Although the abuse that has been revealed in Germany is neither as widespread or as deeply corrupt as the abuse that was revealed in the U.S. and Ireland (let me simply say that some priests found novel uses for the Eucharist and the crucifix), the revelations in Germany have shaken the Vatican more than the news from the “English-speaking” countries, as one cardinal dismissed them.
Matthias Drobinski has a good commentary in the Süddeutsche Zeitung to explain the severity of the German reaction. He concludes:
Die Kirche ist nicht in die Vertrauenskrise geraten, weil sie ein Verein von Missbrauchern ist. Sie ist in der Krise, weil sie sich immer noch stärker selbst bemitleidet, statt den Opfern zu helfen, zum Beispiel mit einem Entschädigungsfonds. Sie ist in der Krise, weil sie nicht zugeben will, dass der Priester- und Ordensberuf Männer mit sexuellem Identitätsproblem anzieht. Es ist eine Krise, die das gesamte Land angeht, weil in der Kirche bislang eine Nähe und Wärme möglich war, die anderswo in der Gesellschaft knapp geworden ist. Dieses knappe Gut könnte sie nun verspielen. Auch da ist nun der Papst gefragt.
The Church does not suffer from a crisis of confidence because it is a society of abusers. It is in a crisis, because it ever more strongly pities itself, instead of helping the victims, for example with a fund for damages. It is in a crisis, because it willl not admit that the priestly and religious life attracts men with problems of sexual idenity. It is in a crisis that concerns the whole country, because until now in the Church were possible a neighborliness and warmth that scarcely exist elsewhere in society. This good, which is in short supply, can now be lost. And now the Pope is questioned.
The Vatican’s touchy reaction, which tries to make the Pope look like a victim, is understandable but wrong-headed. The Pope, even if he is being unfairly criticized, is not the victim: the abused children are the victims.
Will Benedict take this opportunity to be prophetic? I pray and hope he will. He has already gone further than any recent pope (which perhaps isn’t saying much) in addressing and confronting the crisis. Nonetheless, he’s a man of the establishment and it’s hard to break with one’s peers and formation.
It is of course true that the sexual abuse of children and teens is a widespread prob;em, and the Catholic Church is hardly alone in having this skeleton in it’s closet. However, no other religion makes the claims for itself that the Catholic Church does. Just as her founder cannot be dismissed as simply a “great teacher” or “wise philosopher”, but must instead be acknowledged as either God or a very bad (or crazy) man; so the Church is either THE CHURCH or the “Whore of Babylon”. If it’s THE CHURCH, than it must be held to a very high standard in how it deals with corruption and immorality in its leaders. The founder of the Church said that those who scandalized the young should be thrown into the sea with millstones around their necks. The saints and early councils of the Church called for clerical abusers to be stripped of ministry, exiled to monastaries, imprisoned, etc. The gentle St. Alphonsus of Liguori, the apostle of God’s mercy, said they should be castrated!
When all is said and done, do ANY of our leaders have an excuse for not addressing, confronting and manfully dealing with this issue that has haunted us for so long? Pope Benedict, Father, be a man, be a prophet!
Benedict was the defender of the behaviour in his previous job. He helped concel the men(?) and their crimes. I don’t expect him to suddenly become a man and honorably resolve this problem now.
Father Michael, you have said it all! And very well. How come you still claim to be a Father in the Church that has been run by the Devil since it’s inception?? Now that you KNOW, through INSTANT COMMUNICATION, that these cases are not just local and should just prayed for, rather than turned into authorities, can you continue to support it by your presence? Christ Jesus is not the Roman Catholic Church! He is HIMSELF, OUR SAVIOR AND REEDEMER.No Institution! You certainly must know that.
I am an ex convert, age 12, married in the RCC, 1951. We have 4 children ,7 grandchildren and one great grandson.We were involved deeply in the RCC,I a daily communicant, my husband a Knight etc., We left in 2001.We are of course, in our 80’s and have finally found our Lord Jesus Christ to be very happy with our”leaving choice.” There were so many reasons, I can’t go into at this point, but I will if you ask.
Gloria, I am interested. Please e-mail me at jdhipp@gmail.com. Many thanks in advance.
Dear Gloria
Thanks for sharing your views and a little of your experience. I know that Jesus is the ONE redeemer and mediator between God and humanity. HE is the only source of salvation to poor, fallen humanity and HE is my life. I have been tempted at times to leave the Church, but I do believe it’s the only one we’ve got. I’ve seen a lot of transformation and grace in people’s lives, transformation and grace given by Christ in the Catholic Church. It’s a very mixed bag, but reading the letters of Paul, it seems that it always was.
I am what we call in Ireland ‘a lapsed catholic’ but I sought and found spiritual solace elsewhere. I believe a person’s politics, religion and sexual orientation is their own private business and not for society to interfere (unless it’s harming others). We therefore need a separation from Church and State. Canon Law should not be used as an excuse for the perversions of the paedophiles within the Church as has been done in this country. I have to say, reluctantly, that Father Michael’s is the first posting I’ve read that I felt was more than mere words so like Gloria I’d also say ‘Go Michael Go’ and let there be many more like you!