Cardinal Roger Mahony shouldn't vote for new pope, some say

[Mom49of4]

I believe Pope Benedict is dying.

[zenwalk]

I believe Pope Benedict is dying.

They all know they're dying at some point since that's what they are supposed to do in office. Strange though that he's the first one since the 15th century to be so moved by his mortality to quit. You'd think the approach of celestial harps would buoy his spirits.

[Mom49of4]

You have your opinion and I have mine --- look at pictures of the Pontiff - he looks bad.

[songfourone]

I believe Pope Benedict is dying.

We should not let Benedict XVI go quietly. One hesitates to say so, because he is elderly and frail and, much more importantly, because he is revered by many millions. Outsiders should tread warily, mindful that the papacy is central to Catholics' faith, even to their very identity. We ought to signal from the start that we mean no attack on Catholics or their beliefs when we say that the departing occupant of that high office has a moral, if not legal, case to answer. But such a case there is.

The heart of the matter is the rape and abuse of children by Catholic priests. The child abuse scandal in the Catholic church has spread to some 65 countries, with victims estimated to be in the many thousands: one survivors' group has 12,000 members, each with a heartbreaking story to tell. There will be many more victims who have stayed silent. Few would deny that this is the greatest single moral issue confronting the church.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisf...on-child-abuse

For all that, there were those who were ultimately disappointed by the pope's record on the issue. Benedict never acquiesced to demands that he open Vatican records to outside scrutiny and almost never took action against those just below him — his bishops and cardinals — who failed to protect children from abusive priests.

http://articles.latimes.com/2013/feb...abuse-20130212

[zenwalk]

You have your opinion and I have mine --- look at pictures of the Pontiff - he looks bad.

He's 88. No doubt the reaper is knocking.

[zenwalk]

For all that, there were those who were ultimately disappointed by the pope's record on the issue. Benedict never acquiesced to demands that he open Vatican records to outside scrutiny and almost never took action against those just below him — his bishops and cardinals — who failed to protect children from abusive priests.

http://articles.latimes.com/2013/feb...abuse-20130212

One of the problems with this issue is the vocabulary we use. "Abusive priests" is far too fuzzy and lacks the edge that "child rapist" carries. It's more accurate and reflects the crime. Time we start calling things what they are.

[Mom49of4]

For any man that has raped a child I have no problem with the correct wording.

[songfourone]

One of the problems with this issue is the vocabulary we use. "Abusive priests" is far too fuzzy and lacks the edge that "child rapist" carries. It's more accurate and reflects the crime. Time we start calling things what they are.

That was a quote from the article, I agree wholeheartedly.

[songfourone]

For any man that has raped a child I have no problem with the correct wording.

How about those who protected the men who raped children, what should they be called? Pope? Cardinal?

[zenwalk]

For any man that has raped a child I have no problem with the correct wording.

Thank you, Mom. The problem isn't the average priest of the average parish. The problem is Rome's reaction to the accusations. Their first response is to circle the ecclesiastical wagons around the priest and ship him to another diocese. Everyone admits that the Order of the Paracletes is nothing but a breeding ground for these guys. Even the head of the order made complaints to Rome about the unredeemable quality of these guys.