In Shift of Tone on Abuse Cases Pope Speaks of Need for " Penance"

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/16/world/europe/16vatican.html?hp

In Shift of Tone on Abuse Cases, Pope Speaks of ‘Penance’
By RACHEL DONADIO
Published: April 15, 2010

ROME — Pope Benedict XVI spoke on Thursday of the need for the faithful to do “penance” in light of “the attacks of the world that talks to us of our sins,” in an off-the-cuff portion of a homily that was his most direct reference to the sex abuse crisis that has focused on the Vatican itself.

“I have to say that we Christians, even in recent times, have often avoided the word ‘penance,’ which seems too harsh,” Benedict said at a Mass on Thursday morning, Vatican Radio reported.

“Now under the attacks of the world that talks to us of our sins, we see that the ability to perform penance is a grace and we see how it is necessary to perform penance, that is, to recognize what is wrong in our life,” he added.

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This guy is indeed a world class jerk...,