Pope, Lawmakers Must Open a Window Onto the Catholic Church's Sexual Abuse Crisis

By John Fidler
Reading Eagle
October 2, 2015

http://www.readingeagle.com/news/article/john-fidler-pope-lawmakers-must-open-a-window-onto-the-catholic-churchs-sexual-abuse-crisis#.VhALtfntmko

The excitement generated by the pope's visit to the Americas will linger a lifetime for those who saw him. So will the disappointment felt by those who'd hoped for more from the people's pope about the sexual abuse crisis that continues to exact a toll on the survivors of abuse by Catholic priests, the survivors' families and the Catholic Church itself.

On his trip back to Rome Sunday night, Francis admitted that bishops had covered up abuse cases.

"When a priest abuses, it is very grave because the vocation of the priest is to make that boy, that girl grow toward the love of God," Francis told reporters on the plane, according to published accounts. "For this reason, the church is strong on this, and one must not cover these things up. Those who covered this up are guilty. Even some bishops who covered this up."

On Sept. 23 in Washington, Francis shocked survivors and their supporters by praising American bishops for their role in responding to sexual abuse by priests.

He said that he was aware of the suffering - by the bishops and priests.

Advocates for survivors erupted. Even a member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, a special panel that Francis appointed, was taken aback, The New York Times reported.