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	The Pope Will Not Resign By Robert Mulhern Irish Post April 1, 2010 http://www.irishpost.co.uk/tabId/60/itemId/78/The-Pope-will-NOT-resign.aspx UNITED KINGDOM -- THE POPE will not resign according to the head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales. Archbishop Vincent Nichols has spoken out in support of the Pontiff, following another damning week of dark revelations and resignation calls. His words followed separate demands made in Britain and Ireland for a complete national enquiry into clerical abuse and came the same day as demonstrators outside Westminster Cathedral called for the Pope to step down. Appearing on the BBC's Andrew Marr show on Sunday, Archbishop Nichols said: "He will not resign. Frankly there is no strong reason for him to do so. "In fact, it is the other way around. He is the one above all else in Rome that has tackled this thing head on. It was Cardinal Ratzinger who pushed forward very substantial changes, for example, a fast track to defrock priests who have committed abuse. "He changed the statute of limitations in Church law. "He changed the law so that offences, sexual offences committed with anyone under the age of 18 would be a crime in Church law. So he pressed very hard." The defence was countered outside Westminster Cathedral in central London on Sunday by demonstrators carrying placards which read "Pope Protects Paedophile Priests — Resign!" and "Sex Abuse Cover Up — Pope Must Resign." They claim Pope Benedict XVI was complicit in protecting priests accused of child sex abuse from prosecution. Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said that the Pontiff "bears personal responsibility for the cover-up". The Pope stands accused of intervening to halt a Church trial of Father Lawrence Murphy, an American priest alleged to have abused up to 200 deaf boys between 1950 and 1975. Cardinal Ratzinger was head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith that told bishops in Wisconsin to halt a 1997 trial of Murphy. The Vatican has defended this decision on the grounds that Murphy — who died a year later — was of an advanced age and the abuse dated back decades. Ellen Carhill, 66, an Irish Catholic, said: "The Pope will never resign, it is not possible. He can only apologise for what other people have done." She added: "Instead of letting it rest they are going to town on this. How are things going to get better if they prolong it?" The controversy has been followed by demands for a full and thorough investigation into clerical child sex abuse in Ireland. The Coalition of Survivors Network UK said: "There is an inevitability that each and every diocese will have to submit to a full inquiry. It's time to bring everything out in the open. "The reluctance of the Catholic Church in Ireland to the truth being told damages more every day. Not until the whole truth comes out can those who suffered think of going forward." David Lane from the Coalition said: "The revelations from America are deeply upsetting but sadly not surprising. Children with disabilities often suffered more because of this. For the Church to do anything other than wholly address their complaints would be shameful." Irish Survivors of Child Abuse co-ordinator John Kelly said: "I get the impression that the hierarchy in the Church knows the truth is going to have to come out at some stage. It's in their own best interest to have a national inquiry to prove who is guilty and vindicate those who are innocent. Without that people will not have confidence." Meanwhile campaigner Colm O'Gorman said: "This may not be the full picture. It requires further examination and questioning. "This is a systematic issue — it has been from day one and now we're learning of dioceses we've never heard of problems in before. The whole truth has to come out and the only way we can do that is to have a national audit or tribunal." Last week, the Pontiff apologised to victims of child sex abuse in Ireland. In a letter, he wrote: "You have suffered grievously and I am truly sorry."
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