The Roman Catholic Church Has Had 1800 Years

[MineralMan]

in which to get it right. So far, it has not done so. Instead, it has consistently retreated into its shell and refused to recognize its own faults. The current mess it is in is much like the messes it has been in throughout its history. Expecting it to change that pattern is expecting too much.

Faced with a global scandal of child sexual abuse and cover-ups, it merely apologizes for the evils it has done and expects victims and others to excuse it. It fails the second step of penance - the pledge to avoid repeating the same sins in the future.

Rather than change itself, the church once again brushes the harm it has done under one of its priceless oriental rugs and goes along on the same path it has taken.

Perhaps the RCC needs to perform a "good act of contrition" and change how it does things. So far, in its history, it has not done that very well. Will it change? Given history, that's doubtful.

Just in case, though, here's an English version of a good act of contrition. Perhaps the RCC hierarchy has forgotten the words:

O my God,
I am heartily sorry for
having offended Thee,
and I detest all my sins,
because I dread the loss of heaven,
and the pains of hell;
but most of all because
they offend Thee, my God,
Who are all good and
deserving of all my love.
I firmly resolve,
with the help of Thy grace,
to confess my sins,
to do penance,
and to amend my life.

Amen.