Georgetown/On Faith

Benedict's failure and opportunity

THIS CATHOLIC'S VIEW

By Thomas J. Reese, S.J.

Like most bishops, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who became Pope Benedict XVI, did not understand the sexual abuse crisis when it first appeared. He underestimated its extent and scope.

But over time, he grew in understanding as he watched what was happening in the United States and as he learned from reports from the American bishops. He got it faster than other Vatican officials, including Pope John Paul II. As head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, he was forced to read the files on these priests when bishops asked for their dismissal from the priesthood.

As a Vatican official, he supported the American bishops when in 2002 they adopted a zero tolerance rule so that no abusive priest could be returned to ministry. He also condemned the abuse and expressed sorrow when he visited the United States in 2008, the high point of which was his meeting with victims of abuse.

The question is should he be judged by what he thought and did in the past or by what he thinks and does today. Clearly he can continue to grow and do more to deal with the sexual abuse crisis. For example, he should make zero tolerance the law for the whole church and tell bishops around the world to strictly enforce it. He can also continue to apologize and meet with more victims as he has promised.

It will also be necessary for him to encourage some bishops to take a bullet for the church, to admit they did wrong, apologize and resign. If some bishops had done this in the United States, the crisis would not have gone on as long as it did.

Should Benedict resign? Such decisions are above my pay grade. Frankly, I am afraid that he understands the crisis better than most cardinals, so his stepping down could be a step backwards.

Thomas J. Reese, S.J., is a Senior Fellow, Woodstock Theological Center, Georgetown University.

By Thomas J. Reese |  March 31, 2010; 10:09 AM ET

 | Category:  This Catholic's View Save & Share:  Send E-mail   Facebook   Twitter   Digg   Yahoo Buzz   Del.icio.us   StumbleUpon   Technorati  
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FATHER FORGIVE THEM FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO

?

Posted by: areyousaying | April 3, 2010 12:24 AM
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Schaum below and so many others have this agenda:

http://tinyurl.com/y9ass2d

But as always we must, we forgive.

Posted by: Bluefish2012
______________________________

A quote from this website:

"Moreover, the term "clerical sex abuse" is often misleadingly equated with "pedophilia" to whip up even more public outrage."

Are you saying you would rather have us call it "pedastry" or "hebephilia"?

Would that, along with your lame whining "others did it, too" make it OK?

If anyone needs forgiveness it's you for your complicity in all this supported by your cowardly playing of semantics..

Posted by: areyousaying | April 2, 2010 4:51 PM
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Is the Vatican now comparing clergy child abuse victims to the Nazi's who killed the Jews? Is that what the pope's reverend is really saying?

Posted by: areyousaying | April 2, 2010 4:41 PM
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Are you saying you can silence me by censoring the words I write or by banning me?

It may be true in your small, delusional do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do world but it's not true in reality. Your victims, like me, will not longer be intimidated to silence with threats of excommunication, purgatory and hell.

May you Catholics celebrate your Holy week with the knowledge and shame of your complicity in the fact that there will be no Easter of justice served for the Good Friday I and other victims suffered at the hands of your priests that you still collectively cover up.

Enjoy your holiday.

Posted by: areyousaying | April 2, 2010 9:54 AM
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Schaum below and so many others have this agenda:

http://tinyurl.com/y9ass2d

But as always we must, we forgive.

Posted by: Bluefish2012 | April 1, 2010 12:54 PM
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Father Reese,

Your observations remind of the change in Alessandro Cardinal Farnese, a stereotypically worldly Renaissance cardinal who became Pope Paul III, a vigorous reformer.

Posted by: EugenePagano | April 1, 2010 7:53 AM
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Hey father, is abortion above your pay grade? So you float that he should resign then act like "I didn't say it". The more I hear from the Jesuits, the less I like the Jesuits. And this coming from boy with Jesuit education.

Posted by: dboc_991 | April 1, 2010 7:29 AM
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Father Reese, I am surprised that your pay is based upon the decisions which you make . . . or do not make.

Who out there at Woodstock is in a pay grade which would enable that person to answer the question about Pope Benedict resigning? What if Susan Jacoby were asked the question?

R M Kraus
Akron

Posted by: rmkraus | April 1, 2010 1:53 AM
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On November 6, 1999 Pope John Paul II in his sermon at the Sacred Heart Cathedral of New Delhi, INDIA, openly stated, "Just as in the first millennium the Cross was planted on the soil of Europe, and in the second on that of the Americas and Africa, we can pray that in the third Christian millennium, a great harvest of faith will be reaped in this vast and vital continent [Asia]"

This is a story from INDIA, where this - priests raping nuns and boys - disease is spreading like AIDS.

http://myexperimentsagainstprejudice.blogspot.com/2009/02/church-sex-and-scandals.html

Posted by: futuralogic | March 31, 2010 10:23 PM
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There is no heaven of glory bright, and no hell where sinners roast. Here and now is our day of torment! Here and now is our day of joy! Here and now is our opportunity! Choose ye this day, this hour, for no
redeemer liveth!

The only way to cure the cancer of catholicism, and stop the pedophilia, is to begin each ceremony of ordination to the deaconate with castration. Let any priest who wants to be celibate make a gift of his balls to jesus.

YOU ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN A NEW BLOG…

…that tackles Church abuse, separation of Church and State, Atheism, Buddhism, Existentialism….

http://theexistentialatheist.blogspot.com/

Posted by: Schaum | March 31, 2010 6:05 PM
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From RNS

The AP says the Vatican is planning to claim diplomatic immunity in response to a Kentucky lawsuit that charges U.S. bishops who allowed abuse to fester were employees of the Vatican.
-------------
Hard to figure since Kentucky is allowing the suit to go forward. The Vatican will appeal.

The outcome of that appeal will have worldwide implications.

Posted by: FarnazMansouri | March 31, 2010 3:39 PM
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Pope Ratzinger, contra Vatican claims, could not have been forced to join the Hitler Youth in 1939, when he was ten years old.

http://books.google.com/books?id=3XbU1HEyfFkC&pg=PA123&lpg=PA123&dq=hitler+youth+conscription&source=bl&ots=9UIjlg7Xv_&sig=t79Be_RoojT_oz26zC2fZn00gGg&hl=en&ei=9pOyS7OiGML88AaNqIHLAQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CDMQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=hitler%20youth%20conscription&f=false

Conscription of ten-year-olds did not begin until 1941.

What can one expect, after all, of an organization with the likes of Pius XII, founder of Vatican Bank, as a repository for Nazi loot.

Abomination

Posted by: FarnazMansouri | March 31, 2010 3:26 PM
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Dear Thomas,
I know you think like a Roman Catholic but you also know the difference between right and wrong.

This Papacy and all the others before this one have had men who think half way about God and the rest of the thoughts are about their responsibility to the Institution it's self. Which is of course, they think, the most important thing to keep the "Christ thing" going. That is their bread and butter. HE is being used in the most foul way. Most criminals would Not use our Lord, in such a way to pave their way to wealth and satisfy their sick appitites.

Oh,Yes,...


There was one Papacy that did want to do the "right thing". John Paul I (1978)who's Papacy lasted but 33 days, was killed to keep the "golden goose " alive..(significant in that Christ's life was only 33 years.) Coincidence? Not in my book.

It's much better for all the people to understand they are not helping to bring Christ's Words to the lost, but completely turing people off, who could know ,love and serve Jesus, These people do not know Christ Jesus. He even said"I do not know you" when he was told all the stuff they did for HIM. The RCC, is the one He does not know. Nor should anyone else.

Posted by: glorybe1929 | March 31, 2010 12:29 PM
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