Will Pope Benedicts Apologies for Abuse Crisis Ever Be Enough, USA Today, June 11, 2010

Will Pope Benedict's Apologies for Abuse Crisis Ever Be Enough?

USA Today
June 11, 2010

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/Religion/post/2010/06/sex-abuse-catholic-pope-benedict-forgiveness-apology/1

Pope Benedict XVI holds the Corpus Domini during a meeting in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican to celebrate the end of the Church's year of the priest where he apologized again, for the clergy sexual abuse scandal.

Sorry. Sorry. Sorry.

Pope Benedict XVI has apologized -- again -- for clergy sexual abuse of minors as the global scandal continues to scorch his papacy. This time, the apology came at a Mass celebrating the conclusion of the Year of the Priest.

Bemoaning these sins, he said, the Church will devote itself to choosing and supporting priests.

We will do everything we can to weigh the authenticity of their vocation and make every effort to accompany priests along their journey, so that the Lord will protect them and watch over them in troubled situations and amid life's dangers."

Associated Press details the many times he has already spoken these words of regret and promise.

But will this be enough? No, says BishopAccountability.Org, the first of the victim's groups to roll out a statement.

The pope's response has been platitudes, metaphor, and rhetoric. What's worse, with the appalled Catholic laity waiting for solutions, the Pope prescribed merely an internal, inadequate next step -- better seminary screening and formation. But we all have learned in recent years that the most effective solutions lie outside the Church. To solve this massive crisis, the Pope must take specific actions himself and also endorse and facilitate certain external measures that would advance transparency and justice.

Will apologies, on ever bigger wider stages, be enough? What's enough?

NOTE: Be civil. All views, respectfully presented, are welcome.