Is the Pope's apology enough?
By mensab
@mensab (4200)
Philippines
September 19, 2010 9:46am CST
During the papal visit to UK, he apologized again to the victims and those who are affected by the abuses of the clergies and the slow actions of the church. Are these enough?
5 responses
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
20 Sep 10
No. Simply put...no an apology is not enough. they were just not "slow to act". They actively covered it up, paying off victims for their silence and moved priests around instead of dealing with the problem. these priests were just moved and were free to victimize more children. They (the pope and the higher ups in the church) were enablers in my opinion and just as guilty as the priests who victimized those children.
@evanslf (484)
•
19 Sep 10
The Pope's apology of course is welcome, but it certainly isn't enough. What the Catholic Church needs to demonstrate, to satisfy its critics, is that allegations of child abuse by priests will be taken seriously, thoroghly investigated and, if it is clear that wrongdoing has been perpretrated, the priest in question is referred to the police and should he be found guilty in a court of law, he should promptly be defrocked (as well as of course going to prison for a good number of years).
Unfortunately, in the past the Catholic Church has swept this issue under the carpet to avoid 'embarassment'. But we are no longer in the world of the 60s and 70s, times have moved on and people are simply not prepared to accept this situation any more. The Catholic Church should now realise that hushing things up does more harm than good in the long run: taking firm action, even if this means court cases and bad publicity in the short term, will in the longer term yield fruilt as paedophiles will then come to realise that there is no hiding place within the Catholic Church.
@enterthehole (111)
•
19 Sep 10
Eveyone's sins are their own. Another bloke, be it the pope or your postman, shouldn't apologise for someone elses sin. The evil people who actually caused those crimes should do the sorrys not some other random person.
@fannitia (2167)
• Bulgaria
19 Sep 10
I don't think that this apology was enough. But the pope can't do more for the moment. He did the right thing, he had to apologize and he have to do it again. But the most important thing is to see that the church make actions, to see punishments and real changes. I don't believe much in this but I hope that the attitude of the people will change and such awful things will not happen in the future.
