"What in God's name is Pope Francis doing?"

As reported in The Boston Globe:

"What in God’s name is Pope Francis, a Jesuit, doing? Does he understand the outrage of parents worldwide at rampant priest child abuse? Pressures beyond Vatican control, as I discuss in detail below, can be expected soon to compel much more severe changes if Francis fails to act now effectively and transparently both to curtail child abuse and to make the hierarchy, including himself, accountable to independent Catholic oversight.

This governmental pressure has already begun to be applied with respect to Vatican finances, as a result of the continuing European investigations of multiple misdeeds involving both the Vatican Bank and the Vatican’s own significant portfolio assets, as well as with respect to the investigation of the child abuse scandal by the remarkable Australian Royal Commission investing child abuse in organizations, including the Catholic Church.

Prospects worldwide for criminal prosecutions of Catholic Church officials have seemingly caused the Vatican to focus on overdue reforms in ways that earlier financial penalties and even shameful publicity had rarely done, but has Pope Francis and his advisers yet gotten enough of the message? One must be skeptical here.

And now former US President Carter has called on Catholics to push for real Church changes, while renowned UK international human rights lawyer, Geoffrey Robertson, QC, has on CNN boldly called for the UK to set up a comprehensive national sex abuse investigation commission like Australia has already done. Will the UK do so? Very likely, in my view. Will the USA follow."

Not long ago, speaking to a papal audience, Pope Francis  asked people to think about how they approach the Mass and what difference it makes in their lives and the lives of their parishes.

Do you go to Mass because it's a habit or a time to see your friends? the pope asked. "Or is it something more?"

"When we go to Mass, we find ourselves with all sorts of people," the pope said. "Does the Eucharist we celebrate lead me to consider all of them as brothers and sisters? Does it increase my ability to rejoice when they do and to weep with those who weep?"

Pope Francis told those present that, "it's not enough to say one loves Jesus; it must be shown in love for those he loved."

There are many who view Pope Francis' decision to appoint Rev. Robert J. Geisinger to be his chief prosecutor of serious church law violations, including child sexual abuse to be utterly insensitive and even despicable.  This because the Jesuit was himself one of several Catholic officials who allowed a notorious abusive priest to remain in ministry for years after learning of his long history of sexual abuses, legal documents show.

It's not enough to say that one loves Jesus.  Our love must be shown in love for those He loves.  Amen Pope Francis. Perhaps you could set the example here by offering more than lip service to the victims of sexual abuse?

We pray.

See here.