April 16, 2005

Abuse victims name 'unacceptable' candidates

The Age

April 16, 2005 - 10:22AM

A group of US victims of sex abuse at the hands of Catholic priests have named five potential papal candidates they say are "morally unacceptable" to be the next Pope.

The group Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests released the list today, three days ahead of the keenly-anticipated start of the conclave at which a successor to the late Pope John Paul II will be chosen.

The cardinals targeted are Italian Angelo Sodano, the Vatican secretary of state, Oscar Andres Rodriguez Maradiaga of Honduras, Norberta Rivera Carrera of Mexico, Dario Castrillon-Hoyos, who is the head of the Vatican Congregation for the Clergy, of Colombia; and Francisco Javier Errazuriz Ossa, cardinal of the Chilean capital of Santiago.

The group claims the five possible papal candidates "have indicated, in essence, that they will protect paedophile priests and do not understand or will not take the sexual abuse crisis seriously," the group said.

"We likely may have a very small impact, if any, but we know every time we come forward and speak out, victims are finding more truth and (are) able to find the courage to come forward and report their abuse," said Mary Grant, a group member who lives near Los Angeles.

Posted by kshaw at April 16, 2005 08:10 AM