[Alberta's Child]

You completely misunderstood my comment -- When I stated that "there is no need for Catholics to repent," I was specifically referring to the current sex abuse scandal in the Church. The only people who need to repent for these crimes are those who committed them, and those who were involved in covering them up.

[Salvation]

Thanks for clarifying. I agree that the normal Catholic, active in the parish, has nothing to repent other than his or her own sins.

However, "Forgive me for what I have done and for what I have failed to do," must be ringing in the ears of Bishops, Cardinals, etc. who did not act in a judicious manner in these case.

Do remember, though, that many of the leaders of the church acted upon advice given by psychologists and psychiatrists during the 70s and 80s, when common belief was that a pedophile could be cured. It was around 1987 or so, when the psychiatrists and psychologists began to recognize and treat the tendency to molest children and minors as an addiction -- which it is.