FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
The pope is finally admitting that the Catholic Church itself is to blame for the worldwide child sex abuse scandal. It took long enough.
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Pope Benedict XVI calls the crisis "truly terrifying" and suggests "the greatest persecution of the church doesn't come from enemies on the outside but is born from the sins within the church."
Benedict also stresses that quote "forgiveness is not a substitute for justice."
It's refreshing to finally hear the pope talk about this growing crisis head-on. For weeks, as accusations piled up, we've heard other Catholic officials blame anyone but the pedophile priests and officials who covered it all up.
They blamed the media, they blamed homosexuality, and they described the whole affair as "petty gossip."
But thanks in part perhaps to the relentless reporting of the scope of the scandal worldwide by the media, the pope is now talking; and he will likely be controlling the message from here on out.
Hopefully this is a sign that the pope, who's been criticized for not taking enough actions against allegations of abuse, understands how deeply this crisis has affected the Catholic Church. But so far it's just all talk.
Victims groups want more than talk… and rightfully so.
Here’s my question to you: Why has it taken the Catholic Church so long to acknowledge its role in the sexual abuse of children by priests?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Gregory writes:
Hey Jack, If your money supply was slowing down, wouldn't that get your attention too? The Catholic Church is controlled by money; cut the money, change the minds. The Pope ain't dumb, he needs gas for that Pope-Mobile.
Judy in California writes:
Because the vast numbers of abused have been suppressed and silenced for so long through guilt and shame. That has come to a stop by the victims forming groups and speaking out, and finally the media has played a highly important role and bringing this matter to the surface. I guess somebody finally figured out that it is not a sin to defend yourself against these animals.
Meg in Ohio writes:
Jack, The Catholic Church has thought for many years that it not only was infallible, but also untouchable. The media coverage of the abuse issue has forced this disgusting practice out into the sunlight. Now, after years, not weeks, of pressure, the Pope finally realizes that he has a problem of epic proportions on his hands. I'll withhold my praise until I see some prosecutions, defrockings, and actual change.
Brett in California writes:
Admitting that the Catholic Church was guilty of harboring and protecting pedophiles would be bad for business. The Vatican is one of the oldest businesses in the world and expecting it to function as anything else would be unreasonable.
Mike in Florida writes:
Jack, You're talking about an organization that took 400 years to admit that the Earth revolves around the sun! Slow?! This is actually light speed for the Vatican!
Kaye in Arlington, Texas writes:
Because it's simply too hideous.