Poland- Catholic Church Seeks Forgiveness, SNAP Responds

SNAP
June 12, 2014

http://www.snapnetwork.org/poland_catholic_church_seeks_forgiveness_snap_responds

For apparently the first time in its history, the Polish Catholic hierarchy will publicly apologize to sexual abuse victims. We're not buying it.

Vulnerable kids and wounded victims need actions, not words.

[wirtschaftsblatt.at]

The Catholic church in Poland has an appalling track record when it come to the clergy sex abuse scandal. Their first focus must be on preventing child sex crimes.

Apologies make a few people feel good in the short term but produce no real change in the long term. The time to apologize is once the damage is over and the risk of more damage is past. That's not the situation here. Clergy sex crimes and cover ups are still happening in Poland.

Often, bishops apologize with deceitful intent, hoping to convince parishioners and the public that all of this is somehow "in the past." It's not. It's going on now. And it must be addressed by courageous action, not public relations gestures.

We hope Polish victims gain more strength and keep speaking up, getting independent help, banding together and reporting to secular officials, not church figures.