It is a sad fact that the majority of priests today have been branded for the egregious sins of a few, and the conspicuously bad judgment of a lot of bishops. Thanks to the unethical yellow journalism, scandal mongering, sensationalist, jingoistic and otherwise unprofessional practices by news media organizations, such as the DMN, or individual journalists (do you get the idea that I don’t like what some of the press has done?) the majority of good, faithful and celibate priests (over 90%) have been painted with the same broad strokes of filth as the 5%-8% who have fallen radically from God grace and ruined the lives of children and families. Do not let it ever be said that I minimize the suffering of their victims. However, the average newspaper reader has been led to believe that the vast majority of sexual abuse of children has been perpetrated by Catholic priests, when national statistics show that priests, ministers, gym teachers and scout leaders account for less than 8% of all child sexual abuse. It is sad and shocking, but more than 80% of child sexual abuse is perpetrated by family members and family acquaintances. Check the statistics of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services www.dfps.state.tx.us/ or and of the Federal pages. For decades to come the Catholic Church will rightly be advocates against child sexual abuse by clergy and employees of churches. Where’s the outrage over the 90% of sexual abuse that is not being addressed?
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There’s a point at which frustration leaves one with apparent limited options. Leaving the ministry is cutting off ones nose to spite ones face … if there is a potential for change in the Church it must happen from the inside. It would also make me no better than those among the faithful who are constantly complaining about what the “Church” does, when they really mean the Pope, the Curia, a bishop or a priest … or even other members of a particular parish. I guess we’ve learned nothing since Vatican II about us being Church … somehow the message of St. Paul that we are members of the one Body of Christ has never quite soaked in. Of course the autocratic rule of the current and recent past Curia/Pope at times makes it clear that Church is certainly not a democracy by any stretch of the imagination! Nor does it have the first clue about how the Church operates outside Rome.
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It is sad to contemplate how many people have been tempted to lose or abandon their faith after reading about the scandals … especially the sexual abuse scandal … in the Church. Yet it also says something about how weak that faith was if it can be so easily lost. God forbid we Catholics should ever encounter real persecution in this day and age. Many would die in the stampede to burn incense to whatever the new god may be.
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Since the sex abuse scandal reared its’ ugly head, I have heard from too many claimants to Catholicism who have rejected their Catholic faith. I have tried to tell them - you may have lost faith in those who lead our Church, the bishops, cardinals, popes and some priests … you may have realized the clay feet of some of the clergy … they may lead and be the public face of the Church in the world, but they are not the Catholic Church … don’t lose faith in the Church that is the body of Christ or in Jesus Christ who is the Head. The Bride of Christ may be mud-smeared and her once radiant gown rent and ruined, but the Bride remains holy as the Head remains holy … and aren’t we sinners glad of it! My guess is that many find it easier to reject the whole rather than distinguishing the parts that need fixing or replacing. Even those whose faith is strong can be very demoralized when surrounded by an angry laity and a clueless hierarchy. I will admit, I am one of those. There are days that the last thing I want to do is to represent the Church in public. Some days it’s damned hard to be joyful cleric in the midst of those who either suspect you of being a crypto-pedophile or a supporter of the cover-up. Damned if you do and damned if you don’t … and you’ll always be guilty until proven innocent.
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I know a priest in the Diocese that had glass windows put not only in his office door but even in his Confessional. He may say it is to reassure parents … so that could see their children were not being molested in private. I know that he … like many others … live in dread of being even suspected of any impropriety. He says the rumors would even be worse that a direct accusation.
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Another option is trying to be the Don Quixote of the presbyterate tilting at rather formidable windmills armed with a straight-pin or a toothpick.
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