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Church in the World Abuse scandal dominates Malta tripRobert Mickens - 24 April 2010 Pope Benedict XVI has held his third private meeting with victims of sexual abuse by Catholic priests while making a brief pastoral visit to the Mediterranean archipelago of Malta. A Vatican statement said the Pope expressed his “shame and sorrow” for the victims’ suffering and promised them that the Church was doing all in its power to investigate allegations, to bring to justice those responsible for abuse and to implement effective measures designed to safeguard young people in the future.
The meeting was held on Sunday afternoon at the papal nunciature in Malta. Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi said the Pope met eight men who had been abused; he prayed with them and was “deeply moved by their stories”. One of the victims told reporters afterwards that he had seen the Pope’s eyes well up with tears. The Vatican statement said that the Pope prayed that all the victims of abuse would experience healing and reconciliation, enabling them to move forward with renewed hope.
The sexual-abuse crisis and the victims’ meeting dominated media coverage of the papal visit, which was meant to mark the 1,950th anniversary of St Paul’s shipwreck on Malta, as recounted in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 27-28). Pope Benedict sought to encourage the staunchly Catholic nation to resist the tides of secularism and hold fast to the Church. He was greeted by large and enthusiastic crowds throughout his brief stay.
On arrival late last Saturday, Pope Benedict said Malta had “contributed so much to the defence of Christianity by land and by sea” in past centuries and still played a valuable role in the ongoing debates on European identity, culture and policy.
He urged the country not to change its existing laws that “stand up for the indissolubility of marriage” and do not recognise civil unions or abortion. While paying a courtesy visit to the presidential palace in the capital, Valletta, on Saturday, he was serenaded outside by a crowd of primary school children who sang “O happy day” and “Happy birthday”, the Pope having turned 83 the previous day.
At an outdoor Sunday Mass for tens of thousands of people, Pope Benedict urged Malta’s Catholics to resist the temptation to turn away from God and the Church and look for answers to all their problems in technology. “Not everything that today’s world proposes is worthy of acceptance by the people of Malta,” he said. “Many voices try to persuade us to put aside our faith in God and his Church, and to choose for ourselves the values and beliefs by which to live,” he added. Pope Benedict also paid a visit to the cave where tradition holds that St Paul lived during his time in Malta, and he held a large rally with young people.
During his departure speech on Sunday evening Pope Benedict appealed to the international and European communities to help Malta aid African immigrants and refugees and to ensure that their rights be respected. He said the difficulties created by migration could not be solved by any country of first arrival on its own.
It was Pope Benedict’s fourteenth international journey since his election to the papacy and his eighth within Europe.
Church in the World Abuse scandal dominates Malta tripRobert Mickens - 24 April 2010 Pope Benedict XVI has held his third private meeting with victims of sexual abuse by Catholic priests while making a brief pastoral visit to the Mediterranean archipelago of Malta. A Vatican statement said the Pope expressed his “shame and sorrow” for the victims’ suffering and promised them that the Church was doing all in its power to investigate allegations, to bring to justice those responsible for abuse and to implement effective measures designed to safeguard young people in the future.
The meeting was held on Sunday afternoon at the papal nunciature in Malta. Vatican spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi said the Pope met eight men who had been abused; he prayed with them and was “deeply moved by their stories”. One of the victims told reporters afterwards that he had seen the Pope’s eyes well up with tears. The Vatican statement said that the Pope prayed that all the victims of abuse would experience healing and reconciliation, enabling them to move forward with renewed hope.
The sexual-abuse crisis and the victims’ meeting dominated media coverage of the papal visit, which was meant to mark the 1,950th anniversary of St Paul’s shipwreck on Malta, as recounted in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 27-28). Pope Benedict sought to encourage the staunchly Catholic nation to resist the tides of secularism and hold fast to the Church. He was greeted by large and enthusiastic crowds throughout his brief stay.
On arrival late last Saturday, Pope Benedict said Malta had “contributed so much to the defence of Christianity by land and by sea” in past centuries and still played a valuable role in the ongoing debates on European identity, culture and policy.
He urged the country not to change its existing laws that “stand up for the indissolubility of marriage” and do not recognise civil unions or abortion. While paying a courtesy visit to the presidential palace in the capital, Valletta, on Saturday, he was serenaded outside by a crowd of primary school children who sang “O happy day” and “Happy birthday”, the Pope having turned 83 the previous day.
At an outdoor Sunday Mass for tens of thousands of people, Pope Benedict urged Malta’s Catholics to resist the temptation to turn away from God and the Church and look for answers to all their problems in technology. “Not everything that today’s world proposes is worthy of acceptance by the people of Malta,” he said. “Many voices try to persuade us to put aside our faith in God and his Church, and to choose for ourselves the values and beliefs by which to live,” he added. Pope Benedict also paid a visit to the cave where tradition holds that St Paul lived during his time in Malta, and he held a large rally with young people.
During his departure speech on Sunday evening Pope Benedict appealed to the international and European communities to help Malta aid African immigrants and refugees and to ensure that their rights be respected. He said the difficulties created by migration could not be solved by any country of first arrival on its own.
It was Pope Benedict’s fourteenth international journey since his election to the papacy and his eighth within Europe.
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In this week’s issue
Back to basics
Faith and unity through diversity
Holy hearts that know how to adore
Lifetimes of service
For the halt and the lame
Tablet Education
A heart-warming tail
Goodwin the scapegoat
Elena Curti
The pain of being a coeliac Catholic
Sr M, guest contributor
Why the Benedictine family will survive
Christopher Lamb
Prayer for Queen's Diamond Jubilee
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The Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral has written a prayer for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee which will be used at the cathedral's service of thanksgiving on 5 June. The Archbishops of ...
Beware suspicion, inertia and impatience
Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor on the 'enemies of ecumenism'
Two memorable events in my thirty-five years of being a bishop have been the visits of successive Popes here to our country. First of all, Pope John Paul came thirty years ago this ...
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