UNITED STATES
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
by Barbara Dorris & David Clohessy
A humble salute to the Nobel Peace Prize Committee for awarding the prize to Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousafzai for promoting human rights for all children.
The committee’s decision to not give the award to odds-on favorite Pope Francis was the right and logical move. Both of this year’s laureates’ strong and decisive actions have led to dangerous physical attacks, yet each remains a voice for our most vulnerable populations. Their words are commensurate with their actions.
On the other hand, Pope Francis has yet to take any real action to protect children. Vatican committees and meetings don’t protect children from abuse. Rebuffing United Nations panels does not safeguard the vulnerable or heal the wounded. Letting abusers and the clerics who cover up for them remain in positions of power tells Catholics that their children are not a top priority. And so we wait.
Kailash and Malala didn’t wait to carefully negotiate the political complexities and personalities within the child labor factories or within the Taliban. They took real action.
Kailash and Malala have faced real threats, physical violence, and Malala was almost murdered. But neither of them have stopped their work. Pope Francis is a man of immeasurable power, and yet he will barely lift a finger to stop child sex crimes within his own organization.
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