A poster announcing Pope Benedict XVI's forthcoming visit to Malta has been defaced with a Hilter-style moustache and the word "pedoflu" (paedophile). Photograph: Ben Borg Cardona/AFP
Posted on 04/10/2010 5:28:42 PM PDT by JoeProBono
Vatican is urged to use the papal visit to demonstrate concern at the damage done by paedophile priests
The Vatican is being urged to arrange meetings between victims of clerical sexual abuse and Pope Benedict XVI when he comes to the UK later this year.
Victim support groups, including the Survivors' Network of those Abused by Priests (Snap) and One in Four UK, said such encounters would help defuse anger and demonstrate the church's concern for its wounded congregation. The call comes after the papal spokesman, Father Federico Lombardi, said that the pope had "written of his readiness to hold new meetings" with abuse victims in the "context of his concern" for them.
Lombardi's statement is the strongest indication so far that the Vatican will continue to reach out to victims of clerical sexual abuse through papal visits. The pope's British visit in September would be a high-profile opportunity to do so. There was further embarrassment for the Roman Catholic church in England yesterday, when it was reported that a paedophile priest was allowed to continue abusing victims despite being investigated by a child protection commission chaired by the archbishop of Westminster, Vincent Nichols.
Catholic officials denied that Nichols knew any details of the case involving the London priest, Father David Pearce, who was eventually arrested in 2008. Church officials said last week that the papal itinerary had yet to be finalised and would neither confirm nor deny that the Vatican was looking at arranging meetings with abuse victims.
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
A poster announcing Pope Benedict XVI's forthcoming visit to Malta has been defaced with a Hilter-style moustache and the word "pedoflu" (paedophile). Photograph: Ben Borg Cardona/AFP
It is rare to get an apology from the Church within your lifetime.
Over 3000 priest from Malta serve in various diocese around the world.
The last two priests in my parish have been from Malta. They don't come any more devote than the Maltese.
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