Papal apology

Is it just me or does everyone wonder why the Pope doesn’t just apologise already?

It’s a terrible blight on the Catholic Church that members of the clergy have been guilty of abusing children and adults – making a mockery of everything they preach and worst of all, eroding peoples faith in the church and in God.

I guess the nature of an apology is that it’s worthless – unless the receiver is ready to accept it.

For me, the most impressive thing about Kevin Rudd’s apology to the Stolen Generation this year, was the spirit in which it was received. After years of acrimony – Australia’s indigenous community accepted the apology with dignity and grace.

Maybe the Pope and his many advisers are still trying to gauge the mood in Australia – an apology rejected as 'inadequate' would just damage the standing of the church even further.

There's no doubt the church is still coming to terms with how to deal with victims and their quest for compensation.

More importantly, I think there is still some way to go in terms of how it treats the perpetrators of abuse. To date, the hierarchy of the church, has treated abusers with far more respect than they deserve.

And finally just one point ….I make no apology for any sex abuser - but I think it's sad that we lump all Catholic priests into the same category.

More than 80 thousand Catholic Clergy have served the Australian people in the past hundred years. They've built schools, fed the homeless, comforted the bereft and given guidance and security to thousands.

All churches in Australia are worth a lot more than a headline.