Tuesday, May 24, 2005
CRIPE
SNAP reports:
"This transparent whitewash aborts the church's legal system to the benefit of a notorious pedophile and the harm of brave, persistent victims. Pope Benedict has forfeited all credibility on the single most serious crisis in the church.
This is a horrible betrayal by the highest echelon of the Catholic hierarchy. We grieve for these courageous victims, and ache because their suffering has been compounded time and time again. Their quest for justice and truth has been rewarded with Vatican disdain.
It borders on cruelty to inexplicably close, re-open years later, then suddenly and inexplicably close this Vatican sex abuse investigation again, while issuing no findings, taking no action. It rubs salt into the already deep and still fresh wounds of Maciel's victims.
It is also grossly insensitive to force these brave men to learn through the news media that they've again been rejected.
One cannot help but wonder if Ratzinger shrewdly manipulated Maciel's victims as pawns in the papal succession struggle. For years, Ratzinger ignored and rebuffed these victims. Suddenly, as the papal election neared, he reversed course.
Has Rome really reached this state of deceit? God help us, it seems plausible.
The New York Times reported the same thing, but they are basing this conclusion on what appears to be incorrect information according to Dom:
A couple of interesting points. Fr. Benedettini is alleged to have said that he did not say that there is no canonical process underway, but only that the Vatican Press Office has no knowledge of such a process. And he is alleged to have acknowledged that anyone who reveals that such an investigation is underway is excommunicated “latae sententiae” and thus he could speak authoritatively one way or another.
Amy has a more in-depth look at the confusion and has opened this to comments.
The charges Berry and Renner make are substantial enough to require an investigation. Sandro Magister raised additional questions and hints that there are more victims. If the Vatican drops this, how is one supposed to trust this Pope, especially on top of the appointment of Levada?
Too often I'm getting the urge to run...to get away from something this deceptive. Is there war in Rome in the very hallowed halls of Catholicism? It certainly looks as though there is, and it's impossible to distinguish those serving Christ from those serving their own agenda.
Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us!
