By Larry McShane
New York Daily News
April 16, 2008
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2008/04/16/2008-04-16_pope_vows_to_keep_out_pervert_priests.html
Pope Benedict acknowledged the deep shame caused by the $2 billion pedophile priest scandal on Tuesday, vowing to keep child molesters off the altars in Catholic churches.
Before landing in Washington on his first U.S. visit as holy father, the Pope told reporters aboard "Shepherd One" the scandal involving some 5,000 priests left him "deeply ashamed."
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| Pope Benedict waves before leaving the Rome airport on Tuesday. Photo by Fabi/Getty |
The 80-year-old pontiff said he would work to keep pedophiles out of the priesthood.
"It is more important to have good priests than many priests," the Pope said. "We will do everything possible to heal this wound.
"It is difficult for me to understand how it was possible that priests betray in this way their mission ...to children. I am deeply ashamed and we will do what is possible so this cannot happen again in the future."
The Pope's remarks got a mixed review from a group representing 8,000 sexual abuse victims.
Peter Isely of SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests) said the pontiff needs to change the church's culture of complicity by holding high-ranking officials responsible for the sins of their underlings.
"Virtually no bishop suffers negative consequences for shielding predators, stonewalling prosecutors, shunning victims and deceiving parishioners," Isely said.
"Until that changes, predatory priests will continue to be removed after molesting 33 kids, instead of after molesting three kids," he said.
While a few bishops accused of molestation stepped down, the church has yet to discipline any bishop for failure to protect children from predatory priests.
The U.S. church has paid out an estimated $2 billion in settlements to thousands of victims of sexual abuse, with scores of priests removed. The figure, which hit $1 billion in 2005, has doubled since then.
Six American dioceses went bankrupt in recent years due to the massive payouts.
The Pope opted to take on the sexual abuse question before arriving in the U.S., making his outrage clear on the issue.
"It is a great suffering for the church in the United States and for the church in general and for me personally that this could happen," he said.
Isely said his group was waiting for action rather than an apology.
"We're way beyond the point at which an apology, a nice gesture, a few soothing words and vague promises will be meaningful," he said. "None of these safeguard kids. Action protects kids."
Contact: lmcshane@nydailynews.com
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