Pope calls for 'concrete measures' as summit on clergy sexual abuse begins

Pope Francis began an unprecedented summit in Rome to confront the Catholic Church's clergy abuse scandal by saying that Catholics are not looking for simple condemnation, but concrete actions.

"In the face of this scourge of sexual abuse perpetrated by men of the church to the detriment of minors, I thought I would summon you," the Pope told the nearly 200 Catholic leaders gathered in Vatican City, "so that all together we may lend an ear and listen to the Holy Spirit ... and to the cry of the small ones who are asking for justice."
CNN was reporting on this story on the evening news today and was interviewing people outside the summit in the street. One of them, simply labelled a "sexual abuse survivor", was Pete Saunders. No mention was made of his role in NAPAC or of his resignation from the Pope's child protection commission. He spoke generally of abuse and didn't make any reference to his own experience.

He apparently does claim to have been abused by Catholic clergy.

"I was abused, among others, by two Catholic priests."
www.express.co.uk/news/uk/940515/Child-a...-abuse-comment-NAPAC

Moor Larkin has commented on his surprising bad luck in being abused by so many people and has also reported that he has a morphing story.

The Huffington Post gives a potted biography of Peter Saunders:

Pete Saunders is an adult survivor of childhood abuse. He was abused by the head teacher of his primary school, a family member and two priests at his secondary school. He didn’t have a lot of luck as a child. He became a teacher but after carrying the burden of his abuse secret until he was nearly forty he told all. Not too many people were that interested but he subsequently discovered that he was not the only person this crime had affected. He left teaching and now runs NAPAC, the National Association for People abused in Childhood.

Bloody hell I thought, He didn’t have a lot of luck as a child, sounded something of an understatement! Head teacher, a family member and two priests!! Jesus Christ...... Then I noticed that last year Mr.Saunders was interviewed, and the first glitch appeared to arise. ...
jimcannotfixthis.blogspot.com/2013/06/th...tence-of-memory.html

Well done to Francis who is facing - full on - a major issue which has hidden and denied by the Catholic church for decades.

Priests who abused were simply transferred, to repeat their paedophile activities elsewhere. Often, the Church paid off victims - but with a confidentially clause.

It is significant that the Church didn't voluntarily admit its failings: These were brought to light by the police and authorities in several countries.

As well as by investigative journalism at the Washington Post and Boston Globe - amongst others.


Will the perpetrators be punished (for running the lives of thousands of children worldwide) - or will the Vatican just say 'look, we've changed now'...?

Very strong condemnations and admissions (including systemised coverups, and payoffs) - of child abuse by Catholic clergy - during this, now concluded, Vatican summit.

Cardinals told the awful and plain truth at last - and conclusions and changes will be agreed and announced later. But, undoubtedly, Francis has taken the bull by the horns.

What now remains to be seen - is the handing over of church files on its previously denied paedophile clergy, to the relevant authorities.


And for those guilty of abuse - as well as covering it up - to be subjected to the due process of law.

Not - 'look; we've admitted it and had a summit; and introduced new procedures to ensure it won't be repeated'.

Perpetrators must now be made accountable.

OK Barney that's all we need as an update on your pet topic. Now let's wait and see if the Pope is as gracious and Christian about those falsely accused and even sinners who are languishing in the caverns of Hell (he seems very familiar with Satan; hopefully he's aware of his army of false accusers). I'm sure you'll agree - of all people, The Pope must not allow himself only to consider one side of this war.

I agree that there has to be an element of false allegations/wrongly accused in this worldwide cauldron of abuse, over so many years.

And that Francis, the Vatican and the relevant judiciaries must take appropriate steps to ensure that these are quickly identified and exonerated.

Perhaps - like Nuremberg - special courts and procedures will be required to ensure a fair hearing for those accused. And for the victims who have waited so long.

Barney wrote:
I agree that there has to be an element of false allegations/wrongly accused in this worldwide cauldron of abuse, over so many years.

And that Francis, the Vatican and the relevant judiciaries must take appropriate steps to ensure that these are quickly identified and exonerated.

Perhaps - like Nuremberg - special courts and procedures will be required to ensure a fair hearing for those accused. And for the victims who have waited so long.





Cardinal Pell has been convicted of abusing a boy who repeatedly claimed as a man to several people including his mother it never happened.

That man was a drug addict and down on his luck but still did not take the opportunity to accuse Pell when he would been due $100Ks in compo.

But still Pell was convicted on the say so of another claimed victim.

Even though the alleged victim said it never happened.

Work that one out.

Barney wrote:
And for those guilty of abuse - as well as covering it up - to be subjected to the due process of law.

Not - 'look; we've admitted it and had a summit; and introduced new procedures to ensure it won't be repeated'.

Perpetrators must now be made accountable.

Now - for the very first time - a Pope has decreed that sexual abuse by Catholic clergy be reported 'to competent civil authorities'.

Francis' predecessors wanted these matters to be kept within, and handled by, the church.This follows the January Summit in Rome.

Hopefully - the past offences of clergy will now be investigated.


It now seems incredulous that this religion thought it was exempt from civil prosecution.

And that it was right to refuse to deny it - as well as refusing to provide evidence.


Well done Francis...one the most important and significant decisions in the history of the Catholic church!

Barney wrote:
Perhaps - like Nuremberg - special courts and procedures will be required to ensure a fair hearing


You think the Nuremberg trials were fair???

It's just fair that an organisation has agreed - after centuries - to allow its members to adhere to the same justice system(s), as the rest of us!

The Catholic church denied, for decades, any wrongdoing - or paedophile activities by its members.

Francis now says they should be treated like you and me.


And be allowed to stand up in UK's, or any legitimate court.


Instead of their own...

I was intrigued by Jo's original post about the Pete Saunders fellow with his NAPAC charity.

The NAPAC website hardly even bothers to disguise its commercial nature.


Pete Saunders himself has a story so changeable that it's impossible to grant him any credibility at all. Although there are strenuous propaganda attempts to convince us that getting your story/stories in a hopeless muddle and fucking up all the details and including obvious and verifiable untruths is just what real abuse survivors do SO THAT PROOOOOVES IT!!. Of course consistent accounts are also 100% credible. People who seem angry or upset too. People who don't seem bothered. I'm curious to know what behaviour, if any, ISN'T typical of genuine abuse victims.


Anyway, professional victim. With emphasis on the professional.