The Pope apologized for the sexual abuse scandal saying, We beg forgiveness from God and from the persons involved, promising to do everything possible to ensure such abuse will never happen again.
For crimes against God one merely has to ask forgiveness and God who is all merciful will forgive, but crimes against people even God can not forgive. Jewish Law provides some guidance in how to achieve forgiveness from the individual by confronting the victim directly and specifically enumerating the crimes perpetrated by the priest.
The victim has the right to refuse the apology causing the perpetrator to do further introspection and after waiting an appropriate amount of time asking again for forgiveness; after three attempts the perpetration is not required to ask again.
A public show of apology can be helpful in the process, but without direct negotiations with each individual victim the public apology is only a vain display of arrogance. The Church fearing humiliation wants to apologize then move on, but this systemic thousand year problem of priests abusing children requires major change not a general apology.
One of the commandments common to all people in the world is the protection of animals–children are compared to animals because they are defenseless, easily manipulated and hurt. If the individual does not forgive the Church neither will God–as a result the Church will fall and die.
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