Bad fruit of the scandals
Today's Los Angeles Times has another story (click on this post's title) on the clergy sex abuse and hierarchy coverup scandals. Here is one paragraph:
"Lee Bashforth, who along with two brothers was abused by convicted priest Michael Edwin Wempe, said he believes the scandal has served another end: It has made people less trustful of institutions — especially the Catholic Church. 'If one thing has changed, it's that people don't believe what the [C]hurch tells them,' he said."
This is what the U.S. Church gets for not teaching authentic Catholic sexual morality, for foisting Kinsey-inspired sex miseducation on Catholic schools and for tolerating all the heretics in recent decades who deny or make light of that teaching. When will all this change, and how?
"Lee Bashforth, who along with two brothers was abused by convicted priest Michael Edwin Wempe, said he believes the scandal has served another end: It has made people less trustful of institutions — especially the Catholic Church. 'If one thing has changed, it's that people don't believe what the [C]hurch tells them,' he said."
This is what the U.S. Church gets for not teaching authentic Catholic sexual morality, for foisting Kinsey-inspired sex miseducation on Catholic schools and for tolerating all the heretics in recent decades who deny or make light of that teaching. When will all this change, and how?
posted by Quintero at 3:44 PM
6 Comments:
Bashforth is just plain WRONG! I'm
just an inconsequential Catholic convert in the Bible Belt--thereare only 107,000 Catholics in our entire state. I chose to convert because I came to believe that the Church is the true Church. I don't base my beliefs about the truth of the Church on ANY human. We are all imperfect. I would attend Mass at my little parish if nobody there ever said a kind word to me. I go to worship God during Mass and at Adoration. I have my devotions. I pray my rosary. Do humans in the Church mess up? Yes!! But either the Faith is true or it's not.
JOSEPH D'HIPPOLITO SAYS...
Sorry, Amy, I cannot disagree more. True, Church theology and belief is more than the behavior of miscreant priests and bishops. And, indeed, faith in Christ is centered on Christ (or should be). But the behavior of the miscreants -- especially when Church officials allow it to fester and expand -- reflects on the entire Church.
The question is not whether people in the Church "mess up." The question is whether they are held accountable by Church leaders who are responsible for the pastoral welfare of those under their charge. Sadly, most of those leaders -- including the late pope -- either pushed the problem aside or dealt with it solely through rhetoric, as Eli in I Samuel dealt with his wayward sons who were priests in the Tabernacle.
Besides, sexually violating the innocent is much more than just "messing up."
The seemingly self-satisfied attitude you appear to manifest, Amy, is part of the problem. It's not just about you. It's not even about the credibility of the Church (although it certainly is about that). Ultimately, it's about God's honor and name being soiled. Does anybody care about that?
I am sorry that I have offended you, Joseph. I definitely do not mean to imply that I believe anything other than the fact that the child sex abusers deserve the maximum punishment--no matter who or where they are. Those in leadership roles should also be punished if they have contributed to the abuse. I am sorry also because I see now that I was prideful about my worship practices and devotions. I didn't have a really good Christian foundation before I converted, so I am learning all the time. I really do need to work on the ME problem, and need to carefully read what I have typed instead of just dashing it off. Thanks for the Christian correction and have a great Holy Day of the Immaculate Conception on Friday!!
Dear Amy H.,
Thank you for writing. Your faith is very inspiring, and I and surely all our visitors to this site are very happy for you and will be thinking of you in our next Mass, Adoration and Rosary.
And don't worry, you don't have a "self-satisfied attitude" at all, nor are you prideful at all. It's very good of you to speak about your love of Jesus and the holy Catholic Faith.
You are totally right that we should not let scandals cause us to lose our faith in Jesus and the Church He founded. Just because there are bad Catholics does not mean the Faith is not the Faith.
But as we all know, victims and their families whom certain bishops and clergy have worked over need our prayers and concern so if they have left the Church they can come home and find peace.
Dear Joseph,
You are very right about the bad effect that scandals and coverups and inaction have on many people's view of God's honor and Name.
We need to work for reform and we need to pray in reparation.
After viewing "Deliver Us From Evil", I am convinced that we must all pray for the poor innocent souls who have in some cases had their faith destroyed by the SINFUL acts of too many bishops, priests, and religious!
This morning, my Traditionalist Pastor gave me permission to publicly pray for them, our military in harm's way, and those who have given their lives for our freedom after every Mass I attend. Will you pick up this prayer idea as well?
Kenneth M. Fisher
Kenneth M. Fisher
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