Pope thanks CBCP for support

MANILA, Philippines - Pope Benedict XVI relayed his gratitude to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) for its “thoughtful message of support” at the time when the Vatican was being criticized for sex scandals involving some members of the Church.

The CBCPNews reported the Pontiff had said the negative publicity generated by the sex scandals involving the clergy were “purifying trials” that would help all the faithful awaken.

The Pope sent a letter to CBCP president Tandag Bishop Nereo Odchimar on April 22 expressing confidence “that, by contemplating the paschal mystery of Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection during the Easter season, the whole Church will be confirmed in faith and in the great hope based upon God’s promises that gives us courage and directs our action in good times and bad.”

The Papal letter was only recently released to the media.

The letter commended Bishop Odchimar and the clergy in the Philippines for their continuing support.

Last April 18, Bishop Odchimar, in behalf of the CBCP, sent a letter to the Pope expressing sadness over reports against the Pope and the Catholic Church on the spate of cases of sexual abuse involving some members of the clergy.

“On behalf of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, I express our support and oneness with Your Holiness in your open and firm commitment to combat such abuses,” Odchimar said.

Odchimar told the Pope that the CBCP has “started to squarely address this problem since the early 2000s by drafting its own “Pastoral Guidelines on Sexual Abuses and Misconduct by the Clergy.”

He said the protocol is being used by some dioceses concerned ad experimentum awaiting final approval from the Holy See.