Yesterday I read in the local press that the Pope gave short shrift to his former Nuntius to the Dominican Republic, and former Archbishop Josef Wesolowski.
On the Pope's order, the Archbishop was arrested and charged with child abuse.
'Corriere della Sera' referred to this action by the Pope as 'exemplary', commenting that "the time for camouflage and obfuscation is over"
"It is a first" proclaimed 'La Republica'.
The News agency 'Ansa' called the Pope's action as "lightning from a blue sky".
While all of this sounds like a laudatio for Pope Franciskus, it is, however, more of a condemnation of all his predecessors.
It may be assumed without much reasonable contradiction that Child Abuse has been the hidden crime committed by many of the Catholic clergy since time immemorial, and it is a stated fact that never before did the Justice Department of the State of the Vatican proceed against such a high ranking member of the Roman Catholic Church on this or similar charges.
I can no longer remember precisely the words used by former Pope Benedict XVI, but the gist of what he said was that Child Abuse cases committed by Catholic Priests were not to be reported to the respective local authorities, but were to be dealt with within the Catholic administration.
This " dealing within the Catholic Administration" resulted, in many cases, in a transfer to a new Parish.
Although Mr. Ratzinger defrocked over 400 priests for sexual transgressions, the majority of these cases did not result in public trials in the courts of the countries in which the crime was committed.
Members of any other profession, having committed the same or similar offence, would have been charged, arrested, tried, and if found guilty, sent to jail. I do not believe that there are many Priests who are serving time in jail.
Good for Pope Franciskus and congratulations for a job well started.
Every right thinking person will now wait for the next shoe to drop, including
Bertstravels
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