The Catholic Church has been sweeping dirt under the rug for centuries now. It’s high time they stopped doing so. “We must look this monster in the face without fear if we really want to conquer it”, said a Vatican spokesman. The testimonies of many victims of clergy sexual abuse will be seen and heard during this summit, people whose lives have been literally destroyed by priests and bishops who were supposed to protect them. After covering up hundreds of abusers for ages, at last the Church has apparently decided to take the bull by the horns and admit its responsibility, as well as prevent new cases in the future. By the way, I’ve always wondered: why can’t clerical celibacy be optional and not compulsoty? I read somewhere that celibacy was imposed in the 11th century, partly to prevent descendants of priests inheriting church property.  Why not look into that matter instead of blindly accepting it as a dogma, without further discussion? I do hope this Vatican summit is not another “mise en scène”, “pour la gallerie”.  We won’t get fooled again …

Published on Buenos Aires Times