Der Spiegel skriver om Påvens tal i Bundestag och ger också korta referat av kommentarerna i andra tyska tidningar. Benediktus fick stående ovationer, men också kritik för att han inte tog upp problemen i Katolska kyrkan i sitt tal. Problem som i allra högsta grad drabbat de tyska katolikerna inte minst i form av omfattande sexuella övergrepp.
Personligen tycker jag att Süddeutsche Zeitung fångar Påvens dilemma bäst. Denne talade om hur viktigt det är med mänskliga rättigheter, likställdhet inför lagen i det sekulära samhället, men när ska detta gälla även i Katolska kyrkan?
”The pope’s speech was an attempt to return fundamental and human rights to Christendom — an attempt at reconciliation with the Enlightenment.”
”His references to the ’equality of all people before the law’ and the ’constitutional state’ were worth noting … But what’s spectacular is what must arise from the pope’s commitment — the application of these rights within the Church! This question remained open in the speech, but it cannot stay that way. It involves the position of women and laypeople in the Church; it involves the hierarchy. If Benedict acknowledges fundamental and human rights, he can’t neglect what’s happening in his own Church.”
http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,788048,00.html
Men man får vara glad åt att Påven kanske i alla fall börjat tänka i banorna att alla människor har lika värde i Katolska kyrkan inte bara i teorin utan också i praktiken.
Anneli Magnusson
John L Allen Jr skriver på NCR
”On day two of his Sept. 22-25 trip to Germany, Pope Benedict XVI met a small group of victims of clerical sexual abuse. It was the pope’s sixth such meeting, after encountering victims during previous trips to the United States, Australia, Malta and the United Kingdom, as well as a meeting with Canadian ”first nations” victims in Rome.
The following is a Vatican statement released after the meeting, as well as a release from the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests in response to the meeting.
Vatican Press Statement
This evening, in the seminary at Erfurt, Pope Benedict XVI met with a group of victims of sexual abuse committed by priests and church personnel. Subsequently he greeted some people who care for those injured by these crimes.
Moved and deeply shaken by the sufferings of the victims, the Holy Father expressed his deep compassion and regret over all that was done to them and their families. He assured the people present that those in positions of responsibility in the Church are seriously concerned to deal with all crimes of abuse and are committed to the promotion of effective measures for the protection of children and young people. Pope Benedict XVI is close to the victims and he expresses the hope that the merciful God, Creator and Redeemer of all mankind, may heal the wounds of the victims and grant them inner peace.
From the Vatican, 23 September 2011.
SNAP Statement
Statement by Emmanuel Henckens of Belgium, member of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests:
The Pope’s visit will make a handful of wounded individuals feel better for a while. We applaud the victims for having the courage and compassion to try and make a difference.
But the pope’s meeting will do nothing to stop priests from molesting kids or bishops from concealing crimes.
The meeting will be one more nice but ultimately meaningless gesture from a man who could easily protect kids but refuses to do so, and who acts like ”God’s Rottweiler” with dissident theologians but a calm pussycat with complicit bishops and predatory clerics.”
http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/pope-meets-abuse-victims-germany
Anneli