UNITED STATES
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
POSTED BY DAVID CLOHESSY ON DECEMBER 18, 2013
Finally, finally, there’s a tiny, tiny ray of hope with this pope and the abuse/cover up crisis.
It’s not his signs of humility.
It’s not his compassionate words.
It’s not his touching gestures.
It’s his ever-so-slight snub of two dreadfully corrupt prelates – Cardinal Raymond Burke and Cardinal Justin Rigali.
Pope Francis hasn’t denounced, disciplined, demoted or defrocked either of them, though their incredibly irresponsible actions in dozens and dozens of predator priest cases certainly warrant such moves.
But the pontiff has declined to re-appoint them to the Congregation for Bishops, which helps select bishops throughout the world
That’s a tiny, tiny step in the right direction.
But the pope needs to punish – not just snub – those who are reckless in clergy sex cases, not just pompous in their own demeanor.
He needs to penalize those who are “outliers” in child protection, not “outliers” in clergy attire.
And he needs to do it publicly– so it may have a deterrent effect. That’s what’s long been missing – harsh, clear church-imposed consequences for those who put kids in harm’s way.
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