The Pope's critics have accused him of saying and doing almost nothing about child abuse. The record shows otherwise, writes David Quinn
During the uproar that accompanied the publication of the Murphy Report the Pope was accused by the Church's critics of not saying or doing enough about the scandals, and of having actually ordered them to be covered-up.
In a previous article (December 31), I dealt with the accusation that the Vatican ordered such a cover-up. This accusation was based on a completely erroneous interpretation of the 2001 document, Sacramentorum Sanctitatis Tutela. In fact, that document ordered bishops to report all cases to Rome and it fast-tracked the 'de-frocking' of offending clerics.
In this article, I want to try and rebut the accusation that Pope Benedict has said little or nothing about the scandals in the more than four years since he became Pope. I will catalogue several examples of what the Pope has said and done.
1. Condemns the 'filth' in the priesthood.
Just prior to being elected Pope, at a Stations of the Cross ceremony, Cardinal Ratzinger as he then was, spoke in unequivocal terms about the 'filth' in the priesthood. This was interpreted by all observers as a clear reference to priests who had abused children.
2. Pope meets Irish bishops and instructs them to protect children
In 2006, the Pope met with the Irish bishops in Rome. Describing child abuse as an ''egregious crime'' he told the bishops ''to take whatever steps are necessary to prevent it occurring again, to ensure principles of justice are fully respected, and above all to bring healing''.
3. Pope orders action against founder of Legionaries of Christ
The Legionaries of Christ is one of the few orders attracting significant vocations. Some of the finest priests in the Church today serve in the Legion and it was a particular favourite of John Paul II.
However, this did not stop Pope Benedict from investigating accusations of sexual and financial impropriety against its founder, Marcial Maciel. He ordered him to withdraw from all public ministry.
Writing in Time magazine, David Van Biema said of this decision: ''In a now-famous homily shortly before his election, Benedict decried 'filth' within his Church, but doubts have lingered as to whether, even now, he truly 'got' the abuse crisis, or whether the put-down was aimed at homosexual priests. The Maciel decision suggests that Benedict gets the crisis well enough to take down one of his predecessor's favourite sons.''
4. The Pope meets abuse victims in the US
In April 2008 the Pope visits the United States. He spoke about clerical abuse on the flight to America. He spoke about it in New York and he spoke about it in Washington DC.
Addressing 350 US bishops and nine cardinals, the Pope spoke of his ''deep shame'' at the ''evil'' of child abuse and how this had caused ''enormous pain''.
In Washington he had a private, 25 minute meeting with five victims of abuse from Boston diocese, one of the epicentres of the abuse crisis.
One of the victims was Bernie McDaid. After the meeting he told reporters that the Pope apologised for the abuse done to him. McDaid said: ''It took me totally by surprise. It was so heartfelt and emotional, I cried.''
Commenting after the Papal visit to the US, David Van Biema and Jeff Israely of Time praised the Pope for his ''forthrightness on sexual abuse''.
They wrote: ''Not only has the Pope discarded past Vatican diffidence to speak openly about the scandal, he has exceeded all expectations for both his attention and his pastoral touch. Benedict has used virtually every relevant public opportunityto address the scandal and offer words of comfort for the victims and the American Church as a whole.''
5. Pope meets abuse victims in Australia
In July 2008 the Pope visited Australia. In Sydney he said he was ''deeply sorry for the pain and suffering'' endured by victims of clerical abuse. Describing the abuse as ''so grave a betrayal of trust'', he said it deserves ''unequivocal condemnation''. He met with four victims of abuse and according to reports ''repeatedly spoke of the Church's sorrow and shame over the cases and over its failure to protect all children''.
6. The Pope meets Irish bishops post-the Ryan Report
Following the publication of the Ryan Report into abuse in mainly Church-run institutions, Cardinal Sean Brady and Archbishop Diarmuid Martin met the Pope in Rome. A statement from the Irish bishops following the meeting said: ''The Holy Father once again urged the Bishops and all in the Church to continue to establish the truth of what happened and why; to ensure that justice is done for all; to see that measures put in place to prevent abuse from happening again are fully applied, and, to help to bring healing to the survivors of abuse.''
7. The Pope meets Irish bishops post-the Murphy Report
Cardinal Brady and Archbishop Martin visited the Pope again following publication of the Murphy Report. A statement following that meeting said: ''After careful study of the report, the Holy Father was deeply disturbed and distressed by its contents. He wishes once more to express his profound regret at the actions of some members of the clergy who have betrayed their solemn promises to God, as well as the trust placed in them by the victims and their families, and by society at large.''
8. The Pope to address pastoral letter on abuse to the Church in Ireland
This is an unprecedented move by a Pope. No such letter has been sent to Catholics in any other part of the world. The Church's critics have already dismissed the letter as little more than window-dressing.
Strange, Mr. Quinn, you are so prolific when it comes to describing 'Church-bashing" and the "anti-religious agenda", but you have never once replied or commented on any of my comments, though they contained in many cases specific questions and raised specific issues. Why is that? Are you afraid of having a real discussion? Do you simply prefer not to have your cherished beliefs and myths about your Church challenged and brought out into the light of day?
Now Mr. Quinn, let's look at what the Pope has not done:
1) The Pope has not initiated a worldwide audit of every Diocease in the world to establish the full extent of child abuse by priests and especially as to whether procedures are in place and are being adhered to.
2) The Pope has indeed condemned paedophilia itself but has never mentioned the equally serious crime of COVER-UP, which was what the Murphy Report was about.
3) The Pope still tolerates bishops in the Church who have been proven to have covered up paedophilia (e.g. Bernard Law of Boston, currently serving as head of 7 Vatican commissions under the very nose of Benedict XVI, not to mentioned Cardinal Connell who was made Cardinal by JPII 7 years after it was known he had lied (sorry, employed "mental reservation") over financial aid to compensate victims).
4) The Pope has given no indication of how he intends to genuinely root out paedephilia among priests - after all, new priests don't have "I'm a paedephile" written on their foreheads. The far more serious issue is that of cover-up - the Pope hasn't even begun to address that problem given the fact that he can't even bring himself to use the word itself (instead of euphemisms like "mistakes" and 'failings". These words are insufficient because they suggest that bishops did their best but somehow it didn't work out. What we know today is that bishops never intended the truth to come out, and in that they succeeded only too well - no failings there!
So don't feel too optimistic that the Pope has done everything, he hasn't. Let's face it, he was Head of the Congregation of the Faith for decades, at a time when Survivors' Network in the US were writing to the Vatican asking for action. They got no response. So the Pope needn't pretend to be surprised and shocked now all of a sudden. The only thing he really regrets is that all the filth came out...