Thousands Show Up To Support Beleaguered Pope

By Francis X. Rocca
Religion News Service

VATICAN CITY (RNS) More than 150,000 people filled St. Peter's Square on Sunday (May 16), to show support for Pope Benedict XVI after months of controversy over clergy sex abuse.

The unusually high turnout, which the Vatican estimated at 200,000, came in spite of unseasonably rainy and chilly weather. Buses and trains organized by a consortium of Italian Catholic groups brought people from all over Italy to hear the pope's weekly recitation of the Regina Coeli prayer.

Banners hanging around the square bore slogans such as "Together with the pope."

Benedict has been the target of charges that, as an archbishop and cardinal, he personally mishandled cases of pedophile priests. Organizers portrayed Sunday's event not as a reaction to outside attacks, but as a gesture of solidarity with the pope's efforts to purify the church.

Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, president of the Italian bishops conference, offered a prayer for sex abuse victims shortly before the pope's appearance.

Benedict, echoing remarks he made a few days earlier, emphasized the church's responsibility for the crisis over clerical sex abuse.

"The real enemy to be feared and fought is sin, spiritual evil," Benedict said, "which at times, unfortunately, also infects members of the church."

Comments

[rview]

04:43 AM on 05/27/2010

Crazy! Homosexuality seems to be rampant in the RCC. First they speak out against it then then go after children! If the priest are going to commit to celebacy then they should just just get neutered so we don't have this problem. Can you imagine the suffering of the victim and their families. I can't imagine. What a betrayal. It's a betrayal of the worst kind to followers and to everyone else who have looked to priests as a sources of goodness. Crimes against children is the absolute worst kind of crime. The RCC needs to pay restitution to all the victims and needs to be policed carefully going forward. Otherwise they should be shut down. If this has been going on this long it must have been attracting the worst kinds of predators.. No other institution would get away with this. Just crazy.

[naschkatze]

05:07 PM on 05/18/2010

Is that a high turnout for St. Peter's Square? I thought it could hold up to a half million. Must have been every resident and employee of Vatican City required to turnout.

[Mike169]

04:29 PM on 05/18/2010

Well if Catholics want to know why their church is in such a mess it's because of those blindly following it's "leaders".

[sunshine14]

03:05 PM on 05/18/2010

Remember Jesus preached to all sinners. Jesus died and preached to the heathens, pagans, the Jews, the Romans, Nazis today died for all. For all are sinners. God is not going to ask us on judgment day are you this or that. But God tols us already what he will ask on judgment day.

How much have you loved me?
When I was hungry, did you feed -me-?
When I was sick, did you care for me?
When I was lonely, did you comfort me?
When I was in prison did you visit me?
When I had no place to lay my head, did you take me in?
When I was naked to you cloth me?
Not going to ask us, where is your gun?
Where is your flag pin?
Where is your flag?
Where is your gold?
How many homes do you own?
How much money do you have in the bank?

[muscleboundH]

06:03 PM on 05/18/2010

I think Jesus was set up. See, he IS a legal citizen but when the AZ cops stopped him he only had a gov't I.D. on him. The cops took his I.D. and tossed it so they could make an example out of him. They just don't like Jesus because he doesn't look "American". SO he sits in jail waiting for the 2nd coming of his attorney and the day he might be set free to live freely again.

[sunshine14]

02:57 PM on 05/18/2010

My opinion remember thou Jesus message also. those who judge others by the laws will also be judged under the laws also. What ever measures we usem the same measures will also be used against us. For the laws of God given, do not save us, but codem us all. Jesus said, I did not come to change one tittle of the laws of Moses, but add a new one, even a harder one, Love your enemies, as I have -loved- you. We were all Jesus enemies, for we also have broken the laws of Moses, each one of us. For love is the fulfillment of all the laws of Moses now. For it was love who saves us now, God's infinite mercy given to all. But sin no more.

[DevonTexas]

02:50 PM on 05/18/2010

Are you confusing "beleagured" with "self-guilt"?

[sunshine14]

02:44 PM on 05/18/2010

no mere mortal man is to be worshiped as a god. Even the Pope will be judged was not Moses also? Was not Abraham, told was found to be righteous, Noah, was also found to be righteous, Shepherds will be judged, whether a good shepherd or not. All will be judged each one of us also.

[LintLass]

01:55 PM on 05/18/2010

Oh, the poor 'beleaguered' man on a throne passing out intolerance and *sniff* Getting caught at the head of the massive coverup.....

*He's* 'beleaguered? I can think of a few people he's been beleaguering a lot more for a lot longer.

[whiskeytangofoxtrot451]

12:27 PM on 05/18/2010

Name another profession where parents would leave their child alone with a 40+ year old unmarried man who wears a dress to work.

[DevonTexas]

02:50 PM on 05/18/2010

uh... Drag Queen Child Care?

[kwinter]

11:58 AM on 05/18/2010

" ... offered a prayer for sex abuse victims shortly before the pope's appearance."

Yeah, that makes sense ... get out and physically (and monetarily) support a guy who aided and abetted the abusers ... while only paying lip service to the victims.

[Moshe]

11:12 AM on 05/18/2010

Have fun (but you might want to keep a close watch on your kids).

[alsm9]

10:00 AM on 05/18/2010

Shame on them all.

[Lordsuhn]

09:42 AM on 05/18/2010

Sad deluded sheep.

[bigmacha]

09:09 AM on 05/18/2010

Better they show him (and the rest of these hypocrites) the door.

[Clevelandinwi]

08:54 AM on 05/18/2010

Wow! The 'turnout committee' must have worked all night! Why do Catholics support this guy? Do they realize how bad they look doing this?

[PWM]

09:38 AM on 05/18/2010

They sacrifice their reason for faith. Faith is wanting to believe what is not true.