Editorial: Pope could learn from his bishop
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One of the most able religious leaders to come to prominence of late is the archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin.
The head of one of Ireland's larger Catholic dioceses, he has taken a strong reformist line, advocating that the church has to change for the sake of its youth.
Last year he said the two biggest problems facing young people within the church were its condemnation of gay couples and the question of suicide. These issues, he said, were causing a disconnect between the church and its younger generation, which was leading to a "dramatic and growing rift".
He has also advised the Irish people the extent of sexual abuse within the church would "shock us all", with the church having a price to pay for not responding.
It comes as no surprise, then, that the archbishop has yet to receive his red hat.
It would hardly be out of character for Pope Benedict XVI not to make him a cardinal.
But what does beggar belief is the decision by the Pope not to accept the resignations of two Irish bishops who were found to have acted improperly in their management of child abuse cases.
The two men will stay as clerics but be found other roles.
The inquiry in Ireland headed by Justice Yvonne Murphy that laid bare the occurrences of abuse and named the two bishops in question, Eamonn Walsh and Raymond Field, was supposed to be a turning point for the church and the country. But it is up against one of the most powerful institutions in the world.
Early indications of the attitude were displayed when Justice Murphy's panel wrote to a Vatican organisation headed by the then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger asking for assistance.
There was no reply; instead the pope-to-be's office complained that Justice Murphy had not gone through the proper diplomatic channels.
This is not an organisation that intended to co-operate with an inquiry, or wanted to even acknowledge a problem.
The bishops in their resignation statement said they hoped their departure would help bring peace to the victims of sexual abuse.
So what is the Pope saying by refusing to accept them?
The answer to that should be of importance to us all. The Pope and the Catholic Church are a huge part of our culture.
The One in Four group, which offers support to survivors of sexual abuse, has called the rebuff of the resignations an extraordinary decision by the Vatican. And that it is. But they, like many others, will be buoyed by the rise of Diarmuid Martin and others like him who are facing contemporary issues in an open manner.
- The Marlborough Express
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The pope himself is accused of hiding endless molestation of children, as is his brother in Germany.
All the pope cares about is maintaining the power and money of the church. He could care less who is brutalized physically or mentally. Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. eg... the pope has actually compared gays to animals, and indirectly supported the killing of gay people to "save humanity".
And lets not forget his madness's comment to Africans - don't use condoms. In a continent with 23 million AIDS cases, and babies being born every day with a death sentence over their heads. Remind me of how another man told his people to have more babies. To feed his Wehrmacht killing machine during WWII. He was catholic, still unexcommunicated etc. Hitler
We need all Catholics, especially the younger ones, to understand that the pope was born and grew up in Nazi Germany. Where Jews, and gays were demonized and thrown into the ovens.
While Hitler - himself a catholic who often talked about christian moral values (whats moral mean anyway) is still UNexcommunicated.
And surprise3 of all surprises, Just recently very catholic Ireland joined most of the western world in affirming gay people as equals, giving them civil union status.
Along with Argentina, Portugal, Iceland. Finland moves from partnerships to Marriage. Denmark allows gays to adopt. Mexico validates Mexico city gay marriages all over the country, and allows adoption by gays. Costa Rica trashes a referendum designed to head off gay marriage.
For all the younger generation out there, absolutely demand that the church change its ways. All the way to performing gay marriage ceremonies.
And if it doesn't, and keeps demonizing your gay friends, just ignore this evil institution. the money will dry up, and in the end, the church will write its own obituary.
As some of its buildings are preserved as museums to teach future generations about hatred in the name of Jesus and God.
Anything but what Jesus preached with his 2nd of only two commandments - Love thy neighbor as thyself.