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	Our Opinion: Lesson of Love and Hope Patriot Ledger April 18, 2008 http://www.patriotledger.com/opinions/x2124111407 QUINCY — Pope Benedict XVI has come to the United States clearly ready to acknowledge the failings of the Catholic Church in the clergy sexual abuse scandals, pronouncing himself "deeply ashamed" and telling a congregation of 300 American bishops the situation was "sometimes very badly handled." That won't satisfy critics who argue the church has not done enough to punish the enablers and compensate victims, but it is a forceful statement that wrong was done and correction is needed. Beyond sexual abuse, Benedict comes to the United States with a larger message for Americans. Whether you preach the Gospel, follow the Torah, adhere to the Quran or none of the above, it is worth listening to his words on poverty and justice and peace. This is a pope who agrees publicly with President Bush on abortion, but strongly believes the death penalty is wrong. Terrorism is a scourge that must be addressed, Benedict says, but the war in Iraq is wrong. He praised the United States at the White House as a nation founded on religious belief but feels we must do more to help the poor of the world, in particular by changing immigration policies. As he has in Europe, Pope Benedict has used his visit here to challenge the secularism of modern life, the separation of the spiritual from the decisions we make every day at work, what we do in school, how we treat people at home. Benedict is, among other things, a scholar, someone accustomed to using words with academic precision and threading complex ideas through his discourse with the ease of mixing peanut butter and jelly. Again, however, it is worth listening to the message: if everyone followed the golden rule do unto others the world would be a better place. The pope will be in New York today to address the United Nations. While events in Washington were important, this is the stage that brought him to the United States to preach his message of love and hope. We will almost certainly hear his words on the plight of the world's poor, the obligations of developed countries, war, peace and the stewardship of the earth. As the spiritual leader of one out of every six people in the world, it is worth considering his words carefully.
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