Why pope is at center of media storm
John L. Allen Jr.
CNN Senior Vatican Analyst
From a distance, it may be difficult to understand why Pope Benedict XVI finds himself at the center of a media storm this week since it pivots on a single case of an abuser priest in Germany almost 30 years ago.
Yet the story could have profound implications not only for the pontiff himself, but also for the Catholic Church's ability to emerge from the sex abuse scandals that have plagued it for the last decade.
The Catholic Church in Germany is in the middle of a mushrooming crisis, with more than 300 allegations of sexual abuse against priests, nuns and other church personnel having surfaced over the last month, often involving charges from decades ago.
The pope is himself a German, and over the weekend the crisis was directly linked to him for the first time through reports about a priest who served in the Archdiocese of Munich in southern Germany during the time Benedict was archbishop there from 1977 to 1982.
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Filed under: Pope Benedict |
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As a Catholic myself, I believe that the Pope should be removed if he had any part in protecting these predators, and that should go for all bishops etc.
Catholic Schools have been closing over the last few years due to lack of funds. But the reason for that is that the church has had to pay MILLIONS of dollars because of all these lawsuits. So the children again are being victimized by the church. My sons elementary school was closed because they were more interested in the value of the property, then what they could recieve from tuition.
Those who were victimized as children deserve their day in court and the monies they sue for. Child abuse is something u can never get over. It will be with you for life.
I don't believe that a letter heal wounds of sexual abuse. There are wounds that are not so easily cured!
The church is treating this matter very superficial and distance.
Pope at center of media storm because he's covering for these criminals just as the Chatholic church has done since it's inseption.These people are criminals & need to be prosecuted,no exceptions!!
A bill needs to passed that molesters must wear a ankle bracelet for ten years after being released from prison. If lawyers argue this is unfair then ask if they would like these criminals to have their sentences increased. Volunteer monitors like perverted justice could watch over these people. If a molester breaks any part of probation they should automatically be sent to prison for another ten years.