Article Response #11

Pope Francis sorry for upsetting abuse victims



24 minutes ago

Pope Francis has apologised for remarks he made last week in Chile defending a bishop accused of covering up sexual abuse.

He said he realised his words hurt many, but repeated his belief that Chilean Bishop Juan Barros was innocent.

Francis was speaking to journalists on board a plane flying back to Rome.

Last week, he had said that victims who had accused Bishop Barros were committing slander.

The Pope was openly criticised by Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston, who said he left victims of sexual abuse committed by priests feeling abandoned.

"I apologise to them if I hurt them without realising it, but it was a wound that I inflicted without meaning to," said the Pope on Monday, as quoted by Reuters news agency. "It pains me very much."

Protesters want action, not words

By Jane Chambers, BBC News in Santiago

Protesters in Chile are not impressed with the Pope's apology. They say it is unfair that he is choosing to believe the bishop over victims.

Juan Carlos Claret is the spokesperson for the parishioners of Osorno, who have repeatedly asked for the bishop's resignation.

Reacting to the Pope's recent comments, he said: "The Pope is now saying that he refused the bishop's resignation twice because he thinks that [it] will show that he is guilty. That makes the Pope responsible for the misery that we are suffering."

He added: "[The Pope] asks for evidence, but the victims have testified - isn't that enough for him? He apologises to us but now we need to see action. Sorry isn't good enough. Barros must resign."

Across the country, a cartoon - by Chilean satirist Guillo - is now circulating through social media. It shows the Pope saying, "To believe in us you have to have faith. But if you want us to believe in you - you must bring me evidence".

What is the controversy about?

In 2010, Father Karadima was publicly accused of molesting several teenaged boys in the capital, Santiago, starting in the 1980s.

After the Vatican found him guilty, he was sentenced to a lifetime of "penance and prayer".

He never faced criminal prosecution in Chile as too much time had passed, but the judge who heard victims' testimony in a year-long investigation described them as "truthful and reliable".

The Pope has been criticised for appointing Bishop Barros as bishop of Osorno, in south-central Chile, in 2015. The consecration ceremony had to be cut short over protests in the cathedral.

How did this affect his latest trip?

The Pope was greeted with protests in Santiago, with demonstrators insisting the bishop should not hold his role.

Francis also met victims of sexual abuse by priests in the country. He cried with them and said he felt "pain and shame" over the scandal.

URL:  http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-42780327 

My Response:
• Audience- The  intended audience is of the is the people of Rome, and for the rest of the country trying to end a chain of confusion to a controversial issue.


• Bias-  There is some bias going towards the news agency who is trying to falsely state, and agree with protesters that the pope was in the wrong, with no acctually proof. vs the bias that is showing the compassion and love of the pope and his intention was falsely accused of.


• Purpose- I feel that the purpose of this article was to clear out any rumors and for the pope to address to his people that he did not mean anything wrong by what he said.

• Opinion/ connections- In my opinion, i believe that the pope did a make a very bad mistake and in the future he should be sure to know all the details before he quickly applies "consequences" and i do believe that he should eave duty mostly because of history popes had not had news happening that may be negative, and i find it surprising that he is the first of many and as pope he should not care about controversies and rather on the job that he wanted and said. He also stated that he would take care of his people but with what has already happened in his reign as pope he's not relly doing that but rather causing a rift between his people.