Easter Mass becomes papal pep rally in Rome

[marmar]

Easter Mass becomes papal pep rally in Rome
By FRANCES D'EMILIO (AP) – 1 hour ago


VATICAN CITY — Easter Sunday Mass in St. Peter's Square, the Catholic church's most joyous celebration, began with a senior cardinal defending Pope Benedict XVI from what he called "petty gossip" and hailing him for "unfailing" leadership and courage.

But the pontiff himself ignored accusations that he perpetuated a climate of cover-up for pedophile priests, even as sex abuse scandals threatened to overshadow his papacy.

The ringing tribute by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of the College of Cardinals, at the start of a Mass attended by tens of thousands of faithful, marked an unusual departure from the Vatican's Easter rituals, infusing the tradition-steeped religious ceremony with an air of a papal pep rally.

Sodano's praise for Benedict as well as the church's 400,000 priests worldwide cranked up a vigorous campaign by the Holy See to counter what it calls a "vile" smear operation orchestrated by anti-Vatican media aimed at weakening the papacy and its moral authority.

The pontiff and many bishops have been assailed by accusations from victims of clergy sexual abuse that Benedict helped shape and perpetuate a climate of cover-up toward the crimes against children in parishes, schools, orphanages and other church-run institutions. ..........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hin7j5X-DUbfHrWw9x-gHVZ0DiIAD9ESCU780

[Webster Green]

1. A pep rally for pedophilia?

Lovely! :crazy:

[no_hypocrisy]

2. Oh Jesus . . . .

Literally and figuratively

[Individualist]

3. Jesus wept

[Faygo Kid]

4. Worst pope of my lifetime.

I thought Pope Paul VI was bad, but this guy is ridiculous.

The best of my lifetime was Pope John XXIII; props to to John Paul II, as well (John Paul I would have been a good one, too).

Since I have never been a Catholic, I feel entitled to rate them.

[monmouth]

5. IMO you've rated them correctly. Pope John XXIII was wonderful and

JP II.