It is widely reported today that the Vatican said, while on his trip to Malta, a tearful Pope Benedict XVI, in a closed-door meeting, met in the chapel at the Vatican's embassy for about about 35 minutes, total, with eight Maltese men, who were abused by four priests when they were boys living at a Catholic orphanage. The Vatican PR statement said that during the meeting the Pope expressed his "shame and sorrow" at the pain the men and their families suffered,  and -- yes with those  tears in his eyes,  

"He prayed with them and assured them that the Church is doing, and will continue to do, all in its power to investigate allegations, to bring to justice those responsible for abuse and to implement effective measures designed to safeguard young people in the future."

Okay. A meeting seems to have impressed the four victims who met with the Pope. I guess, a meeting with a pope is an impressive thing...

The Pope's tears and the men's reaction seem all like good PR tied in a nice package with a ribbon. But, what does it mean to the thousands who have been abused? Is this all this pope is going to do? One thing that this pope can do, to start to really set things straight, is for him to go on a long vacation at a monastery. This pope, while an archbishop in Germany and later as a long time head of the Vatican morals office, was an enabler. He protected, covered-up the crimes of pedophile priests. By his actions, he left young children to the mercy of abusers. No amount of PR, or of crock tears will change that fact.