The following comes from a Jan. 28 story from Catholic News Agency.
Vatican City — Pope Francis said that he sensed “inflated expectation” surrounding the Vatican’s February sex abuse summit, and outlined his specific aims for the meeting.
Speaking on the papal flight returning from Panama, the pope said he wanted the world’s bishops to receive a “catechesis” on the suffering of abuse survivors, and understand better the urgent reality of combating sexual abuse. This understanding, he said, would lead into a penitential liturgy during the February meeting.
“There will be testimonies to help to become aware and then a penitential liturgy to ask forgiveness for the whole Church,” Pope Francis told journalists Jan 28. The pope emphasized the importance of bishops meeting with victims of sex abuse to hear their testimonies directly to understand the lasting effects of sexual abuse.
Pope Francis said that he regularly meets with abuse victims. “I remember one … 40 years without being able to pray. It is terrible, the suffering is terrible,” he said.
“I permit myself to say that I’ve perceived a bit of an inflated expectation. We need to deflate the expectations to these points that I’m saying,” he said. “Because the problem of abuses will continue. It’s a human problem.”
“We, resolving the problem in the Church, [and] raising awareness, will help to resolve it in society … but first, we must become aware, have the protocols, and move forward,” he said.
On the papal flight, Pope Francis expressed his desire that the heads all of the episcopal conferences leave Rome next month with a common understanding of the “protocols” needed to address sexual abuse in their respective countries.
The pope said that each episcopal conference would make “general programs” detailing the responsibilities of each local Church authority for handling sex abuse cases.
“That they are protocols that are clear. This is the main thing,” he said.
So the pope tells the USCCB not to vote on a program in October because he wants to centralize things at the February meeting. Then he says, no we’re actually not going to centralize anything or even decide anything… we’re just going to have a retreat and listen to some talks and have a penance service. National conferences will have to decide on policies for their regions. He has caused the USCCB to waste a whole year. He just kicks the can down the road, hoping the laity will lose interest. I’m furious. And i’m not the only one. The church is being run incompetently. Where’s Cupich now saying that the holy father has a great plan to deal with all this. No, it’s wait, delay, push aside, hinder. I’m sick of it.
Just what I expected the Pope to say– that clergy sex abuse is a “human problem.” Etc. Not to have “inflated expectations.” Also— we can expect NOTHING of the Church, to discipline wayward “Catholic” politicians, who champion abortion, gay sex, and other horrible sins!! So when will our Church– start acting like a real Church, again?? This is a hard, cold, selfish, sinful, “fallen” world! Lots of SIN!! Since Vatican II, Church discipline– to combat sin– has been nearly non-existent! We need the Catholic Church to once again become a vital force of Moral Authority in Christendom, for all to hear– and obey, or else face consequences!
My expectations for this whole pontificate were deflated long, long ago. I now basically have no expectations than anything positive will happen, and I’m just waiting it all out.
Sins of the flesh have been around forever but it is the responsibility of the church to remind us it is wrong and what we need to do too cleanse our souls. These days we have many in the religious life promoting it as if there’s nothing wrong and we form our own ideas.
It is a homosexual problem.
The Holy Father, by asserting that the problem will continue, just “threw in the towel”, admitted defeat and gave in to the “eternal enemy.”
Sin is also a human problem and the reason why Christ died for us and founded a Church to work against sin. The Pope is supposed to hold the keys to the Faith and protect the believers as the primary shepherd..
Most shepherds today are either very weak or corrupt. The Laity must assert itself and demand that certain weak or errent bishops resign—or no more donations!
HF it may well be time to “do a Benedict”!
The current sex scandals affect the credibility of Catholic teachers and clergy when they teach about sexual ethics overall.
Moreover, because the scandals also involve lying, cover-ups, cowardice, financial fraud, cronyism, abuse of power and authority, and possible blackmail, there is alteadya general loss of confidence in the clergy”s authority (including prelates) to speak or authoritatively teach on any moral matter.
Sol,
Your comments about “financial fraud, cronyism, abuse of power and authority, and blackmail” naturally go hand-in-hand” with the sexual misbehavior and breaking the clergys’ vows of chastity. With the Holy Father caving-in validates people like Fr. James Martin.
Here is an example of the pervasiveness:
https://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/ceo-of-nys-mother-cabrini-health-foundation-tainted-by-scandal
good grief !!
It’s now time for Archbishop Vigano to go all in. Show us your cards. You’ve held them long enough. I believe he has the winning hand.
A single church lady is holier than the Pope and the College of Cardinals put together.
makes you wonder if theres any faith left among many of the clergy and hierarchy or if they had faith to begin with or if working the way up to bishop was just a cynical career move
Here is the reason that the Holy Father is taking sich a position and giving in. This was just released through tha Associated Press, and is an interview with the Holy Father himself. There does not appear to be any solution:
https://apnews.com/397f2c76afc04532908035a66ccaacc8