Pope emeritus Benedict XVI has responded to criticism of his essay on the abuse crisis, saying many negative reactions have confirmed his central thesis that apostasy and alienation from the Faith are at the heart of the crisis – by not even mentioning God in their critique of his essay.
In a brief statement in reaction to such criticism published in German magazine “Herder Korrespondenz,” the former pope pointed to a “general deficit” in the reactions to his essay, saying that many critical responses missed the very point he was making.
Published in April by Catholic News Agency, the National Catholic Register, and in the original German by CNA Deutsch as well as other media, Benedict’s essay described the impact of the sexual revolution as well as – independent from it – a collapse of moral theology in the 1960’s, before suggesting how the Church should respond by recognizing that “only obedience and love for our Lord Jesus Christ can point the way.”
Full story at Catholic News Agency.
How we miss Pope Benedict XVI, with his clarity and sanctity!
Maybe I, too,, missed the point. In hindsight [always 20-20], if Bishops had aggressively but equitably pursued priests accused of sexual abuse in the eighties and nineties perhaps the abuse crisis would have been much less serious.
That’s the thing, isn’t it. All those years he was head of CDF, whose job it was to investigate these things. Similar thing for Vigano. Why do they wait until they are out of office before they say anything?
Maybe his hands were tied considering that many of the Bishops and Cardinals were active homosexuals themselves and covered for these abusers.
Nonsene Ronnie. If there “hands were tied” (whatever that even means when you are an absolute monarch) when they were in office then they ought not criticize those who came after them.
Nonsense? I don’t think so. As I wrote before many of the Bishops/Cardinals were active homosexuals themselves so the cover-up was extensive and he has every right to criticize the despicable infiltration of the homosexuals in the Priesthood which he tried to stop.
While I don’t disagree, you should know that, while Pope, Benedict XVI quietly removed many bishops from office and “encouraged” others to resign due to sin, if not crime.
And let’s not forget that he also issued a directive to stop allowing homosexuals into the Priesthood which was the majority of abuse cases.
Which Bishops did Benedict “quietly” remove from office? That’s the first time I’ve heard this. It was Francis who had to change the regulations so that he COULD remove bishops.
https://www.ncronline.org/news/accountability/francis-gives-vatican-authority-initiate-removal-bishops-negligent-sexual-abuse
NCR? You can’t be serious. This Pope has done more damage in covering-up the homosexual infiltration and even embracing and encouraging dissent. Pope Benedict tried, but I’ll give you this, he did fail to stop the McCarricks and this infiltration because it was too overwhelming. Francis is making it much worse by elevating men who are sowing confusion and dissent.
Ronnie, once again, you disparage the source instead of investigating the actual news that got reported. I’m sure you can find the same news in whatever is your favorite news source. I bet you didn’t even read the article.
I did read the article and it’s about time, if true. (Don’t know whether I can trust liberal NCR) But this is a waste of time considering he’s contradicting himself by elevating men who support the radical homosexual agenda in the Church.
Ronnie – Trust but verify! It was Francis, not Benedict, who had to gain the authority to remove a brother Bishop for heinous crimes of coverup of sexual abuse. Please verify those facts for yourself, instead of just knee-jerk rejection of news that might come from a source you don’t happen to follow. Benedict sat for decades on the knowledge of the absolutely incomprehensible crimes of the bishops and priests of his day. Take for only one example Marcel Marciel. Benedict watched while his mentor St. John Paul took millions of dollars from him while looking the other way about his very many heinous crimes.
You’re dreaming if you think Pope Francis is doing a better job on this abuse. And let’s not forget it was Pope Benedict who issued the directive to prohibit homosexual in the Priesthood and it is Pope Francis who is elevating pro-homosexual Cardinals and Bishops. The proof…Tobin, Farrell, Cupich, not to mention all the foreign Cardinals, Bishops he embraced and are known abusers. Where is the proof that JPII took millions from that abusive Priest. More liberal conspiracies from the “fake news”? Nice try..
I pray often for a long life for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.
It took the Church from 1943, when it first learned about the awful behavior of Marcel Marciel until 2006…decades after Ratzinger took over the CDF…before it did anything. SIX DECADES. All the while Ratzinger allowed St. John Paul to coddle him because he was a fundraiser for the Vatican. And yes, I cite the National Catholic Register. Not the NCR Reporter. http://www.ncregister.com/blog/edward-pentin/vatican-knew-about-legionary-founder-maciels-abuse-since-1943
NCR? More “fake news”…
Oops! I’ll admit when I make a mistake. I thought it was a link from National Catholic Reporter the left wing discredited catholic-in-name-only paper. I did read this credible link from the Register and found this interesting information: :
Father Maciel was often feted by the Vatican, including meetings with Pope St. John Paul II (who knew “absolutely nothing” of Maciel’s abuse, according to Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz), until Benedict XVI removed him from active ministry in 2006.
Believe what you want to believe. It was SIX DECADES aftter the first reports of abuse by Maciel before someone finally too action. Who cares whether it was the NCR or the NCR or what Dziwisz wants to say since it’s his ass that he wants to save.