Speaking to a crowd of around 39,000 in the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels, the pontiff wrapped up a difficult visit to Belgium by saying, “There is no place for the covering up of abuse.”
Archived version: https://archive.ph/D2RH8
It shouldn’t be a surprise. This is most likely directly related to today’s readings, which includes this verse from the Gospel of Mark, chapter 9 [NRSV]:
^42 “If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea."
That’s pretty Old Testament for the New Testament.
My man J.C. doesn’t tiptoe around when it comes to kiddy diddlers.
Decades after the deed is done and left thousands of victims dealing with lifelong psychological consequences, everybody is perfectly aware of the scandals surrounding the Catholic church and - presumably - no priest today is stupid enough to fondle little boys anymore with all that publicity…
Talk about kicking down open doors… Would that he had said that 20, 30, 50 years ago when the sexual abuses were ongoing: then I would have been impressed by his courage. Today, this is just cheap ineffectual PR.
no priest today is stupid enough to fondle little boys anymore with all that publicity…
They do, though. Doesn’t it appear on the news every now and then?
I’m sure they’ll get right on that…
Do as I say not as I do.
