This is a perfect case for both SNAP and the media to constantly shine a harsh spotlight on, giving it as much international attention as possible. Archbishop Meyer should be charged as an excessary after the fact, and this story should be used to embarrass the Vatican as much as possible. Thignd like this are the only way to get them to make the changes needed.

This is so ridiculous, and makes me very angry. You know the Bishops are not going to recommend the parishioners do something like that! Whats the matter with you people? They are going to follow the orders they receive from the Vaticn, which is to keep these things quiet, and cover them up. This comes directly from the Pope, including Francis, this wonderful, humble soul everyone is so in love with. I’m sure there are still parents that might ignore somehting like this, they’re so devoted to the Catholic Church, I know my mother would hve. However, I’m sure many parents care more about their children, then the priest. Hopefully, they will go directly to law enforcement to resolve this issue, since going ot the Bishop will solve nothing.

Even if the Pope meets with the victims, I doubt very much he will implement any changes that will benefit potential victims of abuse. Less than a week into his papacy, the Vatican was already circling the wagons, deiending his record as a Bishop in Argentina. What does that tell you? Obviously, he followed the instructions the Vatican issued regarding covering these things up and protecting the priest, to hell with the victims. Why would he make a change now? So far, he’s only mentioned this issue once, and his instructions were to continue along the lines Benedict implemented. Again, that was cover up and keep things quiet. The only way to fight this, is to keep the church under a glaring spotlight,to aggressively prosecute not only the priests who actually commit the acts, but the Bishops and Cardinals who take part in the coverups and are equally as guilty. If this takes place, and its constantly spashed across the headlines, this plus the money they have to pay out in damages, will make the Pope act.Silence on the subject, is the church’s greatest ally.

Hey Pope Francis, you are nothing but a BS artist!Today the front pages are adorned with a picture of him washing an inmates feet!My he’s so humble.Smoke and mirrors. If that were me, I would have kicked him in the face. The only difference between this Pope and his predecessoprs is, while they openly stated there would be no changes in church policy and doctrines, he has not, but thats what we can expect from him. So, we can expect to see predator priests continue to violate innocent children, while the church protects them, they will continue their policy of hatred and intolerance, while remaining unresponsive to the needs of people, making no changes to keep up with the changing world and its changing attitudes. All while they spoon feed this BS to a gourp of individuals who are gulible and easily led, who will happily swallow it. I only wish this boy had the guts to face me, I’d tell him exatly what I think of him. These people repulse and disgust me.

I assume you're on Judy Brock-Jones of SNAP web site and friended her on FB. Just listened to her interview "who would Jesus sue"

I can understand how you feel about these garish monuments they erect to themselves, but if they want to spend money on things like that so be it. That’s always gone on and always will, ultimately it will come crashing down on them. If people are foolish enough to continue to drop their money in the collection plates, knowing it goes to things like this, or in the pockets of lawyers defending pedophile priests, well that’s on them. I suppose they think that’s a way of buying their way into heaven. Dolan in definitely a slime ball. The deck is certainly stacked against those of us who want to see positive changes, we may never see it in our lifetime, but we will see the church’s power and influence continue to diminish. I never thought I would see the consolidation of parishes that has already occurred, and I believe that will happen again, since I don’t think their numbers are on the rise anywhere, but certainly continue to decline. More has to be done to expose these officials for what they really are, and what frustrates me is I don’t know what to do.

The more I’m seeing and hearing about this Pope, the more I’m beginning to think he is a great BS artist. He’s spoon feeding it, and the majority of people are swallowing it. I think his strategy is, open a dialogue on other controversial issues, and take the emphasis off those that are an embarrassment, or detrimental to the Catholic Church. Smoke and mirrors is another term for what he’s trying to do. “The green Pope concerned about the environment!” He has much more important things he should be addressing, such as issues within the church, not the environment. I don’t think we’re going to see any changes we’re going to be too happy with. Especially when you consider the fact the Vatican has already had to defend his record. .

If he is following the core of Catholic beliefs as they stand now, he is living anything but a true christian life, and we are in for trouble! These people are of the mindset they are above man’s laws, and only have to answer to God’s laws, in other words they believe they can do anything they want, and not be held accountable for it. So a priest could continue to be a predator for years, and advance to the position of Bishop, Cardinal even a Pope, and the church will protect them. They have to be made to understand that is not acceptable, and will not be tolerated. I remember during the last scandal they had, one American women was interviewd in Rome and said, “the Catholic Church needs us to stand by it now”, no they need to stop lying and have the courage to tell the truth, and then do the right thing, then I would stand by it. If people like her experiened the suffering the church has inflicted on so many, they wouldn’t turn a blind eye like they do now. How can these church officials allow these things to go on, and then dare to hold themselves up as good christians? I’m waiting for this new Pope to say,“there will be no changes in church policy or doctrine”. I’m sure that will be his first official statement as Pope. The same BS, only spilling out of a different mouth.

It is very nice that he is humble, and lived in a small apartment, cooked his own meals and traveled by bus. And so what! The question is, can he relate to the needs of modern Catholics? Can he adapt to the changing attitudes of a changing world? How is he going to handle cases of predator priets in the Cathloic church? Do not let the hype about him blind you to the real issues, these are going to be the real tests for him. Willhe have the courage to lead, or sit back and let things stand as they are. Personally, I think he will do the latter.

Lani, can you honestly say out of all the Cardinals there are any who have actually stood up and publically stated the church’s policy on pedophile priests is wrong, and they should contact law enforcement, when a priest is suspected of this? There are none, and if there were, his chances of being elected Pope would be nonexistent. We are dealing with a group of old men who are all of the same mindset, and certainly not in touch with the needs of modern Catholics.Who do I think would have been a good choice? In all honesty, none of them. We are stuck with the Catholic Church the way it is, there will be no changes. All we can do is what we have been doing, make sure these crimes are exposed,and that the priests, Bishops, Cardinals and even the Pope who are involved in covering them up, are made to answer to the law. Not God’s laws, as the church would like to have it, but man’s laws.If you want to know more about this new Pope, read the comments that are being posted here.

Well, then I guess its safe to say, the Cardinals have selected another old you know what for Pope, who is just as bad, if not worse, then the previous old you know what. Deep inside I knew this would happen, there is no such thing as “new” or “change” in the Catholic church, certainly not change for the better. The coverups, intolerance and hatred will continue, their numbers will continue to drop, and there will be those who keep their heads stuck in the sand, and pretend everything is fine.I wonder how long it will be before the church experiences its first major scandal under this new Pope?

The new Pope is a Cardinal from Argentina. What can you tell us about his record? I don’t know anything about him, but he is 76 years old, so we can forget our hopes of a younger more dymanic Pope.

Georgetown is a Catholic University. I can just imagine what they have to say on the subject!

What make you think even if they did ask some hardball questions he would have answered them? Haven’t you noticed how these people just turn their backs and ignore tough questions they have a hard time with, and refuse to say anything? I remember talking with this little creep of a priest one time, he didn’t mind talking with me as long as he had my undivided attention, and I agreed with everything he said. As soon as I disagreed, or challenged him on something, as far as he was concerned the conversation was over. He lost all interest in talking with me. He was one of these ultra right wing conservative prolife ones, I wanted to know why when the Catholic Church is supposedly so prolife, they do abortions in their own hospitals? He did not want to talk about that. As far as these pedophiles and the Bishops and Cardinals who cover up for them go, the only things they seem to understand are lawsuits, and jail time, and even that doesn’t always register with them. Maybe more convictins of Bishops and Cardinals, and longer sentences will.That is what we need to work toward achieving.

Are there any government leaders that are willing to stand up to the Catholic Church and take on this fight? I wish there were, but so far I just do not see any. It is so frustrating to sit here and watch this organization hold itself up as so perfect, and high and mighty, and continue to cover these horrendous acts up, and for the most part get away with it. I still say law enforcement should have the power to be able to haul the Pope out of the Vatican in handcuffs, because the buck stops with him. You notice Benedict said nothing about this before he left his office, personally I think he should have stepped down long before this, I could never stand the idea of a former Nazi Hitler Youth as Pope of the Catholic Church.

I honestly think the heads of the Catholic Church think we are all stupid, and do believe what they are saying. I think they honestly believe they can do whatever they want, and not have it effect them negatively in any way, despite the declining numbers of practicing Catholics all over the world. They certainly believe they are well above man’s laws, and only have to answer to God’s laws. Let the priests do what they will, ultimately they will have to stand before God and answer for their sins. As far as the church is concerned, that is enough. We and law enforcement do not agree, and have no intention of allowing any such situation, but that does not seem to phase the church. It bothers me that all the law suits and bad publicity has not gotten that message across to these people, what is it going to take to accomplish that?

Pope John Paul rewarded wrongdoing.after the scandal in Boston, he called Bernard Law to Rome,and gave him an exhaulted position in the Vatican. Here is someone who should be in jail, and instead he is living in comfort, with no fear of ever being held accountable for his actions. What kind of message does this send to the victims in Boston, and victims all over the world. It tells them the Catholic Church does not care about you. John Paul also sent a letter to American Bishops instructing them that when it came to sex abuse cases, they were to do everything they could to cover it up and keep it quiet. A copy of that letter signed by him surfaced during the last major scandal the church was involved in. This is the wonderful man so conerned with human rights, the one they want to make a saint? No one is ever going to convince me he could possibly be a saint, and as a Catholic I always believed in the canonization process, but not now. If the church would ignore actions like that, obviously it is nothing but a bunch of BS. If they do canonize him, they should make him the patron saint of pedophiles! He certaily did enough to protect them when he was alive.

The Catholic Church is going to continue to deal with the problems it faces the same way it always has. Publically they are going to say, “we need to be more open, honest and helpful” privately, the Vatican will instruct Bishops and Cardinals all over the world, to cover things up and keep it quiet. The new Pope, whoever he will be, I guarantee you the first thing that will spill out of his mouth is “there will be no chances in church policies or doctorines”.This has been going on for years now, and will never change.They do not care, and I as a Catholic cannot care about them, I do nto want acceptance by the church, or anything to do with them. With the numbers they have driven away, and continue to drive away, I cannot believe there are still a billion Catholics in the world, there will always be those who cling to it, sticking their heads in the sand and pretending everything is fine, its always easier for some to do that, rather than face the problems head on, and try to make positive chances. Unfortunatley the Catholic Church has proven it does want positive changes, but wants things to remain exactly the same. We do not want that, and the only solution for us is to reject this organization.

I would doubt very much any letters sent from people like us ever reach the Pope. I would also venture to say, they do not want to hear from the general public, unless its something to the effect of how wonderful they are, and here’s my back account information, just take whatever amount you feel you want to! I have come to the realization that things are not going to change, they do not want change, and the College of Cardinals are never going to elect a Pope that will upset thier little applecart, even though change is desperately needed. When I was still a practicing Catholic, and was a member of the choir, I couldn’t even get them to add some new songs.That is how resistant to change these peole who have been in the church for 30, 40, 50 years are. I noticed on the official Vatican website, they removed the email function. It wasn’t because they were not getting emails, they got plenty, but not the kind they wanted to read!

This letter was written several months ago. Could you advise if you have gotten any kind of response from the Vatican at all? I know you will not get a response from the Pope, I doubt he ever even saw the letter.