Special Broadcasting Service
July 3, 2008
http://news.sbs.com.au/worldnewsaustralia/pope_39considering_sex_abuse_apology39_550864
Representatives of Pope Benedict XVI have told a victim support group the pontiff is considering offering an apology to sexual abuse victims during his visit to Australia.
Melbourne-based Broken Rites wrote to the Pope asking him to say sorry to those abused by members of the clergy while he is in Sydney for this month's World Youth Day.
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| There is mounting pressure for the Pope to apologise to victims of Church sex abuse when he is in Sydney for World Youth Day |
Group president Chris MacIsaac said she had received a reply saying the reqest would be considered - but she said the organisation was not holiding out much hope of a meaningful apology.
Sydney Archbishop Cardinal George Pell this week raised hopes of a possible apology, saying any such statement by the Pope would be a "welcome contribution" at World Youth Day.
Ms MacIsaac said it had been weeks since the group last heard anything from the Pope's representatives, so this week she wrote to 150 Catholic parishes across Melbourne, asking them to offer their churches as vigil sites for
sex abuse victims during the Pope's visit to Sydney.
Vigils for victims
"We have decided if we can't get anything from the upper decks of the church, we will go to the lower," she said, adding she hopes the vigil will be held on July 12, the day before the Pope arrives in Australia.
The fact the Pope's representatives had not responded to Broken Rites' pleas showed the church did not want to face the issue of sex abuse, she said.
"World Youth Day is an issue in that the churches are prepared to spend so much money on it, to attract young people into the church, but do not want to face up to and acknowledge the enormity of the sexual abuse issue.
"There's something wrong there, there's a real imbalance."
Victims don't just want platitudes, she said, they want a "meaningful" apology.
"There needs to be actions, and dialogue, and meetings between clergy and victims, to really follow up on the apology," Ms MacIsaac said.
She said the group had no plans to head to Sydney to make their voice heard.
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