[CATH CAUCUS]What exactly did Pope Benedict say during his meeting with UK survivors of clergy...

Protect the Pope ^ | 9/28/2010

[markomalley]

Just in case people missed this statement about the Holy Father’s meeting with victims of clergy sex abuse during his state visit to the UK Protect the Pope posts it here:

“On Saturday 18 September in the apostolic nunciature in London, the Holy Father met a group of persons who had been sexually abused by members of the clergy.

“He was moved by what they had to say and expressed his deep sorrow and shame over what victims and their families had suffered. He prayed with them and assured them that the Catholic Church is continuing to implement effective measures designed to safeguard young people, and that it is doing all in its power to investigate allegations, to collaborate with civil authorities and to bring to justice clergy and religious accused of these egregious crimes.

“As he has done on other occasions, he prayed that all the victims of abuse might experience healing and reconciliation, and be able to overcome their past and present distress with serenity and hope for the future”.

Protect the Pope comment: Its important to note a number of things in this communique because groups like Protest the Pope and the media often ignore the facts about Pope Benedict’s response to child abuse:

• Pope Benedict personally apologises to the survivors through expressing ‘his deep sorrow and shame over what victims and their families had suffered’.

• Pope Benedict calls sexual abuse by clergy a ‘crime’ and states that the Church is collaborating ‘with civil authorities and to bring to justice clergy and religious accused of these egregious crimes.’
• Pope Benedict states that the Church is doing within its power to investigate these allegations
• Pope Benedict states the Church is ‘continuing to implement effective measures designed to safeguard young people’.

Protect the Pope comment: The likelihood is that the enemies of the Church and sections of the media will continue to report the scandal of child abuse in the Church as if Pope Benedict has done and said none of these things. However, its important that Catholics and people of good will know exactly what Pope Benedict said during his visit to the UK, and can defend him when the usual unjust accusations are made against him.

http://www.ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=106072

[lurk]

Not to trivialize the crime, but why do they call them survivors? Survivors are people who escaped death. These people are victims of a crime.