Media agenda regarding pope?

In a front-page AP article (Monday, April 5), the writer reported the words of Cardinal Sodano addressed to Pope Benedict at Easter Mass. He said, "Holy Father, on your side are the people of God, who do not allow themselves to be influenced by the petty gossip of the moment-" The writer then quoted Barbara Blaine of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. She said, "When we speak up and tell how our childhood innocence was shattered by sexual assaults by priests, it is not 'petty gossip.'"

The use of this statement in the article is typical of those who attempt to use the abuse to attack the Pope and the church. It is very obvious in context that the Cardinal was not referring to reports of the abuse itself, or its mishandling and cover-up, as petty gossip. Rather, he was referring to the way facts have been twisted to implicate the Holy Father in the scandal. If one would care to look at the facts, one would find that Pope Benedict has taken the abuses very seriously, has never attempted to cover them up, and has taken decisive action to stop them and to hold those involved accountable.

I expect that the members of the Survivors Network appreciate the anguish the pope has suffered because of the horrible actions of abuser priests, the compassion he has expressed and shown to the abused, and the decisive actions he has taken. Those in the media who accuse him or imply that he is part of the problem are not being truthful. Perhaps they are ignorant. Perhaps they have an agenda. It is time to put an end to both.

Barbara A. Smith

Naperville