Resignation
Pope Benedict XVI is expected to accept Cardinal Justin Rigali’s resignation this week, perhaps as soon as Tuesday.
Rigali is stepping down five months after a grand jury report faulted the church for failing to investigate the claims of sexual abuse by priests against children. Rigali, 76, took over for Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua in 2003. He has been under fire following a grand-jury report, released in February, accusing the Archdiocese of a widespread cover-up of predatory priests over decades, and alleging that as many as 37 priests remained active in the ministry despite credible accusations against them. The report recommended that the Archdiocese revamp procedures for assisting victims and for removing priests accused of molesting children
The report alleged that as many as 37 priests remained active in the ministry despite credible accusations against them.
Two months ago, the Associated Press reported that the head of the church’s own review board accused Rigali and his bishops of having “failed miserably at being open and transparent,” and said that most cases of abuse had been kept from the board
All the wonderful corporal works of mercy of the Church are meaningless if it looks the other way when innocent children are being sexually abused by its clergy.
The Archdiocese of the Philadelphia is known as the bastion of clericalism in the US Church. Only a complete house cleaning can achieve any healing. If rumors are correct and Denver Archbishop Chaput is being considered as Cardinal Ragali’s replacement we will know that the Dallas norms set in place in 2002 are worthless.
Others thought to be considered for the position are Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Atlanta, who would be the first African-American archbishop to become a cardinal,Archbishop Joseph Kurtz, of Louisville, Ky., and Bishop William Lori, of Bridgeport, Conn.
The Rainbow Sash Movement believes what is needed in the Philadelphia is total reform, and compliance at the very least with the 2002 Dallas norms. This is not a time for cosmetic repairs for a morally exhausted clerical system.
Jack Anderson
Rainbow Sash Movement
And you think that is likely to happen? I think it is business as usual amongst the hierarchy of the RCC. I think that anything they do is cosmetic and intended to buy time until the average Catholic tires of the whole scandal and forgets about it. I think that gay people who remain in the RCC are only fooling themselves and are in some respects complicit in perpetuating the virulent sexual dysfunction of the hierarchy, including the closeting of the pedophilia and, for that matter, the rampant homophobia amonst the hierarchy. Gay people need to come out of the RCC closet.