The Holy Father On The Undermining Of Moral Credibility

This is an excerpt of the Holy Fathers address from Oscott College to Bishops of England, Scotland and Wales: 

Another matter which has received much attention in recent months, and which seriously undermines the moral credibility of Church leaders, is the shameful abuse of children and young people by priests and religious. 

I have spoken on many occasions of the deep wounds that such behavior causes, in the victims first and foremost, but also in the relationships of trust that should exist between priests and people, between priests and their bishops, and between the Church authorities and the public. 

I know that you have taken serious steps to remedy this situation, to ensure that children are effectively protected from harm and to deal properly and transparently with allegations as they arise. You have publicly acknowledged your deep regret over what has happened, and the often inadequate ways it was addressed in the past. Your growing awareness of the extent of child abuse in society, its devastating effects, and the need to provide proper victim support should serve as an incentive to share the lessons you have learned with the wider community. Indeed, what better way could there be of making reparation for these sins than by reaching out, in a humble spirit of compassion, towards children who continue to suffer abuse elsewhere? Our duty of care towards the young demands nothing less.

Link (here) to read the full address at Fr. Z's WDTPRS.

9/20/1997 Reuters PRESTON, England —
A Jesuit priest who s@xually abused boys at a top English boys school has been sentenced to 5 years in prison. Fr. James Chaning-Pearce, 57, mo@ested four teenaged boys at Stonyhurst College while he was a teacher between 1987-95. .................After being kicked out of Stonyhurst he had been sent by the Jesuits to Canada for psychiatric treatment, later to Our Lady of Victories, an austere retreat for fallen priests in Chalford, Gloucestershire, and finally to St. Beuno's College, another Jesuit retreat in North Wales. There police found a photo in his room of naked bo@s beside a waterfall in Zimbabwe. Chaning-Pearce will be entered on the new British pedophile register but remains a Jesuit. A spokesman for the order said, "If we can't believe in the possibility of repentance, who can?"

Link (here)