UNITED STATES
Why I Am Catholic
October 12, 2013 By Frank Weathers
This message is for most of us who aren’t directly involved in any of the ongoing scandals that continue to percolate to the surface these days, like in Newark, Minneapolis-St. Paul, and the latest scandalous news coming out of Cleveland, but who understand that we need to do something.
It’s time to break out the big guns of prayer and fasting, is all I can figure. How to do that? Check this out.
Even after a decade of so-called reform, many bishops continue to enable a clerical culture in which children are put at risk. Stories of abusive priests, and what seems to be the deliberate cultivation of an environment conducive to abuse, continue to shock and appall Catholics of all walks of life. Those outside the Church may be drawing the impression that this is what the Church is and that Catholics don’t care.
But Catholics do care. And this is not what the Church is – or at least what God wants it to be. This is not how those who call themselves Christians should behave – whether they be lay, deacons, priests or bishops. It is scandalous and deeply offensive; it is a terrible witness, and it is crippling any true attempt to evangelize the culture at large.
And while both lay and clergy are not in a position to change the lack of faith and malfeasance in the Church that has led to this, there are at least three things we can do.
Praying and Fasting: making Reparations for the sins of the abusers and their enablers.
Living Lives of Personal Holiness: If our leaders won’t lead as true Christians, pray that God give us the grace to live as such, primarily by “loving one another” (John 13:34-35), which includes reaching out to victims, to abusers, and to those who are in a position to protect potential victims and abusers. Someone has to set a Christian example. If priests and bishops won’t do it, the laity will.
Always Calling for the Truth to be Revealed – Despite Resistance and Persecution. Realize that, as Jesus told us, “The truth will set you free” (John 8:32), and that He is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Therefore, the more the truth comes out about abusers and their enablers, the more readily will healing come to their victims, and the more possible it will be for this rot and corruption be purged from the Body of Christ.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.