UNITED STATES
Press TV (Iran)
Press TV has conducted an interview with Mark Dankof, political commentator, San Antonio, about the pope announcing he will punish priests who sexually abuse children after meeting with some of those abused.
The following is an approximate transcript of the interview.
Press TV: We know the previous Pope was under a lot more criticism, he was even accused of ignoring, himself personally, cases of child abuse, but what do you think about the way Pope Francis has dealt with the situation?
Dankof: I’m a cynic on this admittedly. I agree with Barbara Blaine the president of an organization called SNAP – Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests – who has basically said that this is a lot of PR window dressing, that it doesn’t really change anything in the way in which systems are conducted in the Roman Catholic Church.
There are several things that the Pope would have to do and state publicly before I would be convinced that he was moving in a better direction.
Press TV: We’re hearing he has strengthened the Vatican’s laws against child abuse. Now he’s saying that the clergy who have committed these offenses should be punished. Can you tell us what kind of action he’s speaking about?
Dankof: I think the best thing the Pope could do to underscore these pedophilia-oriented priests are going to be punished, but also indicate the willingness of the Roman Catholic church to do what is standard in the Protestant groups, at least in the United States, and that is to cooperate with a secular authority.
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