The Catholic Church marks five years of Pope Benedict's papacy today and I am up to my neck editing stories on the sex abuse scandal. Simultaneously defending my faith too, because I am still proud to be Catholic.
They say wisdom of the heavens can be understood by none on earth. I won’t get into a battle of words with anyone, but I have to defend the clergy a bit because two of my brothers are priests.
No one is condoning what they did.
No self-respecting human or sincere Catholic would. As a mother, I would punch anyone who touched my child. Forgiveness does not mean you condone what that person did — you reprimand, correct and seek retribution, but you do not bring down an institution of the faithful.
So far, the pope has accepted the resignations of four bishops — Brendan Comiskey, Donal Murray, John Magee and James Moriarty. They are accused of not removing paedophile priests from their communities.
The scandal involving Father Lawrence Murphy, who abused deaf children, reached the Vatican in 1996 — two decades after the Milwaukee diocese learned of the allegations and two years before the priest died. A canonical trial authorised by then Cardinal Ratzinger’s deputy was halted after Father Murphy wrote to the future pope stating he was ill and wanted to live out the remainder of his time in the “dignity of my priesthood”. Yet, the diocese was asked by the Vatican to take action by “restricting Father Murphy’s public ministry and requiring that Father Murphy accept full responsibility for the gravity of his acts”.
It was a case of one in the family committing a crime. You do not condone it, but you try to help — that’s what Pope Benedict did. The 2004 John Jay Report commissioned by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) states that police were indeed contacted in case of abuse by clergy; many of the accused had died — but 384 were prosecuted, resulting in 252 convictions and 100 prison sentences.
Nearly 40 per cent of accused priests received psychiatric treatment. The remaining did not because allegations of abuse were only made after their death.
In 2002, the USCCB adopted a ‘zero tolerance’ policy against sexual abuse. Catholic News Service reports that the US church by 2008 had trained 5.8 million children to ‘recognise and report’ abuse. It ran criminal checks on 1.53 million volunteers, 162,700 educators, 51,000 clerics and 4,955 candidates for ordination. It trained 1.8 million clergy and employees to create a safe environment for children. The pope formally apologised on March 18, 2010, for “stray priests” and called for both forgiveness by the victims and penitence by the accused priests.
As German Chancellor Angela Merkel said, this is not an issue exclusive to any religion or even priests. Sex abuse does not define the Catholic Church. I am tired of innocents of any faith apologising all the time. You should not have to apologise for your religion when some religious err.
Sexual abuse is 100 times more likely to take place in schools, studies done by the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, Newsweek and Christian Science Monitor show. But a cruel teacher does not define education, an unfair judge does not represent a judiciary and an erring partner does not define marriage.
True, as religious leaders, you expect more sincerity from priests, but why stick a label on the barrel when one apple goes rotten? Label a paedophile a paedophile, but labelling a church ‘wrong’ is offensive.
I pray without ceasing — because as a sister, it’s a huge sacrifice for me too to let go of my brothers when they leave after each too-short visit to tend to their hundred priestly duties.
I was once insulted racially by a priest, but when I went to confession, another priest asked me for forgiveness, in obvious pain because of the sin committed by his brother. It brought about a lot of healing.
The Church gave Father Lawrence Murphy a chance and he abused it again. Now he is dead and buried and they take the flak for him again. A bit unfair. He should have been treated, chided, and punished. But defrocked? I do not know because it’s not in my authority to decide that.
Changing rules about celibacy and priesthood? I do not know about that either. A defrocked paedophile would probably get married and still live in the same sin.
There are black sheep in every family. Judas was much loved and accepted by Christ as one of his own, but he fell. But 11 others did not. It would help to remember that sometimes.
Some peoples’ mistakes should not lead to the innocents’ loads becoming heavier.
