While the current headlines reflect advanced thinking by the Roman Catholic Church on topics such as condoms and the 'new princes' elections, I read little on the Vatican's response to the issue of sexually abusive clergy during Pope Benedict XVI's historic meeting of worldwide bishops and cardinals last week.
The Pontiff surely realizes that the Church cannot advance while dragging these crimes and the mayhem of conspiracies behind it. Nor can it redirect our attention by disavowing what it has done.
The opportunity for accountability, resolution and a promise for the protection of vulnerable children is now. If this chance for doggedness and truthfulness is lost, then so crumbles another pillar of civilization and hope. And if the Church is unwilling, then perhaps it is justice that it should pay with whatever is left of its integrity.
Pope Benedict XVI needs to set the stage with the full disclosure of his own record of cover-up and mishandling of the clergy abuse cases under his authority before his ascension to the Vatican's highest seat. Barbara Blaine, president of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said last week, "Before any hopes get raised, let's remember that it's likely that every man in the room next week has ignored and concealed clergy sex crimes or is doing so right now. The prospects of substantial reform happening next week are therefore pretty slim."
If justice is to be met and satisfied and the Roman Catholic Church is to begin the long-needed healing process for the thousands of victims and survivors globally, the Church must also invite government officials, prosecutors and law enforcement officials into these meetings. The men who concealed these most heinous crimes and those involved in silencing the victims of abuse should not be allowed to solve and absolve alone. Just as guilty as the perpetrators -- the nuns and priests who raped and robbed innocent children, and who've left them forever locked in torments of their childhoods -- are those who hid and allowed decades of predatory Catholic Clergy abuse.
Long overdue is our own government's involvement on the national level. Throughout the years since the historic cases of clergy abuse in Boston and Kentucky, news media have reported on many more throughout the United States.
Now is the time for the US government to form a commission that would investigate and study the entire scope of the tragic American clergy abuse cases, more importantly the most horrendous crimes which were perpetrated against those without family or protection -- U.S. orphans. This much needed study would reveal the magnitude of the problems and the countless numbers who have been victimized along with exposing the many predator clergy, further insuring the safety of vulnerable children. We as a society know that the strongest weapon against child abuse is to arm ourselves with information and education.
Our country has just gone through an election process and numerous times we've heard U.S. citizens say they wanted a more open and transparent government. Just as Americans want and deserve a more open and transparent government, victims of clergy abuse around the world want and deserve the Church's hierarchy to finally become more open and transparent concerning the identities of predator priests and nuns. These should include those criminally convicted in courts, those identified by victims and the clergy moved from one jurisdiction to another because of sexual abuse allegations.
Just as each state in the US has created their own convicted sex offender registries which list those convicted in their respective state, the Church's hierarchy should also create a list of all convicted or suspected predator priests/nuns for each country in the world. The Roman Catholic Church needs to let the world know the mistakes it has made by re-affirming the steps they have taken and the policies they've put in place with justice and action. William F. McMurry, an advocate and expertise for abuse victims wrote, " ... without accountability, justice will remain an elusive butterfly."
Survivors of clergy abuse live with devastating and debilitating emotional scars. It is only fair that the Church also live with emotional scars by providing a list of every suspected predator clergy in the world both current and past.
Pope Benedict XVI has said the Church has a profound need to learn forgiveness. But too often the Church confuses being forgiven with righteousness. Many survivors know that absolution is not justice, nor an excuse or exoneration; it is however an action -- a necessary progression toward moving forward and healing. The Roman Catholic Church needs to know that they too need action for civilization to move forward and to heal -- just as every survivor and child who has ever suffered in silence and self blame deserves and should be allowed to heal and be protected with action against further clergy abuse. This begins with the Church disclosing and revealing.
My name is Kim Michele Richardson and I am a survivor of clergy abuse. I was abandoned as an infant to a Roman Catholic Orphan Asylum for nearly a decade.
Follow Kim Michele Richardson on Twitter: www.twitter.com/writernwaiting
Kim Michele Richardson: NUN ABUSE: A Survivor's Message for the Vatican
Catholic sex abuse cases - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Boston Globe / Spotlight / Abuse in the Catholic Church
Catholic Church's sex abuse scandal goes global - CNN
Will German Catholic church abuse case reach Pope Benedict ...
ThinkProgress » Catholic League: Church Abuse Scandal Is A Crisis ...
I was not abused in a theologic setting, but sustained childhood abuse and incest. In that context, I have been fascinated at the parallels between the Catholic Church as an enabling organization and any "enabling" parent. The excuses and dodges are the same... it was not that important, think of the family, get over it/it happened a long time ago - all familiar refrains from those of us who have sustained this kind of trauma.
Keep on writing, keep on speaking a clear reality! I am sure that there are many with less articulate voices who thank you for speaking their story along with yours.
When I married into the family as a young woman,
I had NO IDEA. The parallels to the Catholic Church
are, as you say, striking. It's like a microcosm of the
same unspeakable horrors. All fronted by the image
of the 'good' family. Behind the front -- lies, secrets and silence.
Best wishes to you on your journey. Fanned for truth. Nikanj.
(My screen name is that of a character in the obscure
but excellent writings of Octavia Butler, which you might
enjoy if you like thoughtful science fiction).
A few bad apples used their knowledge of the Catholic Faith to encourage others to hide their crimes, and seek forgiveness from the 'Confessional' So now satan's disciples, people with a hatred for Catholics, Atheists eager to use the crimes as proof of their mindless assumptions about God, and all the Catholic and God haters who loved to beat this drum spew these endless attacks.
It is just beyond any other purpose at this point, so we Catholics who love God and His Church just can't take it seriously when these attackers write these anti-Catholic articles. The issue has been effectively beaten to death.
Police departments across America have an Internal Affairs Unit/Professional Standards Unit that investigates misconduct charges/administrative rule breaking by their Officers. These large police departments usually have another unit that investigates possible criminal allegations against their officers and often times this unit is called the Public Integrity Unit.
Penalties that are imposed on the Police can range from a letter of reprimand, days suspended without pay, on to termination. These penalties are always more severe than penalties imposed on their counterparts in the private sector. The rationale is that Police, which provide security for our neighborhoods, should be held to a higher standard than your normal citizen.
Hence, Priests that hold our trust should also be held to a higher standard.
So I'm not sure I am able to follow your logic. And I'm neither anti-Catholic nor atheistic. When any person commits a crime, it is another crime to shield that person from the consequences of the law.
To recover its strength, the Church must move past this stain on its integrity. The only way to do this is through a process of full disclosure, the purging and accountability of criminals within its ranks and safeguards imposed to ensure that history does not repeat itself.
Kindest
Kim
I suggest you take upon yourself an excercise of enlightenment... Go to Amazon or any other internet book vendor, enter the words "catholic priest abuse", pick the top three titles, making sure that one of them is the excellent documentary of the insanity in Boston under Cardinal Law, and then read them.
Following that, I suggest you sit in a support group for those who have been abused by priests and nuns for at least three sessions.
You operate from a place of safety; by calling this the action of atheistic church-haters, you seek to minimize the problem and diminish the impact of a theologic administration that not only condoned direct abuse but enabled its perpetration. The cases are well documented, go back decades in this country and now, clearly, in Europe as well.
Any other institution that would so obviously abuse it's power would be systematically dismantled and relegated to the history's trash pile.
So clearly we do not dismantle criminal organizations, or even try the great criminals, and we did just elect more republicans/criminals to power.
Incidentally, God heals the victims, we Catholics just pray for his Mercy.
a lot farther in healing my husband than your God.
But of course the contribution of a woman would not count.
"Set your eyes and ears on the existing turmoil and confusion. The Lord thy God has tired of the exasperating deceptions which have governed so many of His children. It is now the time to hearken to the calling. He who does not respond to Truth will Know much regret. For has it not been shown to you through many of His chosen ones the deceitful lies that have ruled this establishment. Who calls it the House of God? It is filled with vile corruption. How be it, they walk and talk with all the motions of piety and there is no piety within them.Blow the trumpets. Let everyone hear the Truth. Bring out of hiding all of the hidden evils that have held My children prisoner. Sound the trumpet and make ready to make war on all of the forces of evil."
Other than that, well spoken.
And you are wrong in terms of Catholocism posts here. Check out articles from Fr. Martin and Sr. Joan Chittester. They are regular contributers.
As for Fr. Martin, I pity him. No matter how hard he tries to reach out to the leftwing, they are always there to attack. Why bother?
The function of the Catholic Church is to dictate morality, and require behavior consistent with that morality. The Catholic Church needs to live up to the STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOR IT SETS FOR EVERYONE ELSE TO LIVE BY!!!!!!
I remember the first cases to hit mainstream media. From listening to the defensive excuses offered by church spokesthingies, it was clear that protecting the reputation of Mother Church was more important than the children. I believe the RCC is close to a tipping point; once past, the church will no longer have a reputation to defend. If they don't do the right thing now, it may cost them everything in the future. I'll be laughing when the Vatican goes up for sale on eBay.
A reflective monastery for such priests would be a good way to control them, but I'd ask to please toss in the bishops and cardinals who directed this farce for so many years.
I can't see this happening with the current Pope and Cardinals. To them the less said the better.
A very little mind that for one second, almost opened up. Almost.
"Me and my friends meet at mass before going out for the night"
"I'm pro-life"
"I'm a virgin"
Honestly, people need to be more open to the fact that other people have different view points. This is a two way street. Anyway, I'm okay with churches having a petition, in that they're asking people to sign it,not telling them it's a sin not to or something, but I can't say I entirely approve either.