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1. Seems like another attempt to spin down an enquiry which is only just beginning. Do our institutional authorities never learn? Pope Benedict now needs to lead by example by being of assistance and by being transparent, rather than having various spokespeople shield him from questioning.
   The central issue which the hierarchy is not getting, and further exemplified in Father's Lombardi's statement above, is that the abuse is also that of ecclesial good ol' boys having long refused to be accountable to ontologically inferior authorites, and actively colluding to obstruct justice and to prevent further harm.
   If the then Archbishop Ratzinger knew, and approved, that a priest suspected of sexual abuse was simply reassigned to a new locale, then he needs to explain why. Was abuse actually committed? Did this reassigned priest re-offend?

   Posted By: MJ

2. It goes without saying Vicar Generals are fully aware of whats going on within a Diocese and that certainly would include Archbishops, Bishops and Vicar Generals.
   If we would rather believe otherwise, that's o.k.

   Posted By: L Newington

3. Pope Benedict's behaviour sounds not only innocent, but wholeheartedly Christian. He agreed to take a sex offender into his diocese to be housed for therapy. He was not responsible for that decision being altered. The priest in question did not re-offend and was later charged and convicted for the offences that were known. Where is the wrong in any of this? Sounds like another beat-up by the secular minded and their allies to attack our great Pope.

   Posted By: Michael Bernard

4. Why can't Pope Benedict answer the question straight out, instead of having some other person telling the world what he thinks. It's really easy: Yes or No.
   Let's hear the answer from the person responsible at the time. Over to you, Pope Benedict.

   Posted By: Laurie Sheehan

5. Sending Sex Offenders to 'Therapies' that are not proven by any psychological association at the time, then sending them back to work with Children in another location is abhorrent.
   
   

   Posted By: Andrew

6. 'Imagine twenty years ago in 1988; imagine that John Paul II in St Peter’s Square one Sunday morning had said: “Look, I’ve just been informed of these terrible revelations of sexual abuse; imagine priests sexually abusing children. It’s the most horrendous thing I’ve ever heard. We’re going to respond to this. Let’s reach out to every one of these victims. Let’s reach out with humility, honesty, compassion. Let’s put every last one of them before the good name of the Church. Let’s do all we can to uncover any causes and eradicate them.”
   How powerful that would have been. Furthermore, the very loyalty of the bishops to the Pope, had he said that, would have meant that that loyalty worked in favour of victims instead of against them.'

   Posted By: OYWT

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