RSS FeedsWhy should the Pope have to apologize for Australian clergy sex abuse?
Fri Jul 18, 8:42 PM ET
SYDNEY, Australia – Pope Benedict XVI says he is deeply sorry for the pain and suffering caused to victims of clergy sex abuse.
The pope addressed a Mass Saturday attended by Australia's Roman Catholic bishops and seminarians, and said he wanted to acknowledge the "shame that we have all felt as result of the sexual abuse of minors by some clergy and religious" in Australia.
He said the deeds of clergy responsible for abuse were a grave betrayal of trust that had caused great pain, had damaged the Roman Catholic church, and deserved unequivocal condemnation.
Support groups for victims of church abuse in Australia, whose numbers are not known but who activists say are in the thousands, have demanded the pope make a full and open apology for clergy abuse and do more to prevent future abuse.
It's horrible that clergy of all people would commit such acts. It's not Pople Benedict's fault that certain clergy members are perverts. When Christians commit horrible acts, you don't hear God saying "Oh geeish. I'm very sorry that my Christians did so and so." Oh by the way, I'm not comparing Pope Benedict to God so don't even go there.
He should apologize to clergy sex abuse all over the world; this is really a breakthrough because all others before him didn't even acknowledge there were any abuses by catholic priests; they kept every case under wraps and made deals with the victims' families to settle out of courts, which is outrageous that the pedophiles escaped punishment. to finally accept this is happening and wanting to bring the criminals to justice, is groundbreaking . now he can focus on how to address this problem and find the best possible solution.