Here's the Archbishop's thoughts on revelation of sex-abuses:
Asked whether those who perpetrated violence and abuse should be held to account, he said: "Yes they should, no matter how long ago it happened.
"In this country now we have a very steady and reliable system of co-operation with police and social services who actually now hold us in good regard.
"They know that we are reliable and trustworthy partners. Those that abused the trust that was placed in them should be brought to public account."
Asked whether legal and police process should take place, he said: "Yes, absolutely. If the offences are such that demand that."
No, not Rembert Weakland.
The Abp. of Westminster, Vincent Nichols.
Yes Dad, but unfortunately the British press (no friend to the Catholic Church), Irish victim advocates and even Ab. Martin of Dublin are turning his words against him. Damian Thompson (“Holy Smoke” blog) has the details.
ReplyDeleteI didn’t read Ab. Nichols’ words as being sympathetic to the perpetrators, rather to those who have “fought the good fight” and are being tarred with the same brush – much as what happened here when the Scandal broke and all priests began to be viewed with suspicion.
As Bill O’Donohue pointed out, all of the abuse- though deplorable in itself - was not sexual abuse, nor were priests involved in much of it. While the Irish Christian Brothers and the Sisters of Mercy figure prominently in the Report, not every member was guilty of this, though that is how it will be seen by many.
And in the rush to condemn indiscriminately we tend to forget that there is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. That is why there will be a General Judgment – when all will be revealed and all scales balanced. In the meantime we must continue to fight evil – in ourselves and in the world.