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Monday, February 11, 2013

Pope, Who Oversaw Sex Abuse Files, Resigns

UPDATE #2:  Alex Gibney just posted this at Facebook, seems kind of apt in a way:  "Grim Reminder: LA's Cardinal Mahony, who did so much to shield sex abusers, is part of conclave to elect new Pope. http://t.co/aHcDbftf . "


UPDATE #1:  Pope Benedict suddenly resigns, citing ill health or advancing age or something.  Can only wish it was due to movie (below) airing last week.  Prison too much to ask for, I guess. Movie repeated on HBO at different times this month. Was hoping Vatican would simply say, "The Pope is resigning to spend more time with his family...of priest abuse files."

Earlier:  Great Alex "Busiest Man in Film Business" Gibney doc aired on HBO tonight (watch for repeats) on priest sex abuse scandals, focusing on one involving hundreds of deaf boys at a Wisconsin school--but equally tough on Cardinal "You Dirty" Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict) and even Pope John Paul.   Andrew Sullivan, still somehow an avid Catholic, hails it here. It also looks at the scandal spreading to Ireland, Italy and elsewhere, plus most-favored-abuser status granted to one particular highly-connected Vatican fundraiser.   Secrets in archives (overseen by Ratzinger as cardinal) must come out.

1 comment:

Laurence Glavin said...

A Pope's resignation causes a bit of a conundrum for Holy Mother Church. When a Pope resigns, is he still infallible? If so, is his successor ALSO infallible. what would happen if they disagree? If a pope's infallibility disappears like Samson's strength once you cut his hair, and it takes a month or two to elect and install his successor, does this mean that for the time period involved, NOBODY ON EARTH IS INFALLIBLE!