They Must Resign

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/02/16/ireland-abuse-meetings.html

The Pope’s condemnation of the Irish clergy sex abuse is not enough. Any member of the clergy who was complicit in covering up the abuse must resign. It’s clear that the Vatican doesn’t function within the realms of the real world. A leader of any self-respecting organization would immediately fire employees who had been involved in covering up a crime (unless of course they too were involved in the crime). The Pope seems to feel that is sufficient to simply say a few words about how these actions offend God. Is it too much to ask for the Vatican to release an official statement condemning all forms of sex-abuse and a promise to stop offering protection to known sex-offenders in the Church? The clergy members involved in the cover up should be stripped of their title and left for the mob.

Time and time again we are told that the Church is an institution that can provide people with the necessary morals to function in society. While I disagree with this argument, there are many who feel this to be true. The result of this feeling is that people come to trust the Church to believe in its power to do good. Any action, such as sex abuse and a cover up only undermines the argument that the Church is a force for good. It seems the Vatican hasn’t fully grasped that idea. Well I do enjoy seeing stories like this emerge, that expose the Vatican and the Church for the corrupted institution that it truly is I am reminded that there are real victims behind these scandals. If the Church was serious about becoming a force for good then they would work towards making themselves a legitimate institution that protects the people who have come to it for guidance. It would be the best of both worlds, the Church could improve its’ imagine and no more children would have to suffer at the hands of the clergy. Of course, that seems like the optimistic view. The other scenario is that inaction on the part of the Vatican leadership will lead to more scandals in the future. Overtime, awareness of the Church’s misdeeds will destroy any remaining legitimacy of this out-dated institution.