UNITED STATES
skipshea
This weekend Pope Francis will canonize two previous Pope’s as saints. John XXIII and John Paul II. John XXIII will become a saint even though his second miracle has not yet been verified. When you’re a pope, isn’t one enough?
John Paul II is also getting fast tracked with the five year waiting period waived by Pope Benedict XVI because… Well, I don’t honestly know why. JPII is dead. He isn’t going anywhere soon.
Or maybe Benedict and Francis wanted to dictate how history will see the man. As Pope for 27 years he was beloved by many. Except Sinead O’Connor. Maybe she was on to something.
During his 27 year tenure, the Catholic Church sexual abuse of children scandal was exposed by the Boston Globe. After they read about it in the Boston Phoenix a year earlier.
How did the future Saint react? Well, he didn’t. Or almost didn’t.
Let’s back up to the other new saint, John XXIII. In 1962 a letter bearing his tamp went to every bishop in the world directing them to cover up clergy sexual abuse. I’m guessing that wasn’t the second miracle they were looking for.
Fast forward to 2001 when the then Cardinal Ratzinger sent a letter to every bishop in the world giving the similar instructions that John XXIII did in 1962. Ratzinger was then the head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith – formerly known as the Inquisition – and only took orders and directives from one man. The other new Saint John Paul II.
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