Questioning the Pope/New York Times/ Catholics Should Hold Pope Accountable/Reform Now

Catholics, who love our church, should applaud media scrutiny of the global sex abuse scandal including the New York Times, Associate Press, the National Catholic Reporter and other responsible media around the world who are sharing the bad news of a global clerical culture of criminal behaviour that has betrayed our church. While it is shocking that this abuse leads to the Vatican, it is a truth that must be faced.

We cannot blame the messenger for the bad news. The media is not the problem, the clerical coverup is the issue. Catholics want to know the truth, and follow Jesus who challenges us to speak truth to power, even if that means holding the highest authorities in our church accountable. The Catholic church is not above the civil law.

We, the people of God, are the church and it is up to us now to demand reform and renewal of our beloved church. This, in my view, means an end to mandatory celibacy, women priests and married priests.Catholics must take responsibility for the future of our church, and act as partners and equals with the leaders of our church.

Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
sofiabmm@aol.com
941-955-2313
703-505-0004

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/25/opinion/25pubed.html?scp=2&sq=pope&st=cse

April 25, 2010
The Public Editor
Questioning the Pope
By CLARK HOYT

"But it would be irresponsible to ignore the continuing revelations. A day after the first article about Murphy, The Times published another front-page article that said Benedict, while archbishop in Munich, led a meeting approving the transfer of a pedophile priest and was kept informed about the case. The priest was later convicted of molesting boys in another parish. The paper’s critics have been mostly silent about this report.

Like it or not, there are circumstances that have justifiably driven this story for years, including a well-documented pattern of denial and cover-up in an institution with billions of followers. Painful though it may be, the paper has an obligation to follow the story where it leads, even to the pope’s door."

E-mail: public@nytimes.com.