“With shame and repentance”

adminonNovember 19, 2021January 5, 2022Leave a Comment

In a letter to all the faithful, Pope Francis asks for forgiveness for the Church's failure to deal with abuse against children and others in need of protection. The Vatican published the letter on Monday afternoon.

Pope Francis has acknowledged the Church's grave culpability on the ie of clergy abuse. Taking note of the problems is far from enough; eradicating abuse once and for all requires the active participation of everyone, especially the laity. "To say 'no' to abuse is to say 'no' emphatically to every form of clericalism," the pope writes in a lengthy letter "to the people of God" published by the Vatican on Monday.

In the barely four-page letter, the pope criticizes clericalism and urges all Catholics to work against such a culture.

"Strengthen effort to ensure protection of minors"

"With shame and remorse, we as a community of the Church admit that we did not stand where we should have stood and that we did not act in a timely manner when we realized the extent and gravity of the harm," Francis wrote, among other things.

The pope's comments come in direct response to the recent report by a grand jury in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania released last Tuesday, developments in Chile and ongoing discussions ahead of his visit to Ireland next weekend.

The cry of the victims was stronger "than the actions of all those who tried to silence it" or who thought they could cure the suffering with decisions that only made things worse. To that end, Francis cited the phrase from Mary's Canticle in the Gospel of Luke: God "scatters those who are full of pride in heart; he overthrows the mighty from their thrones and exalts the lowly."

Urgently, it said, the church must once again "intensify its efforts to ensure the protection of minors and of adults in situations of vulnerability". In doing so, the pope acknowledges the "necessary actions and sanctions" taken so far in various parts of the world and a "zero-tolerance attitude". Although these have had an effect in the meantime, they have been "applied with delay".

Clericalism is cause of sexual and psychological abuse, he said

As one of the main causes of sexual as well as psychological abuse, the Pope names "clericalism, whether promoted by priests themselves or by the laity". This creates a division "that incites and contributes to perpetuating many of the evils we deplore today".

Clericalism is based on a false understanding of authority in the church – "very common in many communities where behaviors of sexual abuse such as abuse of power and conscience have occurred.". In doing so, Francis quoted from a 2005 Good Friday petition by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger: "How much filth there is in the Church, and especially among those who should belong wholly to Him (Christ) in the priesthood? How much arrogance and self-importance?"

Nevertheless, he said, the entire people of God must participate in responding to the evils of abuse and cover-up. "Anything done to eradicate the culture of abuse from our communities without actively involving all members of the Church" will not generate the necessary momentum "for a healthy and effective transformation," the pope said.

More than 1000 victims and 300 abusive priests in Pennsylvania

The Pope's letter is prompted by a recent U.S. report that in the state of Pennsylvania alone, at least 1.000 victims and more than 300 abusive priests raised. Because of the numbers and the drastic details, the report has caused horror around the world.

Next weekend, Pope Francis travels to Ireland for the World Meeting of Families, where the Catholic Church is also facing a massive credibility crisis due to numerous abuse cases. Observers expect the pope to speak to victims in a private meeting in Dublin.

Live in Lower Saxony, are male, single and between 20 and 39 years old? Then you have luck, celebrate in all probability carefree Christmas and save also still money thereby. Because newest studies prove: Residents in the north of the republic suffer less frequently from "Christmas melancholy". Sounds strange? But is so.

Single men under 40 also attach little importance to more or less expensive holiday decorations such as Advent wreaths, elaborate light installations or Christmas trees. At least if you believe the statistics that come down on the Germans every year before the holidays.

Some findings are so blatantly banal that it's almost comical again. According to a survey by "Apotheken Umschau," a majority of Germans appreciate home-baked goods during Advent. Who would have thought it? While there are no differences between the sexes when it comes to the consumption of butter cookies and cinnamon stars, the production of these delicacies is mostly a female affair, even in our day: According to the study, only one in ten men gets lost in the Christmas bakery.

The purchase of gifts is also mostly on the account of women. This is the result of a recently published Forsa survey. In three out of four partnerships, the ladies provided the gifts, it was said. At least the female interviewees themselves see that in such a way, the opinion researchers limited their finding immediately. Sometimes it's just a matter of numbers. Finally, in the same survey, 43 percent of men also said they were actively involved in the gift selection process.

Those who rush to the city to buy a gift in the crowded pedestrian zones may be on the wrong track. Most people, 56 percent to be exact, are happy to receive homemade gifts, and gift certificates are also very popular with many. It is therefore almost tragic that completely different things end up on German gift tables. Around 53 percent of Germans prefer to give relatives and friends something practical, such as socks or household helpers.

Sausages with potato salt
By the time Christmas comes around, consumers in this country have spent an average of about 244 euros on gifts and look forward to a simple meal on Silent Night. For most of those surveyed, a simple classic dish is on the plate on Christmas Eve, for example sausages with potato salad. A firmly calculated item for the food industry. The consumption of mulled wine and Christmas stollen, on the other hand, still seems to have room for improvement due to the mild weather so far: In September and October, retailers sold 1.2 million stollen and 8.500 hectoliters of mulled wine less than in the same period last year, Focus magazine reported.

Despite this statistical outlier, most German consumers can be relied upon to make a decision. A – real – Christmas tree is very pleasing to a majority, preferably with electric candles, for safety's sake: At the Weihnachtsbaume the lights burn. The only thing missing is an up-to-date list of the most popular Christmas songs. Actually, a nice task for RTL all-purpose weapon Oliver Geiben, who also provides TV viewers with the greatest hits of the 80s and 90s for the rest of the year.

Church services get fuller – at Christmas
Was there anything else? Oh yes – Christians commemorate the birth of Jesus at Christmas. This may sometimes get lost in all the consumer hustle and bustle. But there is also a survey on this topic. For 24 percent, the religious aspect plays a particularly important role. Almost every second German wants to go to church at Christmas. According to an Emnid survey published on Sunday by the news magazine "Focus," 46 percent of Germans plan to do so. That's 6 percent more than last year. Among the over-65s, the proportion of Christmas churchgoers is above average at more than 52 percent.

In contrast, men and women between the ages of 30 and 39 will be the least represented at Christmas services. 62 percent of this age group said they did not want to go to church. According to the survey, 63 percent of Germans believe in God. 59 percent also believe that Jesus is the Son of God. And 48 percent that there is life after death.

Broken down by party preference, belief in God is strongest among Union supporters at 74 percent, but a majority of Greens (61), SPD, (58) and FDP (54) are also believers. Among supporters of the "Die Linke" party, 39 percent believe in God. According to the survey, only one in six Germans regularly reads the Bible. Five percent said they frequently take the Bible in hand. Twelve percent said they read in it now and then. A third of Germans do so rather rarely and half never.

The Council of Cardinals has pledged support to Pope Francis in the current crisis. From the 26. Consultation round also comes proposal to think about the personnel structure of the Cardinal's Council.

The body expressed its "full solidarity" with the head of the Church and was "aware that in the current debate the Holy See will also formulate any necessary clarifications," according to a statement ied by the Vatican press office on Monday evening, without giving further details on the subject.

Proposal to the Pope

Another outcome of the first day of deliberations, according to the report, was a proposal to the pope to reflect on the "work, structure and composition" of the Council of Cardinals after five years, also taking into account the "advanced age of some members".

Two of them are currently under particular public prere: George Pell (77), head of the Vatican Secretariat for the Economy on leave, is on trial in his home country of Australia for allegations of abuse. Chilean Francisco Javier Errazuriz, 85, accused by abuse victims of obstructing prosecution of sexual offenses as archbishop of Santiago. Both cardinals deny wrongdoing.

Abuse scandals put Vatican under prere

Pope Francis is currently facing attacks from his opponents due to church abuse scandals in many countries. The former nuncio to the U.S., Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, had publicly called on the head of the church to resign in late August for allegedly knowing about sexual misconduct by former Washington archbishop Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. So far, Francis has not commented directly on the matter; there has also been no official statement from the Holy See so far.

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