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  Church Ashamed of Priests' Behaviour: Pope

By Manelisi Dubase
SABC News (South Africa)
April 17, 2008

http://www.sabcnews.com/world/north_america/0,2172,167818,00.html

Pope Benedict XVI's arrival in the United States, which coincided with the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, was met with several protests against the Catholic Church.

On his arrival the Pope said the church was ashamed of the behaviour of some Catholic priests, who are reported to have sexually abused more than 5 000 boys and girls in America over a period of years. The Pope was there to discuss various global issues -among them, the Iraqi war.

The pope said he is ashamed of the behaviour of some catholic priests that abused children

Victims of sexual abuse by Catholic priests held a vigil outside Catholic churches in Washington, while human rights activists protested against the church's stance on issues such as gay marriages, women priests and abortion.

The pontiff said: "Democracy can only flourish, as your founding fathers realised, when political leaders and those whom they represent are guided by truth and bring the wisdom born of firm moral principle to decisions affecting the life and future of the nation."

Embrace a culture of justice and truth: Bush

This was a message seen as a swipe at the American president for a decision to take the country to war on false pretences, but Bush was not about to be cowed. "In a world where some people no longer believe that we can distinguish between simple right and wrong, we need your message to reject this dictatorship of relativism and embrace a culture of justice and truth," Bush said.

After speeches by the two leaders at the White House, well-wishers sang the Pope a happy birthday song, as he turned 81 yesterday. The Pope will be celebrating Mass at the national stadium later tonight, before heading for New York tomorrow where he'll address the UN and visit Ground Zero. He's going back to the Vatican on Sunday night.

 
 

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