Abuse by US Priests Has Left Me Ashamed Says Pope, by Tom Baldwin and Malcolm Moore, Irish Independent (Ireland), April 16, 2008

Abuse by US Priests Has Left Me Ashamed Says Pope

By Tom Baldwin and Malcolm Moore
Irish Independent (Ireland)
April 16, 2008

http://www.independent.ie/world-news/abuse-by-us-priests-has-left-me-ashamed-says-pope-1349173.html?from=dailynews

THE Pope said yesterday that he felt "profoundly ashamed" of sexual abuse by American priests.

As he flew to the United States at the start of his first visit to the country, he said: "Paedophiles will be completely excluded from the priesthood. It is more important to have good priests than many priests.

"If I read the stories of the victims, I find it difficult to understand how priests can have betrayed their mission to bring holiness in this way, to bring the love of God to children."

Pope Benedict's US tour has been overshadowed by a row over his decision not to visit Boston, the centre of the sexual abuse scandal.

Pope Benedict prepares to board his plane in Rome en route to his first visit to the US as leader of the Catholic Church

Victims

Last year, the Roman Catholic Church had to pay out $615 million (€390m) in compensation to the thousands of victims, bankrupting six major dioceses, including California.

The Vatican initially said the issue was "closed" and that the Pope felt he would reopen old wounds by discussing paedophiles. But the Holy See has been forced to reverse its position by several American pressure groups.

The victims of sexual abuse have demanded a meeting with the Pope but are unlikely to get one. "Although the survivors may want a meeting, this is a visit to all Americans," said Mgr Bartholomew Smith, a priest in Washington.

The Pope faced more bad news when a poll by ABC News found that two thirds of Catholic worshippers in the US feel he is out of touch with today's world.

He will meet President George W Bush today and speak from the White House. Although Mr Bush has ignored the Pope in the past by going to war in Iraq and by supporting the death penalty, his arrival has led to a softening of tone. The White House said it wanted to discuss how "faith and reason can help us reach shared goals".

Meanwhile, as the Pope touched down on US soil last night, hundreds of thousands of Catholic voters were preparing to play a pivotal role in next week's Democratic primary in Pennsylvania between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

The Vatican is sensitive to the timing of the Pope's visit, saying he does not want to get "mixed up in the internal, local political process", while warning candidates against trying to "instrumentalise" the pontiff by making him a political tool.

But with Catholics expected to account for more than a third of the turnout in next week's important primary, as well as being a key target group for Democrats and Republicans in the elections this autumn, the Pope's every utterance is certain to be scrutinised closely.

Mrs Clinton, a Methodist who gets strong support from white working- class Catholics and Hispanics, has been swift to spot an opportunity, issuing a statement saying America was "blessed" to be hosting the Pope.

"Not only is he the spiritual leader of America's great Catholic community, he is a strong and effective voice for the cause of peace, freedom, and justice as well as the fight against poverty and disease," she said. Meanwhile, Barack Obama's campaign has employed Catholic outreach directors in Pennsylvania, encouraged volunteers to call fellow churchgoers on his behalf, and held small round-table "listening meetings" with members of the denomination.

Yesterday, he followed Mrs Clinton with his own statement, saying: "The theme of Pope Benedict's journey, 'Christ Our Hope', offers comfort and grace as well as a challenge to all faith communities to put our faith into action. It will not only be Catholics who are listening to the Holy Father's message of hope and peace; all Americans will be listening with open hearts and minds."