UNITED STATES
The Aspen Times
Roger Marolt
Why should I defend the Catholic Church? It’s held its own for 2,000 years and will continue to do so. I don’t know nearly enough to do this justice, but I do love her. I guess that’s enough.
I’ll begin defending her with what I can’t defend. That is the sexual abuse of children, mostly boys, by a few rogue priests.
It is important to remember that it was men who used the church in order to carry out their heinous crimes. It happens in the Boy Scouts, in schools (even in Aspen), in youth sports, with babysitters, within the ranks of law enforcement, etc., etc. The church’s inexcusable part was its administration, again just people, turning a blind eye until the scandal was massively exposed. Look, I know the fear. I’ve felt the shame. It happened to a group of us kids in Aspen. Our story is in the archives. That’s where my anger rests. My joy is moving forward holding tight to The Rock.
Oh, and then there are all the wars she’s responsible for. You know, like the Crusades and the — uhm — OK, the Crusades. Again, a few bad people using her as an excuse.
I’ve had doubts about Catholic rules and regulations. But it’s not really fair to categorize them like that. Aside from his unbounded love for us, God’s greatest gift is our free will. In that context, everything within the church that resembles a rule is actually guidance away from things that will harm our relationship with him. How about this perspective: God has chosen all of us to be with him. It is we who turn our backs.
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