Winds Pope decries die down abuse but rain is cover-up, still a threat meets to Hawaii
HONOLULU » Strong winds have died down but officials warned Saturday that torrential rains reDUBLIN » Pope Francis faced a mained a big threat to Hawaii lukewarm reception and scatafter once-powerful Hurricane tered protests Saturday on his Lane was downgraded to a troptrip to Ireland, with even his vow ical storm. to rid the church of the “scourge”
Forecasters said as much as 10 of sexual abuse and his outrage more inches of rain could fall on at those “repugnant crimes” disparts of Oahu and Maui as the missed as an insult by Ireland’s storm churned about 110 miles wounded victims. south of Honolulu, moving north
The abuse scandal — which at 3 mph. has convulsed Ireland since the
Though the storm was ex1990s and has exploded anew in pected to turn west, which would the U.S .— took center stage on lessen the threat to the islands, the first day of Francis’ two- day federal authorities urged caution. trip to Ireland. The visit origi
“Don’t let your guard down,” nally was intended to celebrate Brock Long, administrator of the Catholic families but has been Federal Emergency Management overshadowed by the renewed Agency, said during a telephone abuse crisis. briefing in Washington. “Tropi
Francis sought to respond to cal storms can be very dangerous the outcry by vowing to end sex and Hawaii is not in the clear.” abuse during a speech to Irish
Rain began falling several days government authorities at Dubago on the Big Island, which has lin Castle. received nearly 4 feet in some
“The failure of ecclesiastical areas. Authorities rescued peoauthorities — bishops, religious ple from more than 20 homes overnight, Hawaii County Managing Director Wil Okabe said, and landslides and pooling wasuperiors, priests and others — to ter forced the temporary closure adequately address these repugof several highways. nant crimes has rightly given rise
The rainfall eased early Saturto outrage and remains a source day. of pain and shame for the Catho
About 200 miles and several lic community,” he told them. “I islands to the northwest, along myself share these sentiments.” Honolulu’s tourist-heavy Waikiki
He cited measures taken by Beach, some shopkeepers rehis predecessor, Pope Benedict moved plywood from windows XVI, to respond to the crisis. But in anticipation of reopening. though Benedict is credited with
Tourists wandered the beach cracking down on abusers, he and took leisurely swims. Hotels never acknowledged the Vatican’s began putting deck chairs back role in fueling a culture of coveralongside pools. Dozens of surfup or sanctioned bishops for failers were in the Pacific Ocean, riding to protect their flocks. ing small waves. The breeze was
Francis followed his promise light. with a half-hour meeting with
Winds were also calmer on eight survivors of both cleriMaui, which had seen about 12 cal and institutional abuse and inches of rain and wind gusts up prayed quietly before a candle to 50 mph. On Saturday, winds lit for victims in Dublin’s cathewere about 11 mph. dral. But neither his words nor
Like the Big Island, Maui expethe meeting with victims is likely rienced flooding and landslides, to assuage demands for heads to but no storm-related deaths have roll over the abuse scandal. been reported. “Disappointing, nothing new,” The American Red Cross said was the reaction from Irish abuse more than 1,100 people were staysurvivor Marie Collins, a former ing in shelters, mostly in Oahu. member of Francis’ sex abuse adAnd while the number was down from earlier reports, officials said the figure shows a lot of people are still displaced. visory panel who quit last year in
Lane first approached the isfrustration. She later took part in lands earlier this week as a CatFrancis’ meeting with seven other egory 5 hurricane, meaning it abuse survivors, including two was likely to cause catastrophic priests and a public official. damage with winds of 157 mph
Colm O’Gorman, who is leador above. ing a solidarity rally today in
But upper-level winds known Dublin for abuse victims, said as shear swiftly tore the storm Francis’ remarks about sharing apart. By Saturday, the National the shame felt by Catholics were Weather Service said Lane had an “insult to faithful Catholics, maximum sustained winds of 60 who have no reason to feel shame mph. because of the crimes of the Vati
The outer bands of the hurcan and the institutional church.” ricane dumped as much as 45
The reception that Francis inches of rain on the mostly rureceived in Dublin contrasted ral Big Island, the Weather Sersharply with the raucous, rock vice said. The main town of Hilo, star welcome that greeted St. with 43,000 people, was flooded John Paul II in 1979 in the firstFriday with waist-high water. ever papal visit. No one from the
As flooding hit the Big Island, public was at the airport or the winds fanned brush fires that roads nearby when Francis arhad broken out in dry areas of rived Saturday.
Maui and Oahu. Some residents
At one protest, people tossed in a shelter on Maui had to flee baby shoes to remind the pope of flames, and another fire forced the poor treatment the Catholic people from their homes. Church doled out to the children
Flames burned nine homes in of unwed mothers. the historic coastal town of La
Crowds did throng Francis’ haina and forced 600 people to popemobile route and gathered evacuate, Maui County spokes- woman Lynn Araki-Regan said. Some have returned, but many have not because much of the outside Dublin’s cathedral, baskarea lacks power, Araki-Regan ing in the sunny weather. said.
Deeply Catholic Ireland has Those outages meant the wahad one of the world’s worst reter provider on Maui’s west side cords of clergy sex abuse, crimes was unable to pump, so officials that were revealed to its 4.8 milat the Maui Electric utility urged lion people over the past decade conservation — particularly imby government- mandated inportant because firefighters need quiries. The reviews concluded supplies to put out the remainthat thousands of children were ing flames. raped or molested by priests or
In Honolulu’s Waikiki, the physically abused in churchman-made Ala Wai Canal was run schools — and Irish bishops likely to flood if predicted rains worked for years to hide those arrive, said Ray Alexander of the crimes.
U. S. Army Corps of Engineers.
After the Irish church enacted The canal marks the northern tough new norms to fight abuse, boundary of the Waikiki tourist it had been looking to the first district. visit by a pope in 39 years to show
“The canal has flooded in the a different, more caring church. past, and I believe it’s safe to say
More than 37,000 people — based on the forecast of rainfall most of them young Catholics it’s likely to flood again — the — signed up to attend a Vatiimpacts of which we aren’t precan-sponsored World Meeting of pared to say at this time,” AlexFamilies that ends today in Dubander said. lin, more than twice the number
Major flooding could damage of a rally in Philadelphia three 3,000 structures and cost more years ago. And many did remain than $1 billion in repairs, the Hohopeful that Francis’ appearance nolulu Star-Advertiser newspaper would bring healing. reported, citing Corps estimates.