Madam, – It was with amazement, shock and horror that I read what the Pope had to say (in his Christmas greetings to the Roman Curia) about the causes or “context” as he terms it, of clergy child sexual abuse. I do not believe that child pornography is seen as “more and more normal by society”, rather it suggests that more and more child sex offenders are accessing and using pornography. Pornography is the filming of the sexual act with children, or forcing children to have sex and filming this. It is a crime of immense proportion since the brutality and sadism often mixed with these acts are unimaginable. These sex offenders know the children can not be identified and rescued easily.
To further suggest the “culture” of the 1970s brought rampant sex abuse of children is a thesis way off the mark. Such a statement finally convinces us that despite the many apologies the Pope has given, despite the call to support victims, the Pontiff and his Vatican “Brothers in Christ” are simply unable or unwilling to discuss their role in facilitating, prolonging and allowing sex offending against children to continue. It further suggests that the pontiff is unable to absorb what professionals know about sex offending and shows his ignorance of the nature of child sex offending.
Here in this speech is ample evidence that the Vatican cannot be honest, transparent or admit that its generation of bishops and cardinals actively protected their clergy and abandoned the victims. The policy of “recycling” sex offender priests to ever-increasing numbers of parishes left a trail of damage and destroyed lives across the globe.
Sadly it does not seem as if Pope Benedict has learned any lessons from meeting survivors of clergy sexual abuse. Instead the frequent apologies, the call for help to victims hides a reality of “passing the buck”.
The pontiff and his cohorts are never going to accept responsibility.. but it is possible this speech will be the last straw for Catholics who will now walk out in droves. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – The Pope reflected on the child abuse revelations in 2010, stating “We must ask ourselves what we can do to repair as much as possible the injustice that has occurred”, (Paddy Agnew, World News, December 21st). Perhaps when the Pope finally gets around to asking himself that question, he would be good enough to let us know what his answer is. – Yours, etc,