Pope Benedict and the Clergy Abuse Scandal

Here's stunning news: Pope Benedict isn't proud of the clergy sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic Church.

In a way, I'm glad the media jumped on this while the Pope was on the plane to America. Maybe they got it out of their system, though I'd be surprised if the scandal isn't somehow tucked into every report on the Pope's visit to America.

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE -- Traveling on his first papal journey to the United States, Pope Benedict XVI confronted the clergy sex abuse scandal, saying Tuesday that he was "deeply ashamed" of the problem and vowing to keep pedophiles out of the priesthood.

Benedict had only begun his six-day journey when he addressed sex abuse, the most painful issue for the Roman Catholic Church in the U.S.

The American church has paid more than $2 billion in costs related to the scandal since 1950 — the majority of that in just the last six years.

"It is a great suffering for the church in the United States and for the church in general and for me personally that this could happen," Benedict said. "It is difficult for me to understand how it was possible that priests betray in this way their mission ... to these children."

"I am deeply ashamed and we will do what is possible so this cannot happen again in the future," the pope said on the flight from Rome to Washington, speaking in English as he responded to questions submitted by reporters ahead of time.

Benedict pledged that pedophiles would not be priests in the Catholic Church.

"We will absolutely exclude pedophiles from the sacred ministry," Benedict said. "It is more important to have good priests than many priests. We will do everything possible to heal this wound."

The pope's promise failed to mollify advocates for abuse victims, however. They said the problem is not just molester priests, but bishops and other church authorities who have let errant clergymen continue to serve even after repeated allegations.

"It's easy and tempting to continually focus on the pedophile priests themselves," said Peter Isely, a board member of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. "It's harder but crucial to focus on the broader problem — complicity in the rest of the church hierarchy."

The sexual abuse of children is a heinous crime.

It was inexcusable of the Church of the shuffle around abusive priests rather than report them to authorities.

A criminal is a criminal.

The Holy Father is personally bearing the shame and vowing to cleanse the Church of pedophiles.

The Church has paid out more than $2 billion. Abuse victims still aren't satisfied. When will they get enough?

The Milwaukee Archdiocese is cutting 37 jobs to "wring out $1 million in cost savings and close a $3 million budget deficit."

"We worry about the many services and ministry areas that appear to be cut, while we place our faith in God's promise of new growth and new life that will result from the 'pruning.' And that takes faith," [Archbishop Timothy] Dolan said in the letter.

He also did not side-step the cause of the budget problems facing the archdiocese.

"We are frustrated that money is tight and we have to make these cuts," he said. "This is heightened because we know it is caused largely by the financial impact from the actions of those priests who sexually abused minors."

The archdiocese is under financial strain as it pays off a loan incurred to cover about $4.6 million of its $8.25 million portion of a nearly $17 million settlement of 10 sexual abuse lawsuits in California in 2006.

Services and ministries are being hampered because of the high price the Church is paying for the actions of a few criminals.

Yes, the abusive priests and nuns were inexcusably protected by the Church. I don't object to victims bringing lawsuits. The enormous cost of the settlements is fitting punishment. I am in no way excusing or diminishing the severity of the crimes of the abusers or the Church's botched handling of the matter.

But when will the abuse victims be satisfied that justice has been served?

I see no end in sight.

Perhaps Pope Benedict can crawl on broken glass to meet with the still angry victims. Would that make things better?

I doubt it.