THE VATICAN’S MIXED MESSAGES

The Vatican has been under heavy criticism recently following the revelation of multiple sexual abuse cases involving priests and young boys that were kept quiet for the sake of the church.  But instead of appearing remorseful, the church has presented mixed messages with one church official recently going on the defensive and blaming the sexual scandal on gays.

Gay rights groups are literally up in arms over comments made by a senior Vatican official who says homosexuality is the link to child abuse.  Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, who also serves as the Vatican’s Secretary of State, wanted to downplay the church’s longstanding rule of celibacy as  a possible cause for child sexual abuse, but instead wanted to scapegoat gays as the reason. In his comments made during a news conference while on an official visit to Chile, Bertone said: “Many psychologists, many psychiatrists have demonstrated that there is no relationship between celibacy and pedophilia but many others have demonstrated, I was told recently, that there is a relationship between homosexuality and pedophilia.”  HUH???

In light of those words and recent missteps on the part of the Vatican, Pope Benedict himself went to Malta and tearfully met with several abuse victims yesterday, promising that the church is doing “all in its power” to bring the guilty to justice and protect the young.  “It was emotional. Everybody cried,” said 37-year-old Lawrence Grech, who was victimized as a child.  The meeting, announced only after it had finished, was Benedict’s first gesture of atonement since a new wave of sexual abuse scandals swept over Catholicism in recent months.