As a follow up to Archbishop Hart’s letter from last week on sexual abuse, I recall this article by Bishop Pat , Canberra – Goulburn.
“The untold damage done to innocent people and its life-long consequences in many cases need to be clearly and honestly acknowledged. I am pleased when every effort is being made to see that justice is done for those affected and where all possible measures are being taken to being about healing and restoration.
In response to sexual and other forms of abuse within the Church it is not enough to concentrate on the sinfulness and failure of those guilty of abuse.
It is not just a question of individual repentance but total systemic reform of Church structures which is needed. An ecclesiastical environment which allowed such aberrant behaviour can no longer be tolerated. Bishop Geoffrey Robinson in his 2007 book Confronting Power and Sex in the Catholic Church “ came to unshakeable belief that within the Catholic Church there absolutely must be profound and enduring change”.
Hardly a day goes by without me hearing a cry from the heart for such change from people who truly love the Church, young and old, male and female, lay people, priests and religious.
The reform needed by the Church today will involve much more than just “tinkering around the edges”. Issues such as the authoritarian nature of the Church, compulsory celibacy for the clergy, the participation of women in the Church, the teaching of sexuality in all aspects cannot be brushed aside. Listening must be a key component of reform and at times that will involve listening to unpalatable truths. It needs to be recognised that all wisdom does not reside exclusively in the present all male leadership of the Church and that the voices of the faithful must be heard.
At Easter I pointed out that it was largely Jesus’ female disciple who stood by him dying on Calvary, that Mary Magdalene was the first witness to the resurrection and that she could legitimately be called an apostle in that she was sent to bring the good news to the other followers of Jesus. I wondered aloud if the Church would be in its present state of crisis if women had been part of the decision making in the life of the Church.
There may be people who question the views I am espousing, but I wish to re-state that there is a whole body of faithful Catholics who are saying “enough is enough” and that we all need to grasp this opportunity to enable the Church to be its best self in bringing the message of Jesus to its own adherents and to the wider society.”
And so say all of us.
RJM
As a follow up to Archbishop Hart’s letter from last week on sexual abuse, I recall this article by Bishop Pat , Canberra – Goulburn.
“The untold damage done to innocent people and its life-long consequences in many cases need to be clearly and honestly acknowledged. I am pleased when every effort is being made to see that justice is done for those affected and where all possible measures are being taken to being about healing and restoration.
In response to sexual and other forms of abuse within the Church it is not enough to concentrate on the sinfulness and failure of those guilty of abuse.
It is not just a question of individual repentance but total systemic reform of Church structures which is needed. An ecclesiastical environment which allowed such aberrant behaviour can no longer be tolerated. Bishop Geoffrey Robinson in his 2007 book Confronting Power and Sex in the Catholic Church “ came to unshakeable belief that within the Catholic Church there absolutely must be profound and enduring change”.
Hardly a day goes by without me hearing a cry from the heart for such change from people who truly love the Church, young and old, male and female, lay people, priests and religious.
The reform needed by the Church today will involve much more than just “tinkering around the edges”. Issues such as the authoritarian nature of the Church, compulsory celibacy for the clergy, the participation of women in the Church, the teaching of sexuality in all aspects cannot be brushed aside. Listening must be a key component of reform and at times that will involve listening to unpalatable truths. It needs to be recognised that all wisdom does not reside exclusively in the present all male leadership of the Church and that the voices of the faithful must be heard.
At Easter I pointed out that it was largely Jesus’ female disciple who stood by him dying on Calvary, that Mary Magdalene was the first witness to the resurrection and that she could legitimately be called an apostle in that she was sent to bring the good news to the other followers of Jesus. I wondered aloud if the Church would be in its present state of crisis if women had been part of the decision making in the life of the Church.
There may be people who question the views I am espousing, but I wish to re-state that there is a whole body of faithful Catholics who are saying “enough is enough” and that we all need to grasp this opportunity to enable the Church to be its best self in bringing the message of Jesus to its own adherents and to the wider society.”
And so say all of us.
RJM
Listen here Father,
Everything I have heard you say- in papers, radio, TV, blogs etc reveals that you are a politically-correct prevaricating media whore who seems more intent on gaining attention than defending the orthodoxy of the Catholic faith as started by Jesus Christ over 2000 years ago
I agree with Father Bob. I would also say that unless the Catholic Church deals with this and other pressing issues, some of which Father Bob named, that it will die.
Perhaps, Father, it is time that the people who find the sexual abuse by clergy utterly abhorrent, declared “Not in my name and not in my church”.
There is a culture of protection of these criminals in the church, and in order to distance themselves, the people who are sincerely repelled by this, have to name and expel the criminals.
Davidst, feel free to use my/our blog site to air your grievances.Prefer you didn’t self-harm on my page but it’s a free country.Don’t confuse unconventstitutional with disloyal.Paul had the same conflict with Peter.BobMaguire.
Thank you Fr Bob for cynically using sexual abuse to push the usual reformist agenda. Have you no heart? Is there nothing that is off-limits to you politicos? Is there no one or nothing that you won’t use to get your own way? There is a time and place for everything but this opportunism is utterly contemptable. May God forgive you – to USE the suffering of sexual abuse victims to push your own agenda is absolutely disgraceful! You and your mate Bishop Pat should be ashamed of yourselves!
DAVIDST – I don’t think there is anything unreasonable or opportunistic or cynical in this blogpost by Father Bob.
I have plenty of mates who would fit into the category of ‘people of good will’… the last group that the papal encyclicals always include in the greeting. These are people who subscribe to ‘kindness’, would embrace forgiveness as a good stance in sorting out problems but are not official members of the tribe. But to these people, the church, no matter if we are traditionalists or politicos – it is on the nose!
Surely the institutional structures that Fr Bob writes about have harboured the environment in which all this terrible, life destroying stuff has happened. And it is not an unreasonable argument (and I don’t think it is disrespectful) to say that that system has to be shaken to the core.
The founder did things that challenged the institution of his day. He healed on the Sabbath… he mixed with the outsiders and the unclean.
I sense that your argument comes from a deep respect and connection to the institution… but DavidSt -with genuine respect, that institution is less important than the dignity of every human being. If it can’t be fixed up, there are going to be a lot of even emptier ‘clubrooms’.
Bill, thanks for clarifying my remarks for Davidst.I’m a preacher by trade and you’re a teacher.You are better in a discussion than I am.BobMaguire.