ROME
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
Posted by Barbara Blaine on March 04, 2013
Cardinal George suggests that few priests s molest kids these days. That’s simply not true. Bishops in a tiny percentage of western nations have in recent years pledged ”zero tolerance.” That promise is often broken.
But in the vast majority of countries, bishops don’t even claim to practice “zero tolerance.” It’s wrong for George to claim that this is the universal policy of the church. It’s not.
Regardless of what’s said or written in church procedures, the simple truth is that many clerics are still sexually assaulting kids. To imply otherwise is irresponsible.
So the new pope’s focus must first be on safeguarding the vulnerable, not healing the wounded. If need be, suffering adults can recover without Vatican help. But at-risk children cannot protect themselves without Vatican help.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.