This video is heartbreaking, in more ways than one. It aired on “60 Minutes” earlier this month. The Archbishop of Dublin, Ireland, shown in the video, new in his position, just recently released more than 65,000 documents related to various scandals, which previously the diocese of Dublin had refused to release.
The archbishop says, “There’s a real danger today of people today saying ‘the child abuse scandal is over, let’s bury it, let’s move on.’ It isn’t over, the protection of children is something that will go on for the rest of our lives and into the future, because the problems are there.”
In the story, it is noted, “Some younger priests believe the only way forward is repentance”. If Rome does issue an apology, and I don’t think it will, it will be of the nature, “we apologize for the sins of the children of ‘The Church’”. And the implication will be that “The Church” [and the hierarchical, successional “Church”, as currently defined by Rome], is ‘perfect and pure’ and able to be the protector of pure doctrine.”
The truth is, Rome corrupted Christian doctrine long ago, and the scandal that we see – priests who abuse children, and a secretive hierarchy that covers it up, is merely a symptom of it. It is more the case that “Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another” [and for abusing children]. “They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised.”
For those who say, “Catholicism has given more to humanity than any other organization. Her charity is unrivaled”, I would still turn that around and say, “if individuals who are Roman Catholic exhibit charity, it is not because of their Roman Catholicism. It is in spite of it. In spite of their adherence to Roman dogma, God mercifully granted that they are saved through faith in Christ, and He has prepared in advance the good works that they do, in order that his own Name might be praised [and not that of the Roman Catholic Church, which nevertheless instinctively wants to take credit for them].
[Please note: I apologize for the commercials that may be embedded in the video. I have seen some in there that I wouldn't agree with.]
John, in your years as a devoted Catholic, would you say you were - unknowingly, of course - complicit in the abuse of children?
ReplyDeleteNo.
ReplyDeleteOf course many of these bishops were not merely knowingly complicit, but they were enablers and even facilitators. And of course, as I've mentioned below, it was official, standard policy to be such.
"Of course many of these bishops were not merely knowingly complicit, but they were enablers and even facilitators. And of course, as I've mentioned below, it was official, standard policy to be such."
ReplyDeleteThese scandals were not failures of the laity, except in rare cases. The issue was the apostolate. However, now that the scales have fallen away from the eyes, the laity can no longer look away. To have the laity now excusing official coordinated facilitation and coverup is the same as being an accessory after the fact.
Of course many of these bishops were not merely knowingly complicit, but they were enablers and even facilitators. And of course, as I've mentioned below, it was official, standard policy to be such.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you mean by "enablers and even facilitators"? That makes it sound like church policy was explicitly "go prey on children".
Also, at what point do you decide this is due to "corrupted doctrine" as opposed to "corrupted humanity"? Why is the assumption that bishops bailed out priests "to protect the Church", rather than "to protect their friends". Case in point - why, it's even a Catholic example - did Joe Paterno make whatever mistakes he made "to protect PSU"?