The Pope Assumes Responsibility

[Silver]

Pope Francis said Friday he took personal responsibility for the "evil" of priests who raped and molested children, asking forgiveness from victims and saying the church must be even bolder in its efforts to protect the young. It was the first time a pope has taken personal responsibility for the sex crimes of his priests and begged forgiveness.

"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 damage caused by the sexual abuse of the children," he said.

"The church is aware of this damage," he continued. "We don't want to take a step back in dealing with this 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."

No pope has ever taken personal responsibility for the tens of thousands of children who were molested by priests over decades as bishops moved them from parish to parish rather than reporting them to police. Pope John Paul II denounced priests who hurt children, saying there was no place for them in the priesthood. Pope Benedict XVI expressed sorrow and regret to victims, met with them and even wept with them. But neither ever took personal responsibility for the scandal or begged forgiveness as Francis did.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/world/pope-francis...-1.1771540

[Crossless2.0]

I'm so fucking tired of hearing about how the church is sorry for this or that. If the Pope wants to be taken seriously on this issue, he needs to do something more than impose internal sanctions. I want to see scores of pedophile priests perp-walked into jailhouses and courthouses around the world. Let those child-raping sons of bitches do hard time. Then his "apology" will matter.

[truthBtold]

Its not the pope that needs to take responsibility. . Its the fucking molesters that need to take responsibility and be caged like the animals that they are

[Minimalist]

What the fucker needs to do is tell his pervert-priest enabling bishops to start writing checks to the victims and to stop filing bankruptcy to cover their lousy asses.

Until he does that he can take "sorry" and blow it out his ass.

[Bad Writer]

An attitude of "forgive and forget" is too tall an order. Actions, not words, are needed. Mr. Pope needs to keep showing how he's going to fix the problem and shut up about expecting the victims and their families to forgive him.

[JesusHChrist]

He better get the word out to his continuing-to-stonewall minions:

http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/2014/...derson.php

The law firm of Jeff Anderson deposed Archbishop John Nienstedt on Wednesday, marking the first time the head holy man has been forced to answer questions about sexual abuse allegations during his seven-year reign over the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

Anderson's firm is tight-lipped about what was discussed during a four-hour window allotted by the court, but was bothered -- if not surprised -- by what it considers to be attempts by Nienstedt's attorneys to subvert the interrogation. Although his time had ended, Nienstedt apparently walked out of the room when pressed about whether he would turn over all the information he possessed on abusive priests to local cops and prosecutors.

Maybe the head guy in the Twin Cities missed the memo on accountability.

Fuckers.

[Chad32]

It's going to take a lot to wipe away the reputation the catholic priests have of sodomizing children. I know it was talking about on the Atheist Experience that the catholic church should just be shut down. It's corrupt on multiple levels, and unneeded in society like a police force is, so just tear it down.

Jail the priests, pay the victims, and start doing what you need to in order to keep this from happening. Turn priests into eunuchs, or let them marry and have sex, or something else.

[Tobie]

The high ranking catholic clergy really should be liable to the courts and laws of a country that isn't ruled by the same catholic clergymen. It is quite ridiculous that theocracies still exist in this day and age.

[truthBtold]

Pay the victims and feed more hungry people...stop printing and handing out bibles.. bibles taste like rice cakes. Wtf!!

[Anomalocaris]

No pope has ever taken personal responsibility for the tens of thousands of children who were molested by priests over decades as bishops moved them from parish to parish rather than reporting them to police. Pope John Paul II denounced priests who hurt children, saying there was no place for them in the priesthood. Pope Benedict XVI expressed sorrow and regret to victims, met with them and even wept with them. But neither ever took personal responsibility for the scandal or begged forgiveness as Francis did.

[/quote]

If it didn't happen on his watch as pope or as Bishop or archbishop, then the responsibility is not Francis' to take. It is those who prepetrated the acts and those who directly protected the prepetrators who must be held responsible whether they "take " responsibility or not.

The only reason why francis might choose to "take responsibility" that is not his is he knows he stands to lose nothing by taking responsibility. Instead he stands only to gain in personal standing amongst the impressionable by "taking responsibility". What is more, by thus risking nothing while gaining something, he also deflects further criticism from his church.

If he wants to do the right thing, then don't take responsibility. Instead hold those who are guilty responsible.