A welcome, well-deserved apology from the pope

A welcome, well-deserved apology from the pope

Catholic social sins of the past may never be absolved -- looking the other way at and even advocating slavery, soft-pedaling the Holocaust and even the Inquisition of the Middle Ages

But Pope John Paul II's weekend repentance for the past sins of the church paves the way for it to cleanse its collective conscience as it marks its third millennium.

Also asked for forgiveness for evils, injuries and infamies perpetrated against them were women, Jews, Gypsies, other Christians and even Catholics themselves.

It was an unprecedented and courageous move by the pontiff, who said

"We are asking pardon for the division among, Christians, for the use of violence that some have committed ... and for some of the mistrust and hostility assumed toward followers of other religions.

"We are deeply saddened by the behavior of those who in the course of history have caused these children of yours to suffer and (in) asking your forgiveness, we wish to commit ourselves to genuine brotherhood."

Those are beautiful, heartfelt, sincere and glorious words that express a vast array of feelings that need to be heard and heeded, not just among Catholics but by people of all human and religious persuasions.

However, we could receive more such expressions of regret for past injuries to people from other social and religious leaders.

Such dispensations from a church long in denial about racism and sexism among other misgivings can help not only soothe the ruffled and disordered feelings of those affected by the evil and inconsiderate events of the past, but they set the stage for the future, a future that hopefully will not see such occurrences repeated.

The pope said it was a "public necessity for all of us to admit wrong things have happened."

Pope John Paul II's sage words were quite needed, welcome and will, we hope, be adhered to by Catholics and others in the faith community.

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