Rome--Another vague papal apology for sex scandals

By Barbara Dorris
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
October 14, 2015

http://www.snapnetwork.org/rome_another_vague_papal_apology_for_sex_scandals

Instead of stopping clergy sex scandals, Pope Francis is again asking forgiveness for them. That may be good public relations but it’s irresponsible leadership.

History, psychology and common sense show that you prevent sexual violence by harshly punishing those who enable sexual violence by ignoring or hiding it. It’s that simple.    

But that takes courage, the courage that popes and bishops continue to lack.

Forgiveness is healthy. But it’s best done when harm is over, not while harm is still happening. And it’s a personal choice that affects each of us individually. Leadership, however, requires public choices that affect others. So it’s more important that Francis stop abuse than that we forgive him for it.

Our forgiveness doesn’t protect the vulnerable. Only Francis’ action can really do this. But asking to be forgiven is self-serving. It’s not taking action. It’s not safeguarding the vulnerable. It’s perpetuating, not preventing, sexual violence.

At some point, words become substitutes for deeds. Words can lead to complacency. That’s what’s happening here.

The notion that “At least Francis is talking about this” is not helpful. It implies that talking leads to doing, and that’s just not true in this crisis in this ossified, ancient, self-serving church hierarchy.

Not all noise is music. Not all motion is progress. Not all words are helpful. And words should never be mistaken for deeds. Only action protects innocent kids and vulnerable adults.

Finally, no Catholic asks for forgiveness in the confessional booth for “unspecified” misdeeds. 

http://ncronline.org/news/vatican/francis-publicly-apologizes-unspecified-scandals-caused-church-recently

We must name our wrongdoing. We must insist on the same from Francis.