Rick Santorum blasts Catholic church's 'deplorable' response to sex abuse scandal

By Pete Kasperowicz
WashingtExaminer
August 20, 2018

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/rick-santorum-blasts-catholic-churchs-deplorable-response-to-sex-abuse-scandal

"It is beyond disgusting, and the church's response to it is deplorable on every level," Rick Santorum said. Photo by Charlie Neibergall

Former Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., ripped the Catholic church on Tuesday for what he said was its weak response to a report that found priests in Pennsylvania were involved in the sexual abuse of at least 1,000 children.

"It is beyond disgusting, and the church's response to it is deplorable on every level," Santorum said on CNN.

"The fact that there has to be an outside probe like this from a grand jury to expose what the church should have exposed itself..." he said. "You talk about failing children ... that it takes a government agency to do the job that the church should be doing from the very beginning, which is protecting its flock, and weeding itself out."

Pope Francis on Monday said in a public statement that the abuse scandal showed the church "showed no care for the little ones." But Santorum indicated even the Vatican's response so far is not enough.

"Here we are, looking at another report done by someone outside the church," he said when asked about the pope's response. "So what does that tell me? That tells me that the leadership of the church hasn't done its job."

Santorum said Cardinal Donald Wuerl, who was in Pennsylvania but is now in Washington, D.C., should resign, along with others who allowed the abuse to happen.

"I think everyone who failed should pay the consequence for their failure," he said. "There has to be a recognition within the church of accountability for people who do the things that they did."