“When you’re in a hole, stop digging.” One could be forgiven for imagining that this advice has somehow escaped press officers and others at the Vatican for every day, their responses to questions and criticisms regarding the scandal in which the Holy See now finds itself embroiled seem to make matters worse.
As we reported last week, Catholics all over the world are losing confidence in their Church’s leaders following a series of scandals involving the sexual abuse of children by priests. There have even been calls for the resignation of the Pope and in Britain thousands of people have signed a petition against his planned visit there in September.
On Good Friday the Pope’s personal preacher, Cardinal Cantalamessa, astounded Jewish communities all over the world by comparing attacks on the Pope over the abuse scandals to “collective violence” against Jews. A Vatican spokesman quickly stated that the Cardinal had not been speaking for the Holy See, but the damage was done as Jewish leaders were already expressing their outrage at the remark. Relations between the Vatican and the Jewish Community in Italy were already strained because of plans to canonise Pope Pius XII, the pope accused of remaining silent about the Holocaust.
Now Pope Benedict has been criticised for not admitting responsibility for the scandals during his Easter Day Message. He did, however, call for an examination of consciences. Cardinal Sodano, Dean of the College of Cardinals, publicly praised the Pope at the service and said that the Church would not be intimidated by “gossip”.
Two days later, in the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, the Cardinal compared current attacks on Pope Benedict to criticism of Popes Pius X and XII and of Pope Paul VI before him. It is the comparison with Pope Pius XII, however, that remains in the public mind. The Cardinal also said that the Pope represents values which are not accepted by all and that for this reason the scandals are being used as “arms” against him.
Do you think the Pope’s visit to Britain should go ahead?
Do you think the Pope should have accepted responsibility for the scandals?
