Pope Benedict leads Palm Sunday Mass at the Vatican March 28, 2010/Alessandro Bianchi
The sex abuse scandals lashing the Vatican have led to calls for an end to priestly celibacy, a cleanout of the Catholic Church hierarchy and the resignation of Pope Benedict, but the pope seems unlikely to alter his approach.
The demands, widely aired in the media, are so far removed from the way Benedict works that abuse victims and other critics who raise them seem bound to be disappointed.
The sex abuse saga, while shameful enough to make Benedict issue several apologies to victims, has many aspects that apparently convince him he can continue to tackle the problem quietly but firmly, without undue fanfare.
“He will plod along undeterred,” said Rev. Vincent Twomey, an Irish theologian who has known the pope for 37 years. “He takes note of things, but he’s not a magician. He works steadily … I think he’ll weather the storm.”
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