Day 55...And Counting

I'm feeling so good about the Church these days, I thought I'd check in and see what our new Pope is up to. Not much, according to Pope-Watch.org, which has outlined a hopeful agenda for the Pontiff's first 100 days:

One of the most critical challenges Benedict XVI faces is to foster an environment that welcomes home Catholics who were estranged from the church under the last papacy. Pope John Paul II left an inheritance of division in the church; this new pope must now span the divide widened during the last papacy between clergy and laity, men and women, north and south, right and left, gay and straight.

The First 100 Days represents a starting point for the critical work that must be done to ensure that the Roman Catholic church symbolizes justice and compassion throughout the world. While not every issue can be addressed -- nor every problem solved -- in this time, there are specific steps Benedict XVI can take to set a tone for the future of his papacy, to heal fractures within the church and to redress wrongs done under the name of the Vatican.

The recommendations of the First 100 Days campaign are easy. They do not require theological change. Each of these actions can and should be done immediately. These things remain undone not because of doctrinal restriction, but because the Vatican has chosen not to act.

At the top of the papal "can and should do" list is "Meet with survivors of clergy sex abuse, listen and apologize."

Well, it's Day 55, and that hasn't happened. I know I'd feel a little better if it did.

Pope-Watch.org is a project of Catholics for a Free Choice. I plan to check in often.