I was saddened to hear a Catholic priest discussing the child abuse issue on the radio this morning. When asked whether he would report, or encourage the penitent to report, any incident of child abuse, he issued a categorical 'No'. According to him, the Catholic church has, within its own ranks and mechanisms, all that is necessary to deal with such issues!
Sadly, this doesn't seem to marry up with reality and only enflames others against the Catholic church and therefore, by association, the universal Church as well. The priest said that he couldn't tell someone that they could be forgiven but needed to turn themselves in, this wasn't the nature of absolution. Funny that, but I thought the question was, "Who is there that condemns you?" and the instruction was, "Go and sin no more!"
Following on from the Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, and his words regarding the Cloyne report, the Church of Rome needs to get its act together and deal openly and honestly with its problems. After all, when the head of a (presumed Catholic) nation says things like:
"This is not Rome. This is the Republic of Ireland 2011, a republic of laws . . .The Cloyne Report excavates the dysfunction, disconnection, elitism, the narcissism -- that dominate the culture of the Vatican to this day," and in closing voiced the opinion that the actions of the Catholic Church were, "Absolutely disgraceful."
It's all well and good standing behind the sanctity of the confessional but when I was training the group I was in was told by a senior police officer that in reality this did not exist and that we needed to take care over issues such as child abuse and the like lest we become complicit! Interestingly, this was in the late eighties! Enda Kenny laid down the gauntlet to Benedict and those who form part of his church - seems that, if today's priest is a voice of that organisation, it will not be taken up :(
We do need to be able to hear each others' confession but we also need to discharge our duty towards the innocents and to Christ, whose body we are, faithfully and i a way that restores and also honours God's laws and those laws that are also natural and national (which of course reflect God's law more often than not too!).
Pax
2 comments:
There was a chap on radio four this morning who was taking the same line with a woman who was challenging him and the church.
It is sad that the attitude that the catholic church is above question and is is a law unto itself continues to exist.
What is worse is the fact that it confirms that the problem is institutional and deep rooted.
Good post
As a former Catholic, my view of their Sacrament of Confession was that it was corrupt and once given absolution, the sinner was free to sin again, certain in the knowledge that they can confess again, be given absolution and a penance of a few Hail Mary's and start the cycle over.
The attitude of the Pope and the Bishops and Clergy to sexual abuse is to be secretive, defensive, abusive to those they've abused and damaged and worry about damage limitation. It's been a scandal for many years, and those responsible for it, are without any conscience or sense of justice. It stinks and for once the secular authorities need to use the full weight of the law to punish those responsible.
When I read of Peter Tatchell planning to make a citizens arrest on the pope for his anti-gay status, I laughed, but if he had planned it on the basis of his complicity in the concealment of sexual abuse, I would have cheered him on.
Post a Comment