Pope expresses 'sorrow' for abuse at residential schools

[moobu2]

Pope Benedict XVI expressed "sorrow" to a delegation from Canada's Assembly of First Nations on Wednesday over the abuse and "deplorable" treatment that aboriginal students suffered at residential schools run by the Roman Catholic Church.

In a statement, the Vatican said the Pope "offered his sympathy and prayerful solidarity" to those whose anguish was caused by some church members. The comments came during a private audience with the delegation, which included Assembly of First Nations Leader Phil Fontaine, aboriginal elders and residential school survivors.

During the meeting in the Vatican's Paul VI auditorium, which was also attended by Canadian Catholic Church representatives, the Pope emphasized that "acts of abuse cannot be tolerated in society," the statement said.

About 150,000 First Nations, Inuit and Métis children were taken from their families to attend the schools from as early as the 19th century to 1996. Most were run by missionaries from the Catholic, Anglican, Presbyterian and United churches.

LINK

[MADem]

1. Well, Legs Benedict, why don't you hoof it up there with a suitcase full of cash and express your

sorrow to those survivors tangibly? That'd be a start.

[skooooo]

2. Sorrow? Why not anger? nt

[ejpoeta]

3. his 'sorrow' is worth about as much as a bag of crap!

'sorrow' isn't going to make the families whole. it isn't going to change what happened to those kids. I make no bones about my feelings towards the catholic church, but there is nothing more egregious than the abuse of trust these people so flagrantly exhibit on so many levels. sometimes sorry is enough. sometmes feeling sorrow is enough. but it just doesn't seem to pay the piper anymore.

[CoffeeCat]

4. Words are cheap...

...and mean nothing--especially when this corrupt organization continues to abuse children.

My brother in law was sexually abused by a priest. Several other children stepped forward to
tell detailed accounts of abuse against this priest.

The Church's "sorrow" wasn't evident when their attorneys put these abuse survivors up on the
stand and proceeded to rip them to shreds. Sorrow? I don't think so!

Because my brother in law is a physician, the Church and their sleazy lawyers maintained that my
brother in law violated laws by not reporting the abuse earlier--because as a physician, he's a
mandatory reporter. Sorrow? Really now!

They also called my brother in law's wife to the stand and drilled her. Because my brother in law
was so ashamed of the abuse, he told no one. Including his wife. The Church and their lawyers
suggested that my brother in law was lying about the abuse--because if the abuse did happen, he would
have told his wife.

The Church abused children, knew they were abusing children and they covered it up for decades--then
denied it repeatedly after children came forward. They called the children liars. They say they're
sorry--but they continue to abuse the abuse victims by ripping them to shreds and calling them liars
to avoid accountability.

Sorrow? Sorry, I'm not buying it.

[knitter4democracy]

5. I realize it's Popespeak, but sorrow?!

Hey, Maledict, take off those Prada shoes and walk a mile in theirs for a bit, eh? Good Lord, that's such an amazingly callous and fatuous statement!!