By F. K. Bartels
Catholic Online
March 7, 2010
http://www.catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=35703
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| While anti-Catholics hope that the burdens incurred as a result of child abuse in Ireland will drain funds from the Vatican, Bishop Brennan would like to see his diocese bear its own financial responsibilities. 'This is our own responsibility, and we would like to discharge our responsibilities ourselves.' |
The lopsided reporting of the so-called "outrage" is consistent with anti-Catholic rhetoric. It is important to point out a few truths.
FERNS, IRELAND (Catholic Online) - Dozens of internet news services are reporting on the so-called outrage over the alleged suggestion Bishop Denis Brennan, the Bishop of Ferns, made on Monday. Reports indicate that he asked his 100,000 parishioners to contribute funds toward the diocese?s legal and compensation bills which were incurred as a result of the child abuse scandal in Ireland.
However, while speaking on a local radio show on March 5, Bishop Brennan denied that he had made specific requests for additional donations, stating that it was up to the parishes to decide if they wanted to sell assets or donate funds to meet financial obligations. "We have not ruled anything in or out. We need to get people's reactions. We are trying to be as transparent as possible."
Nevertheless, in typical anti-Catholic fashion, most internet sites are reporting that the Bishop?s remarks are drawing intense criticism and outrage, as if any sane person in the world—Catholic or otherwise—should be offended at such "heedless and insensitive remarks."
The inflammatory comments of anti-Catholic Irish Singer Sinead O?Connor— whose shredding of a photo of Pope John Paul II was broadcasted on US television—are often quoted. In a letter published in the Irish Independent, Ms. O'Connor expressed her astonishment that Bishop Brennan should even suggest that his flock might pay the bills arising from the sex abuse scandal. "If Christ was here he would be burning down the Vatican. And I for one would be helping him."
One question that comes to mind is "Why not?" Why not have parishioners donate funds? From where else does the Diocese of Ferns—or any other diocese for that matter—obtain its funds if not from parishioners? The old adage, "Money doesn?t grow on trees," comes to mind. Money doesn?t fall from heaven either.
While the lopsided reporting of the so-called "outrage" over Bishop Brennan?s remarks are entirely consistent with the anti-Catholic rhetoric of today?s world, it is important to point out a few truths in the matter.
First, while no one denies that the Catholic clergy and religious who are involved in abusing children should be punished as the law requires, the child abuse scandal that was uncovered in Ireland includes more than just Catholic priests and religious. The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse recorded that "Witnesses reported being physically abused by religious and lay staff and others including: visiting clergy, members of the general public and men in work and holiday placements. Witnesses also reported being physically abused by co-residents" (Chapter 7: Record of Abuse (Male Witnesses), Nature and Extent of Physical Abuse Reported).
Where is the outrage over "members of the general public," the "lay staff," and workers in "holiday placements" who abused these children? The reason for the inattention toward these other individuals is obvious: shining a spotlight on them doesn?t aid the cause of attacking the Catholic Church.
Second, the assumption is often made that if parishes fail to meet these financial burdens, the Vatican itself will have to flit the bill, which will result in the financial ruin—and eventual destruction—of the Catholic Church. While we can easily visualize those who would rejoice in a "Catholic-free" world salivating at such an idea, it is nothing new. There have been perhaps thousands of financial attacks on the Catholic Church throughout her two-thousand year history. They have not yet succeeded in bringing about her downfall.
Nevertheless, one area of concentration of late by those who oppose the Catholic Church is the attempt to bankrupt dioceses through a process of unending litigation. These types of attacks are occurring not only in Ireland but in the US as well. Rev. Michael P. Orsi, Ph.D., observed that in New York a move is being made to "suspend statutes of limitations for civil suits alleging the sexual abuse of children. The bill is directed at non-profit institutions, most of which are religious (and, for the most part, Catholic). It specifically exempts all public workers and agencies. Similar laws have been past in Delaware and California, . . . [which] have cost the Church over $1 billion" (Fourth-stage anti-Catholicism, homiletic and pastoral review, January 2010).
In this notion of destroying the Catholic Church through financial ruin there is an obvious failure to understand the full dimension of the Catholic Church. The Church is both divine and human: she is not the sum total of her earthly members nor what is presently visible only. Should those who despise the Church set out to martyr every Catholic, plunder every iota of wealth, demolish every chapel and cathedral, the Church—the body of Christ—would remain: no earthly army of invaders can destroy Christ?s Mystical Body.
Church has been persecuted and attacked throughout the ages—far longer than any institution in the course of the world?s history— yet she remains. She is invincibly stable. Some might wonder at how such an monarchical and hierarchical institution could survive twenty centuries of bombardment of every sort, but those who see the Church through the eyes of faith understand with immense clarity just how this is so: the Catholic Church has as her divine Founder God himself. Thus the Church exhibits an organic vitality derived from the supernatural support of the Triune God.
This support from On-High is self-evident by virtue of the fact that God himself willed the Catholic Church into existence when our Lord Jesus Christ said, "Blessed are you, Simon BarJona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven" (Mt. 16:17-19).
Those who despise and attack the Catholic Church ought to realize that they, then, do the same to Christ himself; for as he founded the Church and gave himself to her as his Bride, she is one with him.
"The Church is both visible and spiritual, a hierarchical society and the Mystical Body of Christ. She is one, yet formed of two components, human and divine. That is her mystery, which only faith can accept" (CCC No. 779).
St. Joan of Arc put it to her judges this way: "About Jesus Christ and the Church, I simply know they?re just one thing, and we shouldn?t complicate the matter" (Acts of the Trial of Joan of Arc).
It is unfortunate that so many find such great difficulty in distinguishing the relationship between men (or women) in the Church—whether they are laity or clergy or religious—and the Church herself as the Bride of the spotless Lamb (see CCC No. 796). There is no denying that men are sinners, thus the Catholic Church is imperfect in her members. Yet those members who inhabit her are called to repent, leave sin behind, and set out on a life of fervent holiness.
Therefore the Church can be seen as a beautiful Bride, white and luminous, pure and sweet; yet she is also wounded by the sins of the very men she calls into herself as a concerned and guiding Mother.
No one is excusing the horrors of child abuse. We want peace. We want justice. Yet those who continue to dissent from the Catholic Church, those who continue to attack and persecute her are leaving behind an inexpressible treasure. If they could fathom the joyous riches of giving oneself to Jesus Christ and his Bride they would never for a moment utter a single word against the Catholic Church God willed should exist.
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