Huff Post: The Catholic Church was slammed at the U.N. on Thursday about how they have historically handled cases of sex abuse by priests, as a committee investigated their adherence to the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child, which requires all signatories “to take all appropriate measures to keep children from harm.”
Pope Francis has addressed the sexual abuse issue as part of his Vatican reforms with the creation of a commission on abuse, and on Thursday morning he also denounced the problem in a blistering homily that spoke of the scandal and shame of the church.
Vatican Radio reported that he said:
But are we ashamed? So many scandals that I do not want to mention individually, but all of us know…We know where they are! Scandals, some who charged a lot of money…. The shame of the Church!
But are we all ashamed of those scandals, of those failings of priests, bishops, laity? Where was the Word of God in those scandals; where was the Word of God in those men and in those women? They did not have a relationship with God! They had a position in the Church, a position of power, even of comfort. But the Word of God, no! ‘But, I wear a medal,’ ‘I carry the Cross ‘ … Yes, just as those bore the Ark!
Without the living relationship with God and the Word of God! I am reminded of the words of Jesus about those for whom scandals come … And here the scandal hit: bringing decay (it: decadenza) to the people of God, including (it: fino alla) the weakness and corruption of the priests.
The Vatican is currently facing criticism for rejecting an extradition request from Poland regarding the ex-papal nuncio to the Dominican Republic, Archbishop Jozef Wesolowski.
Categories: Europe and Australia
How much of the blame on Catholic Church officials sex abuse is due to the rule of ‘celibacy’? When investigating all the sex abuses this topic should be addressed and if it is proved that celibacy does play a role then it should be abolished.
There is something basically wrong. It should be admitted. There is tendency of superiority for the unmarried mothers and fathers in the church. I wish they were married persons or at least should be called brothers and sisters, and not fathers and mothers. It all gives a wrong message to the followers of Christian faith.
The church should look to Islam for many social behavior; i.e. everybody should be advised to marry.
The prophet Muhammad s.a.w.s. said “To be married is my way of life. Every one should follow…” (approx words)
Divorce is bad but it should be admitted as a human weakness and permitted as a last resort.
Nothing will reduce the love of God and love of His creation.
One last point about virgin birth i.e. the birth of Jesus Christ. That may be virgin birth. But, after all, the mother Mary was married to Joseph. She had other children. She was not unmarried. Joseph, The (apparent) father of Jesus was also married (perhaps twice married). It was not an unmarried life at all. All the apostles except Paul were married.
Where from celibacy has crept into the church?
I am a physican and a Catholic from birth. I have met many who have been sexually abused by priests. I do believe that mandatory celibacy has a part in this worldwide scandal of the Catholic Church. What is especially interesting to me is that governments around the world have allowed a center of religion the Vatican, in a small area of the city of Rome, to be called a State and to be given diplomatic immunity. Therefore, even though the popes and hierarchy have protected sexual predator clergy from accountability, the pope is his own law and not accountable to anyone but God. I believe that the Catholic Church can no longer be allowed to be its own law and must become accountable to civil and international law. Is the Muslim religion considered a State? Does the Muslim religion have diplomatic immunity?
Sincerely, Dr Rosemary Eileen McHugh, Chicago, Illinois, USA