Outrage among victims

Outrage among victims

Out The Pontiff's lack of comment over the past 12 months disturbed even the mostdevout of Irish Catholics and caused outrage among victims. It appeared to somethat he was doing a Pontius Pilate, washing his hands of the errant Fernsclerics. Even government ministers wondered if the Papacy was in denial aboutwhat had happened under ecclesiastical roofs. His defenders have pointed out that, as Prefect of the Congregation for theDoctrine of the Faith, the then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger had taken the step ofdefrocking two of the guilty Ferns clergy. But his remarks yesterday, however sincere, have left the Pontiff open to thecharge that he has not taken full stock of the complicity of the Vatican in theFerns scandal. This criticism was eloquently underlined last night by Colm O'Gorman, thefounder of the One in Four Victims group, when he questioned the Pope's apparentlack of comprehension of the permanent damage done by rapist priests to thelives of their young victims. As Mr O'Gorman pointed out, it is Benedict's duty as the Supreme Pastor of theUniversal Church to put into place mandatory practices for the world's onebillion Catholics in regard to child protection. It remains to be seen if Pope Benedict will address these undiminished concernswhen he issues a statement tomorrow at the conclusion of his meetings withIreland's 32 bishops.