Because I haven’t felt like I had much to add to the coverage, I have not posted on the megastory of the resurgent sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic church. However, I am looking into to the whole issue more and believe there are several really important theological and psychological issues involved. For now, though, I am just going to post some news stories as they come up and hope to add some commentary along the way.
Today, the Pope is quoted as urging the faithful to repent. Seems like repentance is a good place to start, if of course he means for one’s sins.
Pope Benedict XVI has called on Roman Catholics to “do penance” for their sins, an apparent reference to the recent child sexual abuse scandal.
He said Catholics were “under attack from the world which talks to us of our sins” and should see the necessity “to recognise what is wrong in our lives”.
It is rather difficult to see what ‘the faithful’ which is usually Catholic code for regular old parishoners have to repent. If it is a reference to the abuse scandal(s), then he is calling upon the wrong people to repent.
You actually counsel people, David?
The rates of sexual abuse in public schools are much higher…attendance is compulsory…
I expect an AP story about this to break right before a major school holiday commemorating the Dewey Decimal System….timed for effect.