The Trouble with the Pope: challenging my own preconceptions Peter Tatchell Media guardian.co.uk
• Peter Tatchell presents, The Trouble with the Pope, Channel 4, Monday 13 September at 8pm
Monday, September 13, 2010
Sherrie Eugene Hart: questions for the Pope??
Bristol-based TV broadcaster and presenter Sherrie Eugene-Hart will play a leading role when the Pope comes to London later this month, leading in prayer a large crowd plus all those watching on TV ('TVs Sherrie to lead prayers with the Pope', Post 13 Sept). I wonder if she shares the deep concerns that many Catholics and people in general have on issues of equality and human rights? I've written a letter to the local paper along the lines of this blog post, inspired by the work of Peter Tatchell on this issue (see link below and The Trouble with the Pope, Channel 4, tonight, 13 Sept, 8PM). Sherrie will be yards away from the Pope on this occasion and will have had close contact with the Pope's staff. Will she ask questions about his offensive, anti-humanitarian polices, such his opposition to women priests, gay equality, fertility treatment for childless couples and
condom use to prevent the spread of HIV? Will she ask him to reverse his decision to lift the excommunication of the holocaust denier, Bishop Richard Williamson?
Will she ask the Pope to apologise for his own personal failure to bring child sex abusers and request that he hands over to the relevant police forces worldwide the Vatican’s sex abuse files?
In 2001, when he was a Cardinal, the Pope wrote to every Catholic Bishop in the world, requiring them to report all child sex abuse cases to him in Rome. He thus was fully aware of the abuse that was happening. Incredibly his letter did not urge the Bishops to report abusers to the police. The Pope bears co-responsibility for inaction and cover-up and should apologise for his own personal shortcomings.
Labels:
equality,
justice,
nazism,
religion,
sex,
sexism,
sexuality,
Sherrie Eugene-Hart,
the Pope,
young people
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