their crap. A general "I am sorry" from the pope 20 years later is way too little way too late. I am still waiting, still waiting. Most likely I will die waiting.
"We are sorry we let this man free to molest kids. We are very sorry it happened to you. We are late to do this but we are working very hard to make sure it never happens again." Would that have been so hard?