*** g90 11/8 p. 31 ‘Our Shame Is Clear to the Whole World’ ***
The Times reported: “The Archbishop of Newfoundland has resigned after charges that the Roman Catholic Church’s hierarchy ignored or failed to deal effectively with three years of scandal involving allegations of sexual abuse against altar boys, orphaned youths and others by Roman Catholic priests and church laymen.”
Usually these cases are hushed up, and no significant disciplinary action is taken. Perhaps a priest is transferred to another parish or duty, where the depravity might start again. On this occasion the archbishop was moved to resign after stating: “We are a sinful church. We are naked. Our anger, our pain, our anguish, our shame are clear to the whole world.”—Compare Revelation 17:15-18.
A judicial inquiry showed that accusations had been made over a period of 15 years, but the police and government officials failed “to act decisively against the offenders.” And even worse, the church hierarchy failed to act decisively. They were accused of being more concerned about the offending priests than about the victims.
Splash