Pope and Vatican are complicit in Catholic priest scandal

In the Catholic priest scandal, Pope Francis and the Vatican are complicit. The pope has the power to hold all offending bishops and cardinals responsible for their actions and inaction. Rarely has he done so. He scuttled a plan to create a tribunal to discipline errant bishops. While he decries the abuse and advocates forgiveness, he offers no meaningful solutions.

Furthermore, he has the audacity to shift the blame from himself to the everyday Catholics for holding their priests in high regard. What nonsense. Is he advocating that the faithful just choose to have less respect for their clergy? Is he suggesting that the faithful no longer address priests as “father”?

Lay Catholics are quite powerless. With the statute of limitations for sexual abuse, the law is powerless as well. The grand jury in Pennsylvania recommended that victims be able to sue the church. This would get the attention of bishops, cardinals, the Vatican and the pope.

The Catholic Church needs money to operate. Although jail time is warranted, is there a more efficient remedy than the threat of serious fiscal consequences to the Catholic Church?