PHILADELPHIA (PA)
Catholics4Change
May 9, 2012 by Susan Matthews
“Honesty, Healing and Hope in Christ: Confronting Sexual Violence in Our Archdiocese,” is a long overdue archdiocesan outreach to the parish level. It could very well help some Catholics begin to heal and give them hope. My fear is those healing wounds will be ripped open and hope shattered by yet another grand jury report. Pardon my cynicism. I really believed all the right things would be done after the 2005 grand jury report. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
For this to be a success on any level, the hierarchy has to get on board with the honesty portion. When asked why it took a second grand jury report to get action, Archbishop Chaput said he wasn’t here, so he won’t comment. Really? The past is the best predictor of the future. How can we possibly change the future without an honest analysis? I suppose that will be left to the civil authorities rather than our moral authority. With two grand jury reports, internal communications and an ongoing trial, there is plenty of reference material. I hope the binder sent to each parish, includes that information.
When I asked Archbishop Chaput how he personally would work to restore our hope in the institutional Church, he said he didn’t know. That very honest answer strikes at the core of the problem. The solution needs to come from the top down. Pope Benedict requested that all Bishops craft their recommendations regarding clergy sex abuse. The deadline is this Spring. I would love to read what Bishop Finn compiled. Perhaps it’s time to step outside that collapsing box and look to what Amnesty International, our civil authorities and others who specialize in human rights and justice have recommended. It’s time for the Vatican to act decisively on this global issue.
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