"The Shame of John Paul II: How the Sex Abuse Scandal Stained His Papacy" by Jason Berry

April 27, 2011
This article appeared in the May 16, 2011 edition of The Nation.
"The Investigative Fund at The Nation Institute assisted in a section of this article, drawn from Render Unto Rome: The Secret Life of Money in the Catholic Church, to be published June 7 by Crown. On May 1, Pope Benedict XVI will beatify his predecessor, John Paul II, at a huge ceremony in St. Peter’s Square in Rome. Beatification, the final step before canonization, or sainthood, ennobles the deceased as “blessed,” or worthy of veneration. Authorities have prepared for a million visitors to the weekend events."
... "Should a pope who turned his back on the worst crisis in modern Catholic history be exalted as a saint? Lawsuits by victims, numerous prosecutions and news coverage of bishops who enabled abuse are the shadow story of John Paul’s twenty-six-year pontificate, during which time he responded to continuing allegations of clergy abuse with denial and inertia. American dioceses and religious orders alone have spent nearly $2 billion on legal actions and treatment of sex offenders, an aching scandal at incalculable cost to the church’s stature."

Bridget Mary's Reflection:
Is the beatification of John Paul II, the Vatican's attempt, to change the subject from the global sexual abuse scandal that is gutting the hierarchy's credibility?

The Vatican's intimidation of supporters of Roman Catholic Women Priests is backfiring. The most recent example is Maryknoll priest, Fr. Roy Bourgeois, whom the Vatican wants to dismiss from the priesthood. It makes no sense that criminal abusers get to stay in the priesthood and prophetic priests who support gender equality in the Catholic Church get excommunicated.

"Follow the money", Jimmy Breslin, once advised a group of Catholic activists!

Sounds like this upcomng book, "Render unto Rome" documents the donors who keep the Vatican funded! It will be an interesting read!

What if Catholics decided to stop giving to the institutional church until they accept women priests, married priests, and structural change? What would happen if the people are truly empowered and assume responsibility in leadership roles as decision-makers in the church? Would change come more quickly? I wonder.....
Bridget Mary Meehan, RCWP
Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests
http://www.associationofromancatholicwomenpriests.org/