Rather Than Cite Currents, Church Should Make Amends

Providence Journal
March 4, 2019

https://www.providencejournal.com/opinion/20190304/letter-rev-john-r-warner-rather-than-cite-currents-church-should-make-amends

“Gay currents in the Church?” Did Bishop Thomas Tobin’s tweet about rampant clericalism (“Bishop Tobin uses Twitter to weigh in on church sex-abuse summit,” news, Feb. 22) refer to pedophile priests?

Tobin speaks of “occasion of sin.” It has been reported that sexual abuse has existed in the Catholic Church since at least as far back as the 11th century. That’s quite a lengthy occasion!

Let’s get up to speed on the fact that the abused include mostly boys but also girls, some as young as 3 years old, with the majority between 11 and 14. Gays have been the whipping party for many religions, especially the Catholic Church.

Almost everyone will applaud “spiritual renewal of the Church,” provided it includes full disclosure of past “occasions of sin,” transparency going forward and where necessary compensation to include payment for counseling to those abused by priests and church hierarchy.

The Rev. John R. Warner

Cranston