Pope to host abuse victims individually, seek forgiveness
Source: The Boston Globe
Until recently, Francis defended Chilean bishop
By Elisabetta Povoledo NEW YORK TIMES APRIL 26, 2018
ROME Pope Francis will host three victims of Chiles sexual abuse scandal this weekend at the Vatican hotel where he lives, to ask their forgiveness and listen to their suggestions, the Vatican announced Wednesday, as he tries to make amends for voicing doubts about their accusations.
The three men, Juan Carlos Cruz, James Hamilton, and Jose Andres Murillo, have been among the most vocal survivors of abuse by priests in Chile. In a statement, the Vatican said the pope would meet with each man individually, allowing each one to speak for as long as they wish.
Though the past three popes have apologized to victims of sexual abuse in many countries, the situation in Chile had become especially venomous, forcing Francis to reverse his public stance on specific accusations.
Until recently, the pope had defended Bishop Juan Barros Madrid, who victims say witnessed and covered up abuse by the Rev. Fernando Karadima, the countrys most notorious pedophile priest. In 2011, a Vatican tribunal convicted Karadima and sentenced him to a life of prayer and penitence.
Read more: https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/world/2018/04/25/pope-host-clergy-abuse-victims-seek-their-forgiveness/3S94kFz6pcutsilh5RC5GN/story.html
SunSeeker
(51,646 posts)Kashkakat v.2.0
(1,752 posts)No, its not allright that it happened. No, the relationship has been damaged and can never be what it might have been otherwise. No, the perp doesnt get a magic wand waved over him so he can feel ok about what he did.
Just go listen to them, Mr. Pope, but dont "seek" anything from them. No one owes you anything and how frikken presumptuous of you to even ask.
Certainly from a victims point of view, one can come to terms with things that have happened and move on from the trauma.....without having to make things all right for the perpetrator or to even engage with that person at all.
I say this as someone who had some trauma laid on me- there is a term I learned in therapy that is more meaningful and I like better than "forgiveness" - and that is "radical acceptance."