Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Who Will Make Reparation to God for the Sexual Abuse Crisis?

After the horrific Grand Jury Report from Pennsylvania on child and teen sexual abuse and numerous articles about the failure of Church leaders in protecting children and teens from predatory priests, there are a lot of changes that need to be made. Reforms must be instituted. And women in leadership roles must be consulted for their opinions as well as all lay leaders.
But what about the Bishops and Cardinals in our Church?
Upon leaving Mass on Sunday, after our pastor spoke at all the Masses about the damning report and how it was such a difficult week to be a priest and hear the devastating news about failures in our Church, on the way out, I said, "Father, we need a day of reparation, that goes into the evening." He replied, "I've been thinking the same thing."
Well, that would be a good start- a day of reparation throughout the United States and in Vatican City. Let all the Bishops and Cardinals in the Church fast, put on sackcloth and cover themselves with ashes and take turns lying prostrate on the floor of churches and cathedrals and pray for God's forgiveness. And for the lives that have been destroyed through sexual abuse and the poor handling of the crisis.
God weeps that the beautiful religion that is Catholicism has been mishandled and corrupted through crimes, cover-ups and sins against the people of God and against the holiness of God.
Who will make reparation for the gravity of this situation?
NJA