Pope Benedict XVI renews condemnation of child sex abuse

Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday renewed his condemnation of the evil of child sex abuse, saying all institutions, without exception, should be held to exacting standards in the protection of children and young people. The Holy Father made his remarks during a special audience with the US Catholic bishops of region II, who are here in Rome for their ad limina visits. Three major areas of focus dominated Pope Benedict XVI’s remarks on Saturday to the US Catholic bishops of Region II – which comprises New York state. The first was the renewal of the Church’s condemnation of child sexual abuse and her commitment to protecting children and young people…

It is my hope that the Church’s conscientious efforts to confront this reality will help the broader community to recognize the causes, true extent and devastating consequences of sexual abuse, and to respond effectively to this scourge which affects every level of society. By the same token, just as the Church is rightly held to exacting standards in this regard, all other institutions, without exception, should be held to the same standards.

The Holy Father also discussed the urgent need for a new evangelization, promising to offer the Bishops a number of reflections on the theme in the coming months, before going on to express concern for what he called the grave challenges to a consistent Christian witness presented by an increasingly secularized society. Noting that many of the bishops themselves shared this concern with him, Pope Benedict went on to say that these concerns are wrapped up in the broader issue of the very future of the experiment with ordered liberty in society…

I consider it significant, however, that there is also an increased sense of concern on the part of many men and women, whatever their religious or political views, for the future of our democratic societies. They see a troubling breakdown in the intellectual, cultural and moral foundations of social life, and a growing sense of dislocation and insecurity, especially among the young, in the face of wide-ranging societal changes. Despite attempts to still the Church’s voice in the public square, many people of good will continue to look to her for wisdom, insight and sound guidance in meeting this far-reaching crisis.

Pope Benedict went on to tell the bishops that the present moment can thus be seen, in positive terms, as a summons to exercise the prophetic dimension of their episcopal ministry by speaking out, humbly yet insistently, in defense of moral truth, and offering a word of hope, capable of opening hearts and minds to the truth that sets us free.

Here I cannot fail to express my appreciation of the real progress which the American Bishops have made, individually and as a Conference, in responding to these issues and in working together to articulate a common pastoral vision, the fruits of which can be seen, for example, in your recent documents on faithful citizenship and on the institution of marriage. The importance of these authoritative expressions of your shared concern for the authenticity of the Church’s life and witness in your country should be evident to all.

Pope Benedict also touched on the implementation of the new English translation of the Roman Missal, which begins in full this weekend. Noting that a weakened sense of the meaning and importance of Christian worship can only lead to a weakened sense of the specific and essential vocation of the laity to imbue the temporal order with the spirit of the Gospel, the Holy Father went on to note America’s proud tradition of respect for the Sabbath, saying that this legacy needs to be consolidated as a summons to the service of God’s Kingdom and the renewal of the social fabric in accordance with its unchanging truth. Listen