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Dear Pope: Are We Talking?

May 13, 2010 — Categories: , ,

I’m so glad you seem to be finding my advice helpful as you move to respond to the growing crisis over sexual abuse in the church. Your comments this week suggest that your understanding has deepened and your analysis is more on target.

I’m so glad you seem to be finding my advice helpful as you move to respond to the growing crisis over sexual abuse in the church.

Your comments this week suggest that your understanding has deepened and your analysis is more on target.

You said, “Attacks on the pope and the church come not only from outside the church, but the suffering of the church comes from inside the church, from sin that exists inside the church.”

The New York Times commented: “His remarks were at once aimed inside the church — a warning to clerics that crimes would not be tolerated — and outside, indicating for the first time since the abuse crisis had swelled in Europe that he personally understood the depth of the problem. The issue has revealed an ancient institution wrestling with modernity and brought to light an internal culture clash between traditionalists who have valued protecting priests and bishops above all else, and others seeking more transparency.”

Also good job on sounding less defensive and more willing to own the issues before you.

You said, “The church has a profound need to relearn penance, to accept purification, to learn on the one hand forgiveness but also the necessity of justice.” Now we are talking! And remember that justice, which includes confession and penance, must precede any talk of forgiveness.

So we will await your actions to follow your words, always holding onto a glimmer of hope that faithfulness to the Gospel may win out over protection of the institution.

My phone is always on.

Rev. Dr. Marie M. Fortune
FaithTrust Institute
www.faithtrustinstitute.org

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Right on!

Posted by Catherine Fransson at May 14, 2010 05:50 PM
I love your 'tude as you speak with [at] the Pope, capital P. You have just the right tone, approach, and accompanying argument to get his attention and help him understand the complexities of circumstances for those of us outside the "throne of power."

Thank you.

church

Posted by Judith at May 14, 2010 05:50 PM
Thank you Marie for all your recent writing regarding the Catholic crisis. May we all hope for a healing within the institution........because the deepness of this affects/effects the protestant churches as well. I know so many catholics that are personally struggling with their faith.

Thank you

Posted by Rev. Amy Jones at May 14, 2010 05:50 PM
I continue to follow the letters to the Pope. I was moved by his baby step toward taking responsibility and holding offenders fully accountable for their actions. But, the cynical side of me believes these to be feeble steps. After reading the whole blog from the Vatican, it was equivalent to perhaps that "needle in a haystack" looking for some kind of evidence of the reality of the situation. His statement was a brief acknowledgement, at best.

Thank you for your continued confrontational stance.

Are we talking?

Posted by Jim S at May 18, 2010 12:55 PM
Marie, I am optimistic that very soon, the pontiff will direct a cardinal to direct a bishop to direct a canon to call you! Ah... but there went my optimism! However, if he actually contacted you, even by a Vatican letter, it would represent a small crack in the wall. Keep on keepin' on! I am grateful for you speaking truth to power; you inspire us all!

Invitation to the Pope to talk

Posted by Mike Maly at May 25, 2010 07:18 PM
I would encourage Marie and all of us to pray for Pope Benedict. To call him to account is good, but only by the power and love of God will the victims and perpetrators hear the voice of our Father.