Overwhelmed by all the Scandal?
So the big topic of the day is the sex scandal and cover up in the church. In the past few weeks, there has been a ton of conversation about the abuses and cover-ups by Bishops and Cardinals. Even Pope Francis has been implicated in the web of cover-ups.
Many Catholics have been following the news closely as more information comes to light. It can take up a lot of time, refreshing newsfeeds and searching out helpful responses. That is, in fact, why I haven’t been looking. Perhaps some of you are feeling just as overwhelmed as me by the flood of news and media.
That’s where this article comes in.
My husband has shared the best resources he has found about this scandal with me. These are the highlights of what is helping him process the horror of what is going on in our Church. I want to share links to these with you, in hopes that you too are comforted by these responses.
Responses from Priests
This priest was a seminarian during the first wave of sexual abuse scandals being in the news. His sermon, posted on YouTube, is an excellent reflection on the abuse, as well as our role in the Church at this difficult time.
On his Ascension Presents channel on YouTube, Fr. Mike Schmitz talks about what he has experienced in response to the Pennsylvania Grand Jury Report. What is great about his video is when that he shares his feelings so open and honest. He also has a follow up video on Repentance and Church reform.
These priests discuss “The Scandal and the Scouring,” on their podcast Catholic Stuff You Should Know. In fact, this episode is recorded in a Church, which adds to their reverence and openness in approaching this difficult topic. They bring a Byzantine prospective to the issue, using the icon of The Ladder or Divine Ascent to centre their discussion. Their talk is about an hour long, but I appreciated listening to them talk while I worked around the house.
Responses from Laity
This letter, though not contemporary, still touches on important points for us now. Any Tolkien fans will take comfort in the wise words of this brilliant Catholic writer.
Okay, to be fair I introduced these ones to my husband. I’ve been following Matt Fradd’s podcast for a while, and though I don’t listen to all them, I really appreciate that he is also Byzantine! 122 is with Patrick Coffin and deals with the Pope’s response to the cover up of the sex scandal. The third podcast (123) is called From Scandal to Hope, which is with Raymond Arroyo. I got the most out of the first two podcast but my husband appreciated Arroyo’s thoughts so make sure to listen to them all!
The president of Catholic Answers posted his response to the Grand Jury Report sex scandal. While working for an evangelizing ministry, Check writes as a father first. He also addresses the question of what the laity can and should do now.
What You Can Do
There have been a couple different answers to this going around. Prayer and fasting is a popular option, but I know many of us want to do something more.
Some women have put together a petition calling for 15 concrete actions that our eparchies and dioceses can take. You can find it at https://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/642/506/389/. You can watch a video promoting this petition on Youtube here.
Another action you can take is writing to your bishops and others in the church hierarchy.
This is a tough time for us in the Catholic Church. But it is also a time of hope. Jesus promised that the gates of Hell will not prevail against our Church. And we have the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist. That right there is a cause for joy. (For a happier topic, consider reading my article on how I got my life in order with a Rule of Life).
Wishing you all strength and love in this sexually perverse age,
Kyleshka
