Vows to Keep Pedophiles out of Priesthood
The Province (Canada)
April 16, 2008
http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=91ab254a-2f65-4e49-b8ae-5ea677b6f35d
WASHINGTON -- Pope Benedict arrived yesterday for his first papal visit to the U.S. after declaring himself "deeply ashamed" by a sexual- abuse scandal tarnishing the Roman Catholic Church's image.
On his flight from Rome, the Pope vowed to keep pedophiles out of the priesthood. The scandal of priests sexually abusing youths broke in 2002 and has forced U.S. dioceses to pay over $2 billion in damages. Five have gone bankrupt.
The six-day visit includes a United Nations address, masses in baseball stadiums and meetings with Catholic educators and leaders of other religions, but the abuse scandal has shaken the church so much that the German-born Pope addressed it even before landing.
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| Pope Benedict is greeted by President George W. Bush, his wife, Laura, and daughter, Jenna, on his arrival in Washington yesterday. |
President George W. Bush greeted the pontiff on arrival at Andrews Air Force Base outside the U.S. capital, the first time he has gone to the airport to meet an incoming dignitary. Neither made a public statement, but onlookers sang "Happy Birthday" for Benedict, who turns 81 today.
"We will absolutely exclude pedophiles from the sacred ministry," Benedict told reporters on his flight across the Atlantic. The church will screen candidates for the priesthood, he said, "so that only really sound persons can be admitted."
"It is more important to have good priests than to have many priests," he said.
Polls say three-quarters of U.S. Catholics approve of the Pope, but just as many say they disapprove of the defensive way the church first responded to the abuse crisis.
Several victims of the priest scandal denounced Benedict's comments as hollow and insincere during a news conference in Boston, where the scandal erupted in 2002.
"He should be ashamed that he is not meeting with survivors and talking with us," said Robert Costello, founder of A Matter of Truth, a Boston-based organization for victims of sexual abuse by priests.
The pontiff said he will discuss the sensitive topic of immigration with Bush, especially the way it splits families and strains "the moral and social fabric" of poor countries.
"The United States has to help these countries develop," he said during the flight, so their citizens do not feel they must leave."
White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said Bush and Benedict would probably discuss "their shared values of human rights and the importance of fighting extremism and also promoting religious tolerance" at the White House today.
During his six-day trip, Benedict will also pray at Ground Zero in New York where the 9/11 crisis erupted.
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