Sins of the past

What does it mean when someone like the Pope apologizes for the past misgivings and sins of the Catholic church? In all honesty, does it really affect the integrity and compromise the sanctity of the church that has existed through the ages?

Let’s make one thing clear. No, I’m not a Catholic. But I do have high regards for the Catholic church as well as its countless missionaries and priests that have traversed the world since Christianity begun to set up hospitals, schools and orphanages in addition to churches.

So here’s “the thing”.

While it may not be of any real significance to the individual, it is important that the collective organization (ie the Catholic church) comes to terms with what it has done wrong in the past.

Admitting to such instances is a sign of morale maturity. It is a sign that dirt isn’t just swept under the carpet so that the church will remain “sacredly pure” in the eyes of the world. I have much more respect for persons or organizations that do admit to their previous mistakes than one that refuses to even acknowledge them as though doing so would compromise their character.

As if these people or organizations can be so pure as not to have made mistakes. Who do they really think themselves to be… God?