29 AUGUST
2018. The specter of horrible truth has been upon the U.S. and worldwide Church
for some days now: the horrible truth that some senior and well-regarded pastors
used their ministries as a selfish means to fulfill their own sexual desires;
the horrible truth that the Pennsylvania Church, over the last seventy some-odd
years, regularly reassigned priests who were know abusers, regardless of the
potential for fresh abuse and continued victimization of innocents; and the
horrible truth that there has been or is a sexually disordered subculture in
some seminaries and rectories that undermines the heart of Christ’s teaching of
self-giving love that the Church has proclaimed since our Lord’s sacrifice on
the cross. God bless the people in Chile, Ireland, and the multitude of other
countries affected by their own abuse scandals.
Our
bishops have failed us. They have not lived up to the life of holiness that
each of us is called to live - that each of us is invited to strive for to live
life-eternal with God, our Creator. They have failed us in their humanity. And,
it is no surprise.
We are
all human, and all of us are in need of conversion of heart. Why else did
Christ enter the world to save us, but from the ravages of sin and death?
Without conversion, we are doomed – literally and figuratively. Doomed to a
life without hope in Christ, without Christ’s peace (conformity to the Divine
Will), and doomed to a life without happiness and satisfaction, as St.
Augustine says: “Our heart is restless, until it rests in You [O Lord].”
So, what should
the response to this failure be? And, are we right to assign this failure to
all bishops, including the Holy Father?
Our
response should be one of action – prayer-centered action. Prayers of
reparation have poured out of some, and more are needed. But, each of us
faithful, including those ordained, should pray for wisdom and guidance in doing
our own part, given our state of life, our abilities, and our capacity to
effect positive change, in conformity with the Divine Will, to do what is needed
or appropriate to bring about healing and build up the Kingdom of God on earth.
A people centered on this cannot fail. The Holy Spirit will not permit the
forces of evil to prevail against us. (Psalm 21:11)
If the
laity seeks holiness, the Church will be transformed. If the laity exercises
its priestly calling to be Christ to one another, the Church and the world
cannot remain the same. If the laity acts, our shepherds will bring us further
as the body of Christ.
This
action, too, must have a practical sense about how to seek solidarity with the
victims of abuse and prevent abuse from ever occurring again. Solidarity is the
first practical objective, we must walk with the victims of abuse in their
journeys, so that healing can begin.
Bishops –
I beg you – throw open the dark recesses of these problems to the light of
truth. Allow us all to grieve with abuse victims and seek reconciliation with
them. And, truth will provide no quarter to abusers.
Bishops, be vulnerable to
your flocks in all failings and do not consider yourselves above any other. All
are equally answerable to our Lord, all must be held to account for their actions,
especially those actions that rob innocents of faith and trust in God and the
Church.
No evil
can stand the light of truth. We must truly seek it in every way.
So, are
all bishops guilty of failure? Yes. Each of us is complicit in looking away
when we see sinful failings, and we all sin. All sin affects the community. A
bishop’s failure affects his flock, and the flock’s failure is the “stink” that
the shepherd has to contend with in loving, as Christ taught. Let none think he
is without blame.
However,
this does not mean that our bishops should be condemned. On the contrary, they
need the support of the faithful in fulfilling their ministry – to proclaim the
Gospel and lead souls to Christ.
Any bishop
who cannot, after an examination of conscience, rest comfortably that his
first mission is to lead in holiness, so as to bring about the Kingdom of God,
should resign. All other worldly, societal, humanistic, social, and cultural
concerns should be swept aside, if truth is to reign in the heart of the
Church.
I pray
for our priests, bishops, religious, consecrated, and all souls who earnestly
yearn for God.
Pray with
me, and build up the Kingdom, set upon the foundation of Jesus Christ, the
truth, the way, and the life. (John 14:6)
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