'Hand yourself over to human justice': Pope Francis tells priests guilty of abuse that the church wo

[Eugene]

Source: Washington Post

‘Hand yourself over to human justice’: Pope Francis tells priests guilty of abuse that the church won’t shield them

By Julie Zauzmer December 21 at 8:50 AM

Pope Francis used one of his major annual Christmas speeches to offer some of his strongest words yet on the sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic church, telling guilty priests that the church won’t protect them and they should turn themselves in.

“To those who abuse minors I would say this: convert and hand yourself over to human justice, and prepare for divine justice,” Francis said in a speech at the Vatican on Friday.

He promised major steps to prevent abuse would emerge from a February summit of bishops -- a renewed commitment for a pope who has been criticized as weak in his response to abuse.

Speaking to the Roman Curia -- the central governing leadership of the Vatican -- Francis described at length the sinfulness of priests who prey on children. “Often behind their boundless amiability, impeccable activity and angelic faces, they shamelessly conceal a vicious wolf ready to devour innocent souls,” he said, in remarks that drew often on the example of the sinful Biblical King David. “Let it be clear that before these abominations the Church will spare no effort to do all that is necessary to bring to justice whosoever has committed such crimes. The Church will never seek to hush up or not take seriously any case.”

-snip-

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2018/12/21/hand-yourself-over-human-justice-pope-francis-tells-priests-guilty-abuse-that-church-wont-shield-them/

[riversedge]

1. #metoo #sexualabuse

[Voltaire2]

2. Here's a better idea Bergoglio, how's about

your criminal cartel hand over all your pedophile priests to hunan justice.

[Fullduplexxx]

3. And how would he do that ... why cant the police just go arrest then

[Voltaire2]

4. Well he could turn over all the records they have

on the people they have covered up for over the decades to the relevant local authorities.

[uriel1972]

5. The ones he hides in the Vatican out of reach...

of the priests National Police

[trotsky]

7. "Criminals, please go turn yourselves in."

Shouldn't they have been doing that in the first place?

Doesn't the fact that they HAVEN'T been doing that kind of mean that this is a worthless request?

[Major Nikon]

9. Or at the very least take them off the payroll and hand over the evidence

[Act_of_Reparation]

6. Pilate washing his hands.

Empty gestures are empty.

[MineralMan]

8. The Church has ALWAYS sought to hide its own sins.

Like most hierarchical organizations, I expect it to continue to do so, while condemning such behavior. That is the very hypocrisy Jesus was supposed to have decried. There is little left of Jesus in the Roman Catholic Church.