Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Pope Marks 5th Anniversary Amid Criticism from American Catholics


From PBS

JEFFREY BROWN: Next: American Catholics respond to the troubles of their church.

At the Vatican today, Pope Benedict XVI celebrated his fifth anniversary as pontiff with a private lunch with cardinals. The official Vatican newspaper reported the pope spoke of the church as a -- quote -- "wounded sinner," words that came as he and the church continue to face criticism around the world for the way they have handled the sexual abuse cases.

NewsHour correspondent Tom Bearden looks at how Catholics in the Denver area are reacting.

TOM BEARDEN: Gwyn Green grew up Catholic, attended Catholic schools through college, and considered priests and nuns her friends. She goes to church regularly...

GWYN GREEN, churchgoer: The first reading is from the Acts of the Apostles, chapter nine, verses one through 20.

TOM BEARDEN: ... but not to a Catholic Church. This is Saint Joseph Episcopal Church in suburban Denver. She says she made that decision because she believes the Catholic hierarchy deliberately covered up the fact that priests were abusing children.

GWYN GREEN: I know I am not the only person who feels betrayed by the hierarchy. And I am certainly not the only person who feels they can no longer attend mass. And I would say that I feel like I'm in exile. That's exactly how I feel. It's very hard, because I love my church.

More here-

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/religion/jan-june10/denver_04-19.html

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