Ordinary Catholics need to vent their anger over scandals

I am a cradle Catholic and, as such, I know that the Vatican moves with all the rapidity of molasses running uphill. In the case of the most recent child abuse scandal in Pennsylvania, exactly what is it going to take for Pope Francis to issue a papal bull stating that any priest accused of child molestation be turned over to the civil authorities for investigation for, if it warrants, prosecution to the fullest extent of the law?

The Vatican has been aware of priests molesting children for many years. This is not a recent occurrence by any means. Paying off the abused and moving priests from parish to parish should never have been the solution. Rome has finally run out of time, and it can no longer make the mistake of thinking it is above civil law.

It is my humble opinion that, given the tone of his recent letter, Pope Francis has no plans in the foreseeable future to change church law. Like his predecessors, he is paying lip service to this horrendous worldwide problem.

It has now become time for the people who occupy the pews each week to let their bishops and cardinals know that we want priests accused of molestation to be turned over to the civil authorities and to have these clerics put nonstop pressure on the pope to change canon law to reflect this. Public opinion along with faith can move mountains.