Pope Pledge on Abuse, by Donna Bowater, Express, June 12, 2010

Pope Pledge on Abuse

By Donna Bowater
Express
June 12, 2010

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/180504/Pope-pledge-on-abuse

The Pope apologised and vowed to do everything to make sure such abuse can never happen again

VICTIMS of the sex abuse scandals that battered the Catholic Church have rejected the Pope’s promise to make sure it can never happen again.

Pope Benedict XVI yesterday made his most passionate apology yet as he begged for forgiveness in front of an audience that included more than 15,000 white-clad priests.

Speaking in St Peter’s Square in Rome, Pope Benedict said: “We insistently ask for forgiveness from God and the persons involved.”

He also vowed to “do everything possible to make sure such abuse can never happen again”.

But his plea was greeted with a lukewarm response by victims and the groups that represent them.

Barbara Blaine, president of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said: “A promise is nominally more helpful than an apology.

“But promises are usually easy to make, hard to keep and broken often if there’s no oversight or penalties.”

Another group, BishopAccountability.org, said the Pontiff’s remarks were both a disappointment and a squandered opportunity because his main recommendation had only been to introduce better screening for priests.