Some thoughts on a tough subject

In our Mass readings this Wednesday in the third week of our Lenten journey (Dt 4: 5-9 and Mt 5: 17-19) it is pretty clear that we must be a law abiding people. ". . . I teach you the statues and decrees as the LORD, my God, has commanded me, that you may observe them . . ." and Jesus speaks: ". . . until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, . . ." So, shape up and get your act together!

In the end, this is not a law to suffocate but a law to unbind and set us free to love as God desires, to reverence each other as God's creation, and to establish right justice between people's. Any deviation from that law would be considered an act of disobedience. In this age of political correctness in which we all tend to take ourselves more seriously than we should (lighten up), dare I call that disobedience - sin. Our first parents wherever they were, sinned against God because of their pride and disobedience. As Frank Sinatra once sang in a popular song: "I'll do it my way!" Isnt' that also the motto of a popular burger establishment: "Have it your way!"

Among the present day manifestations of egregious, scandalous, and damaging behavior is the abhorent and extremely sensitive issue of child sexual abuse that has caused the Catholic Church and its leadership in particular to a deep examination of conscience. While I know the issue is far more than permits room in this blog, I thought I might share a few thoughts from a pastor's perspective.

As a priest I am ashamed. I am ashamed not because I am a priest, for I am convinced that God has called me to this vocation. I am appalled that such behavior has been perpetrated by a small number of my colleagues. When I was ordained over thirty years ago such behavior was not even imagined; it was nowhere on my radar nor did I ever hear a conversation about such among my brother priests. We were far more energized by the new explosion of lay ministry in the Church, by the birth of the RCIA process, by the new lay/clerical pastoral councils, by eucharistic ministers, readers, and youth ministry. That which has become the norm of parish life as we know it today was in its beginnings back in the early and mid 1970's. The Holy Spirit then and that same Spirit today continues to breath life into the Church.

However, it seems that despite that new and fresh wind of the Spirit there was a darker spirit also at work. Many of the cases alleged and affirmed concerning the violation of minors by a handful of clerics was taking place at that time as well as earlier. This is not to say that it was contained only in that period. Apparently, there were a number of Bishop's who knew of such behavior but dealt with it quietly and kept the matter from going public. Gallons upon gallons of ink have already been spilled spelling out the ugly details.

Recently, the Church of Ireland has found itself stunned and frozen in response to reports of sexual abuse beyond their wildest nightmares. Likewise, Germany and Austria have also begun to surface cases that have brought the brother of Pope Benedict XVI, Msgr. Ratzinger, into the spotlight. The elderly Monsignor is innocent for the alleged incidents took place two years before he was even present. But it reminds me of the comment by Pope Paul VI in response to dissent in the Church which either resisted the reforms of Vatican II or felt the Church needed to go all the way: "The smoke of Satan has entered into the temple of God." It certainly gives one pause to reflect.

We all have our opinions on this terrible scandal and all of them are negative. But I recently heard a comment made that I think is a good reminder to us all. In essence it said that while the Church was silent on this abuse so too was society. Remember the day when divorce was a scandal? If a married couple divorced it was hush, hushed! If a young teen age girl became pregnant or God forbid had an abortion, it too was considered beyond mention. Now such things are nearly celebrated. More couples are being encouraged to sign a pre-nuptual agreement "just in case" the marriage ends in divorce. Is it still right to ask a couple (man and woman)during the marriage rite: "Have you come here freely and without reservation . . .?"

I don't need to delineate where we stand on the in your face celebration of abortion and the right to choose, which means only one thing. Society was, in the past, silent about many things because I think we may have had a greater sense of respect for a person's privacy and dignity or we simply were ignorant of the overall affects and naive to its implications. But, truth be told, the greatest silence remains the amount of sexual abuse which takes place right in our backyard - in the home. Statistically speaking, far more than has taken place in the Church - but that remains the greatest of all silences!

However, bringing such matters out in to the open does provide a positive aspect. The wound can be uncovered and healed. If we identify our illness then we know how to deal with it. Such a process began several years ago in our seminaries, our parishes, and hopefully among the hierarchy themselves who are primarily responsible as the overseers of each local Church. Accountability must be taken at every level. Victims must be offered reconciliation and appropriate healing must begin. Much good has happened in that area already such as the "call to protect" programs in parishes and schools, public healing and reconciliation services for victims, and financial support offered by the Church to those who request professional help. Still, those who are responsible should be appropriately dealt with but this is not a witch hunt! And we must pray our hearts out while at the same time support and affirm our Church leaders in their efforts to deal with this in a transparent, orderly and humane manner. We haven't left our Christian faith, our morals and values, and Jesus' call for forgiveness outside the door of our Chanceries, Parish Churches, Catholic schools, or courtrooms.

The Bishops of the United States, Ireland, Germany, Austria and wherever else the "smoke of Satan" has wafted in regards to this blight, along with the hierarchy of the Vatican, including our Holy Father himself, are primarily responsible for taking the bull by the horns and showing us the way. It is a thankless position to be in so they indeed deserve our prayer that they may lead in a way that will give Catholics throughout the world confidence that as much as possible is being done to deal with this terrible wound on the Body of Christ.

But, Lent is here and we are fast approaching Holy Week a time to recall the great reconciliation between God and humanity. The victims among us, our brothers and sisters who have been wounded, have suffered. The Body of Christ has suffered as well but the Body of Christ and those who are fallen prey will rise again. This is, all things considered, a time of purification.