The Catholic Clergy Sexual Abuse Scandal

A Catholic priest is the one human being whom I would expect to be holy and above reproach in all areas of life.  His life as a minister in the Church founded by Jesus Christ should set an example for all, just as the life of Jesus himself did.  He should have a full understanding of the foundations of Church teachings and an ardent follower of the Ten Commandments, the Precepts of the Church and other church laws.  One should expect him to be a font of holiness, wisdom, and strength against temptation.  He should be someone who sets an example of how we should react to earthly evils.  In fact, he is the instrument of forgiveness for those who seek to be reconciled to God for their evil actions!

That is why the clergy sexual abuse scandal has been so devastating to the sensibilities of Catholics everywhere and so difficult to understand.  Admittedly, the temptations that Satan sets before us can be overwhelming.  We are all sinners and at times fail in our own strivings toward holiness, especially in regard to the sixth commandment, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”  Modern society does not help.  I can cite perhaps doesn’t dozens of examples, from movies to music, from the way people dress to the way they speak, from societal norms to bodily appearances, from the way people behave and ignore God to the way our consciences allow us rationalize.  We ask:  What is going on here?”  It seems that the Devil, the Evil One, Satan, is winning the war to gain our souls.  We need to wake up to this!

But the worst is when priests and bishops themselves personally fail in the task of resisting temptation.  Eight years of seminary training have failed in a most basic way.  I am so pleased to see that Pope Francis has apparently begun to clean house.  A Church Cardinal, Cardinal McCarrick, has been demoted and publicly chastised.  I truly hope and pray that all offenders will be rooted out and punished in a most appropriate way. 

Having written all of the above, let me say that my faith in the Church will never be shaken.  I can throw up my hands in disgust and be ashamed, but I will always strive to follow Church decrees to the best of my ability and worship as Jesus asked us to.  Remember many early Christians turned away from Christ because his saying were hard and unacceptable.  When Jesus saw this, he asked his most ardent followers this question:  “Do you also want to leave?”  St. Peter responded:  “Master, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life.  We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”  (See John 6:60-69). 

So, dear troubled Catholics, pleased be convinced that Jesus is the Holy One of God and that he has the words of eternal life.  There is nowhere else to turn.  Amen!

  

See also:  http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Dear-Troubled-Catholics---A-Letter-from-Ralph-Martin-About-the-Current-Crisis-.html?soid=1104120873290&aid=IsqbtdIkHzo