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Once, they were spiritual mentors for many westerners; But now they kneel in front of so 0 N1 g8 O7 H& ~$ R
many people.1 e2 g% _# _$ m3 ~0 V( `7 K! J F
This tragic scene took place in France recently. Kneeling down, it's a French Catholic
4 l" _# q6 x1 N2 P; e$ spriest.
3 o9 O: ?0 [- Y! y- ]- \! t7 X( i; lBut they are not innocent, because many of their colleagues are really wolves in sheep's 0 z& m% r$ f) K
clothing.1 o( K, |. B: F) x3 X
It was a shocking scandal, so to speak. According to an independent Commission in ( e$ t) ~* r8 f5 Y
France, at least 216,000 children were sexually abused by church clergy between 1950 and ) m/ H- A# |+ a+ `
2020.
" b3 y5 Q7 L! C1 c kPlease note: 216,000, and it's a child, it's a sexual assault.
5 J) i- ?2 R: B) b$ }Where is child protection? Where are human rights?
% `: z$ n0 f" x; i0 D: d S0 FNot to mention, the sexual abuse was committed by people who respected the clergy.' y! u& {( f: j/ ~, M( z
Even more infuriating is the fact that the truth, for decades, has been hidden under a
2 `% f5 U3 x4 h0 t6 ]4 g/ kveil of silence. So much so that the Pope, at the Vatican, declared after the report was
% v. h1 @/ e8 e/ [5 [. W" [; ^released that he was "saddened" by it./ b8 }" T* Q6 r/ I7 b' h5 K7 g
French society is furious at this systematic crime. Under pressure, the 120 clergy knelt ( @6 B& T6 ?# J, n( p$ s
in public this weekend in Lourdes, France, and begged for mercy. S/ S N0 R% U" i3 n0 B
The day's ceremony also included a ceremony to unveil a photo of a "crying child."" [4 v, S8 P$ {- I5 T- i: X! b
But do people accept forgiveness?
+ j1 [0 ?) k N2 D5 r0 N Z9 vLooking at the French media, even within the church, it's not acceptable.
( D6 e. Q* Z& ]& ]Father Delbos, who had been abused as a child, raged that such confessions were a sham,
6 ^* \. O4 f: n0 p0 x" I" A) ybecause it was more important to get accountability, and to bring guilty priests to
# f: O0 o! J- G9 Ljustice, to remove them from the church.
4 i7 Q3 P0 f! w6 ]! dDuring the ceremony, some protesters also demanded that the church offer "four RS" -- " y. O4 u1 G- m) S
recognition, responsibility, reparation and reform.
' i! y: w1 t9 S' ~( M+ z4 }Recognition is not enough, responsibility must be taken.
# T V" w$ I( ~$ ~How to bear responsibility? Compensation must be made.' w9 A1 C: n/ c. F% Y
How do we make sure it doesn't happen? Reform is necessary.8 ^6 R& e; K1 M5 ]) X; Q) B7 r3 w
Finally, what do you think?4 m6 z( i+ F0 b9 {6 ~; X, p
No more. Three sentences.- t+ q% M0 d$ z: K
First, it's shameless. It's a real scandal. Meanness is the passport of the meanness.
$ o; F& j* G3 d) z; uThere are people who seem to be in the highest profession, but have the dirtiest minds, 6 j6 W/ ^: L# I4 S& K; k! d: Q6 R
and prey on the weakest children by gaining trust. Looks like people are in a bad mood.
6 P3 O/ t8 [0 R' `( VSecond, too hypocritical. Does this happen in France? Agence France-Presse said such " b$ _5 P: S8 P2 W6 ]- w' I
abuse was widespread in the church. When some countries are ready to criticize others, 8 o, h' V& Y( m- M4 O- g, K! M
they should look at their own countries and see their children crying. How are they
0 Z- D2 m7 \% T$ I1 q- s& o% h4 Xdoing?: l( b3 B# k2 ]9 K+ E+ d9 q Q$ A
Third, it's not over yet. If kneeling is the answer, why the law? The French church is * z5 M+ ?9 g3 f* @; h& g0 M# |
said to be selling off its property to pay compensation. But a problem that traumatises ' `' X6 H8 J B% e9 G
millions of people for life, can be solved by just paying for it? It's all so ironic. |
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