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	Nsac: Apologies and Meetings with Survivors Are Only As Good As What Follows Them National Survivor Advocates Coalition September 18, 2010 http://www.nsacoalition.org/ The National Survivor Advocates Coalition (NSAC) urges the Catholics of the United Kingdom to view Pope Benedict's apology to sexual abuse survivors using their faith as the measure of what is right and good not their excitement at a religious celebrity in their midst. It's always a heady experience when a celebrity hits town and one with enough clout to have traffic re-routed and get on the Queen's schedule boosts the excitement quotient. But an apology is only as good as what follows it. Everyone knows from their own life experience that apologies can be flimsy as ash or strong as steel, and can spring from enlightened self interest or be birthed from a firm purpose of amendment. Is this one forged in the steel of right or is it a polite bread and circuses nod to crowd expectation? The Pope's expression of sorrow without any comment on fixing the problem and resolving the crisis is an abdication of leadership and responsibility. From experience we see that what follows papal apologies is a slight tinkering of archaic Vatican rules. Pope Benedict has the power to break this pattern and use one of the last beauties of the papacy, the absoluteness of monarchy and its ability to change course in a single stroke of the pen for the cause of justice and reparation for the survivors. The non resolution of the sexual abuse crisis undermines the moral authority the Pope calls upon to upbraid civil government leaders for neglecting to use the highest values of Christianity as tools in tackling the global financial crisis. He is lucky those in the trenches who were seated before him withheld the throwing of tomatoes, literally or figuratively at a leader so crippled by the crisis of crime in his institution There is plenty of planning time for a papal visit. Pope Benedict's words of apology were not written last night nor was the decision made yesterday that no action would be included within the words. Once again, the words look to the past. What Catholics need to keep in mind is Pope Benedict didn't just learn about the sexual abuse crisis from reading the newspapers and watching the news. He headed the Vatican office for 20 plus years where firsthand knowledge arrived and was kept secret and in most cases flat out buried. Before that, he headed the Diocese of Munich where there are documented abuse cases. The Pope is the Vicar of Christ. It didn't take massive movements of legions of Roman heralds up and down the Empire of Rome's roads crying out about injustice before the Lord drove out demons, called out the hypocrites, taught his followers by His example about the need for justice and the protection of the innocent and vulnerable. The Lord didn't dodge or deflect or put off until His next trip or the next wave of news coverage the words and deeds His people needed. The question is simple: What will be Catholics – a sleepy content in the nice papal words or the hard work of justice and reparation? Will you advocate for the survivors or must they alone carry the burden? Contact: Mike Coode, 615-364-2334, United Kingdom mikeintn@bellsouth.net Contact: Kristine Ward, 937-272-0308, United States KristineWard@hotmail.com
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