Pope's Admission and Personal Responsibility Will Go Far toward Creating Holiness in the Catholic Church

The Republican
April 14, 2014

http://www.masslive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2014/04/editorial_popes_admission_and.html

Pope Francis greets faithful at the end of the Palm Sunday mass in St. Peter's square at the Vatican, Sunday, April 13, 2014. Tens of thousands of Romans, tourists and pilgrims have joined Pope Francis in a solemn Palm Sunday service in St. Peter's Square. Palm Sunday begins Holy Week, which culminates next Sunday on Easter. Francis used a pastoral staff made of wood carved by Italian prison inmates, who donated it to him. The pope is determined to put people on the margins of life at the center of the Roman Catholic church's attention. (Associated Press)

If Pope Francis were to leave the papacy immediately, if he were never to make another public pronouncement, he would have already made an enormous, positive impact on the Catholic Church.

His words about child sexual assault will act as a salve to the thousands of children and adults who have lived in pain and disillusion following the illegal, immoral and evil acts of priests.

“I feel compelled to take personal responsibility for all the evil that some priests, many – many in number (although) not in comparison with the totality – to assume personal responsibility and to ask forgiveness for the damaged caused by the sexual abuse of the children,” he said Friday. “The church is aware of the damage. We don’t want to take a step back in dealing with his problem and the sanctions that must be imposed. On the contrary, I think we must be even stronger. You don’t play around with the lives of children.”

The pope’s unprepared remarks were delivered in Spanish Friday to members of the International Catholic Child Bureau.

This simple statement of responsibility and promise of protection represents a sea change from the public stance of the Vatican.

It is long overdue and validates the experience of the victims. It also sends a message to priests. No longer will such behavior be tolerated, sanctioned or ignored in the church.

It will no longer be possible to look the other way, to pretend that nothing happened.

Those who have committed egregious acts in the costume of holy men will be seen and treated for what they are: pedophiles.

Admission and responsibility are the first steps toward a watershed moment of healing for Catholics the world over.