Where the Rubber Hits the Road: Catholic Culture : Latest Headlines : Cardinal Levada decries media bias, defends Pope in PBS interview

28 April, 2010

Catholic Culture : Latest Headlines : Cardinal Levada decries media bias, defends Pope in PBS interview

3 comments:

Mary G28 April, 2010
nobody would argue that the present day Church has many safeguards in place etc but why don't these Cardinals just say..."we did not always do the right and Christlike thing and we are sorry" and allow everybody to move on. NOBODY will come to know their God better by dragging this on and it seems we have lost sight of the fact that that is the only reason we are here.This Catholic says enough is enough.
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Fr. Tim Moyle28 April, 2010
Mary G: AMEN...AMEN...AMEN! Why do you think it is that our leaders don't seem to want to do just that? I earlier posted a blog post calling for clerics of all ranks (either in a Diocese, Province, Country or universally) to participate in a mass of atonement on the closing Sunday of the 'Year of the Priest'. This would allow all of us to prostrate ourselves in penance before God, and in solidarity with the faithful to acknowledge our failures and sins. Then to ask for forgiveness.

I've been arguing that it is necessary for clergy to practice the same regimen of confession as any Catholic should.

1. First we should examine ourselves (institutionally and personally) in preparation for confessing. This would involve bringing in an outside expert to review any records of allegations received, to ensure that the universal protocol has been faithfully and fully implemented.

2. Confess their sins before a priest: in this case, the common priesthood of the faithful at masses celebrated on the Feast of the Sacred Heart.

3. In penance, the clergy would prostrate themselves in front of God, with the assembled laity kneeling in prayer with them.

4. Then we try to move forward with a renewed sense of compassion and trust that any future issues will be dealt with promptly and appropriately.

I harbor no illusions that this in itself will miraculously or magically make things better! As Catholics we recognize and understand the power of sign and symbol. Such a gathering would be a very 'Catholic' response to any crisis through the application of these spiritual and psychological tools. Perhaps it is this which continues to keep the 'barque of Peter' grounded on these rocky shores.

Fr. Tim
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Freyr29 April, 2010
Some people do not wish to move on. Specifically Robert Tallach in London and Jeff Anderson in the US do not wish to move on. Both of these lawyers have civil cases pending on behalf of abuse victims. These lawyers have driven the media coverage to suit their own adversarial process.

"Make friends quickly with your accuser, while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put into prison; truly I say to you, you will never get out till you have paid the last penny." Mt 5:25-26

Anything that involves a court mandated settlement as a result of this adversarial process should be far more embarrassing than any scandal thus far seen.

"Can it be that there is no man among you wise enough to decide between members of the brotherhood. but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers? To have lawsuits at all with one another is defeat for you. Why not suffer wrong? But you yourselves wrong and defraud. and that even your own brethren." 1Cor6

It seems plain to me... the only way to redeem ourselves in this situation is to freely admit the guilt of the abusers and those who willfully protected them. We must freely offer a settlement to any who have a credible case instead of having to have it wrung out of us by the civil courts. If that means we must impoverish ourselves then so be it.

Personally I would rather we were stripped down to having to meet in rented basements than to suffer this indignity one moment longer.
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