Pope FrancisVerified account

Yes, we are going to combat them. Amen. And here's how: We want every Catholic cleric who broke their vow of chastity and continence, or covered up abuse, or bought the silence of victims to be removed, extradited to Rome and tried, and laicized.

This isn’t about breaking a chastity vow. This is about pedophilia and sexual abuse and subsequent cover up. Those crimes must be prosecuted. If a priest breaks his vows with a consenting adult, that’s their business.

If a priest breaks his vows with anyone, he should be laicized, and know beyond shadow of doubt that such will be the case.

The laity should realize that the systemic vow of lifelong chastity isn’t working, never worked, and directly leads to abuses. Individuals may choose chastity, but to have it enforced is to push actions underground and create secrets. See also: alcohol prohibition.

Agree, but let’s not confuse lack of chastity with pedophilia. The former breaks vows, the latter breaks lives, not to mention the law.

Frankly I don’t care if the offending priest loses his right to hold mass; he belongs in jail. This business of counseling & tiptoeing around his priesthood is pure bulls**t. Should be a documented sexual predator - just like the rest of the population.

I admire that you can say you only want these pedophiles in jail. To me, they must be publicly humiliated and then placed six feet under. ALL OF THEM.

“Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord”? That’s some old-testament justice there. I thought Jesus preached a new way of being. But what do I know?

Dear @Pontifex, prayer and penance will not cure the endemic and institutionalized clerical abuse of minors in the Roman #Catholic Church. You are complicit if you do not actively defrock priests, remove bishops and report to local authorities to administer justice.

That’s what he has been doing.

Before or after denying abuse in Peru at the hands of clergy and covered up by bishops. Did you read his letter released today? Somehow he is still under the impression that prayer and penance is the answer.

They are being prosecuted by the right authorities, but prayer and fasting is still needed to heal us all.

Don’t get me wrong. I understand your viewpoint. But the church in America is beyond damage control mode and is virtually a non-entity in Europe. Catholics have lost faith in their bishops and have no recourse in the system to effect change. So it’s a frustrating time.

It is that, poor Pope Francis trying to appease everyone, he needs our prayers to get him through this tough time. God Bless

Perhaps instead of trying to appease everyone, he should concentrate on appeasing God. It is specifically stated in the Bible the way God expects people who harm children to be punished, and that doesn’t include shuffling them around and fasting! Seriously????

Whatever

As a lifelong Catholic, I am truly having a crisis of conscience over all this. Children taken advantage of by priests is despicable...who are these people...how many more are out there ? Do I want to be associated with this ?

I learned at an early age to differentiate between priests as human beings and Jesus Christ. Please do not give up on Christ. There are all sorts of evil in this world. Every sin drives the nails in harder. Trust in God now and trust in Jesus.

Would that be the same “holy” Priests that have been molesting children for over a decade?? Somehow the word “Holy” is being misconstrued here!