Quite the dirty trick, Ed. Getting us worked up about the “political drama” you and the Mrs. have just discovered, and then failing to mention its name.
Just fyi -- the U.S. is not a "popular democracy." It's a constitutional republic. And it's "poring" over, not "pouring" over ( unless you're referring to, say, hot fudge over ice cream).
I read the Pedrahas story, at least as much as my cell phone would allow. Someone needs to set a firm example by defrocking everyone who knew what he was doing and didn't protect his potential victims. How long must it be before the Church decides to actually protect its members from their pastors? How many more millions of victims? We are making Jesus cry through our inaction.
If you laicize someone and kick them out, you can no longer command that person in obedience to go live a life of prayer and penance on the Star Wars island. Wiser heads than mine would need to think about what justice looks like and how to achieve justice (though probably it's a wildlife refuge or something and you can't actually do that.)
Yes, if they can be better punished by remaining clerics then they should remain so. But the Jesuits appear to have no problem with the sexual abusers in their midst and I totally doubt that anyone in the Church will ever punish the enablers. In McCarrick's case no one even named them, and absolutely nothing happened to them. Civil authorities are the only hope victims have for obtaining justice. If the enablers are laicized, at least the Church will have done something. A life of penance and prayer would be better, but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for it. These are Jesuits.
Juanita Brooks, writing about the Mountain Meadows Massacre, said “nothing but the truth can be good enough for the church to which I belong.” While she was referring to the Mormon Church’s involvement in a 19th century bloodbath, the same sentiment, it seems to me applies to these endless clerical abuse cases. We are sick to death of these stories, but only the full truth can be good enough for the Catholic Church to which we belong.
As a long-time, huge (if a bit too serious) fan of Eurovision - and a faithful Catholic! (I might be the only one of my kind considering the fanbase) - I must say that your introduction to the contest is surprisingly respectful. It goes to the basics, and while it does enter immediately into the quirks and politics of the contest, I think at the end it does a good job of explaining the core of the contest: a celebration of music, culture and uniting Europe - the last one doing it well without the need for an esoteric supranational mega-bureaucracy.
NBC actually tried to do an American version of the contest last year, but it was too long, trying to cram entries from all 50 states and all its territories into one season, and was not executed well. Regional contests with one final show would have made more sense.
Also a correction - the bearded lady was Austrian, not Israeli. The entry won over a country ballad from the Netherlands that finished second that wouldn't sound out of place in Nashville radio. Even some fans thought that was more of a worthy winner.
There are so many faithful Catholics sickened by the never ending revelations of Clerical sex abuse and its ( to say it mildly “ systemic mismanagement ‘) one can reasonably ask why they continue to support the system. Undoubtedly , there are scores of answers. Those answers that are highly personal …that speak to their own spiritual connection to the institution , I find compelling tinged with sadness. All others. I find specious. So long as legions of facially celibate men are able to control the institution to the extent that not only are “non clerics “ excluded from governance they are excluded from actionable oversight of the clerical abusers, nothing will change . It will remain a criminal enterprise. How could it be otherwise?
How could it be otherwise? Through the work of the Holy Spirit. "With God nothing is impossible."
I don't disagree that a lot more accidentally and visibility is needed, but your post completely loses sight of the pact that the Church isn't a "system" or institution like any other. It's not primarily a hierarchy, although it has one. The Church is the Body of Christ, still led by its founder and Head through the Holy Spirit, who will never abandon it. The men in charge have been scandalous in past centuries and are scandalous again now, but they are, in many ways, less "in charge" than you think. We are the Church, and they exist to help and serve us (no doubt there have been vast failings in this regard): to give us the sacraments, preserve and teach the truth, and provide a visible sign of unity. But the clerics are not "the Church" without all the People of God.
When we give them too much credit for the whole shebang, even in the form of criticism, we are contributing to clericalism.
Don't lost sight of the laity and especially the Holy Spirit, who can bring renewal even when it seems impossible.
You say the Church is an institution not like any other because it is the People of God led by The Holy Spirit. But the Holy Spirit acts through us, not independently of us. In order for us, the People of God, to address the criminality of the purveyors of our sacraments, we have to have standing. We have no standing. Without standing, the Holy Spirit cannot act. Explain how the laity , the disciples of the Holy Spirit, can create change the laity knows must take place.
The Holy Spirit can act without us if he needs to, through the formation of better priests in the future, the elevation of right clerics at the right time, or though a miraculous appearance of true remorse on the part of wrong-doers, or many other options. God has plenty of options, more than just those I can think of.
I would have no objection to a lay council with significant voice to investigate clerical abuse and impose penalties, if it could be structured under the auspices of the local bishop or pope as appropriate who have governing authority. That governing authority is important (though I suspect you will object that it is fatally flawed) because of its sacramental foundation in holy orders, with authority flowing from Christ himself. We need a point of unity in teaching, belief, and life--the Fathers of the Church (can't remember if I want to reference Ignatius or Irenaeus) emphasized unity with the bishop being essential to avoiding heresy etc. You can ditch that if you want, but it puts you in some pretty dubious company.
But we do have "standing." We have the dignity of children of God. Catherine of Siena changed the course of the Church by her letters and personal appeals to the pope, despite being a relative nobody in the eyes of the world. Write to your bishop, demanding he care for his children by protecting them from predators.
To assist with Confirmation class I was required to complete a course about sexual abuse / red flags that others might be involved in abuse before I could work with the students. I believe this is pretty standard in most US dioceses. The course was pretty much a no brainer for anyone with a moral center and common sense. In the past year I have seen post on social media by teachers in our public school systems which throw up multiple red flags as to child grooming. Books allowed in children's libraries also frequently throw up similar red flags. There is a push in our society to accept the idea that children should experience and embrace sexuality as early as possible. This thought would have been met with scorn and concern that our children need to be protected from such depravity just a few years ago, but is now put forth in various circles as acceptable. Just look at the drag queen phenomenon. I have begun to wonder if this previously underground sexual ideation of children and youth has existed in more people then I ever imagined - and allowed with a wink and a nod and just don't get caught attitude. Child sex trafficking appears to be at an all time high. I would like to see the Church make a strong push for the protection of children - not just in our schools and churches, but everywhere.
This is unrelated to your article but hoping you can read your email to you and JD with subject of Fan Art.
"Fire Saga" undersells the crazy of Eurovision? Hahahaha! How fabulous! (We love that movie.)
Also, thank you for your summary of the Pedrajas story. I don't have the strength to read it, but I appreciate knowing about it.
Quite the dirty trick, Ed. Getting us worked up about the “political drama” you and the Mrs. have just discovered, and then failing to mention its name.
With that bit of information, somebody might data mine viewing records and discover Ed’s exact location. Can’t have that.
Ed, What is the name of the political drama? There are so few shows to watch, we would like to give it a try! Lisa
I am guessing - and it's just a guess - that's he's talking about 'The Diplomat'
And it was excellent, by the way.
The US recently tried to do its own version of Eurovision.
It didn't work.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Song_Contest
Just fyi -- the U.S. is not a "popular democracy." It's a constitutional republic. And it's "poring" over, not "pouring" over ( unless you're referring to, say, hot fudge over ice cream).
I believe you intended the verb “pore” rather than “pour” in the instances in which you referred to carefully attending to something in detail.
I read the Pedrahas story, at least as much as my cell phone would allow. Someone needs to set a firm example by defrocking everyone who knew what he was doing and didn't protect his potential victims. How long must it be before the Church decides to actually protect its members from their pastors? How many more millions of victims? We are making Jesus cry through our inaction.
If you laicize someone and kick them out, you can no longer command that person in obedience to go live a life of prayer and penance on the Star Wars island. Wiser heads than mine would need to think about what justice looks like and how to achieve justice (though probably it's a wildlife refuge or something and you can't actually do that.)
Yes, if they can be better punished by remaining clerics then they should remain so. But the Jesuits appear to have no problem with the sexual abusers in their midst and I totally doubt that anyone in the Church will ever punish the enablers. In McCarrick's case no one even named them, and absolutely nothing happened to them. Civil authorities are the only hope victims have for obtaining justice. If the enablers are laicized, at least the Church will have done something. A life of penance and prayer would be better, but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for it. These are Jesuits.
Juanita Brooks, writing about the Mountain Meadows Massacre, said “nothing but the truth can be good enough for the church to which I belong.” While she was referring to the Mormon Church’s involvement in a 19th century bloodbath, the same sentiment, it seems to me applies to these endless clerical abuse cases. We are sick to death of these stories, but only the full truth can be good enough for the Catholic Church to which we belong.
As a long-time, huge (if a bit too serious) fan of Eurovision - and a faithful Catholic! (I might be the only one of my kind considering the fanbase) - I must say that your introduction to the contest is surprisingly respectful. It goes to the basics, and while it does enter immediately into the quirks and politics of the contest, I think at the end it does a good job of explaining the core of the contest: a celebration of music, culture and uniting Europe - the last one doing it well without the need for an esoteric supranational mega-bureaucracy.
NBC actually tried to do an American version of the contest last year, but it was too long, trying to cram entries from all 50 states and all its territories into one season, and was not executed well. Regional contests with one final show would have made more sense.
Also a correction - the bearded lady was Austrian, not Israeli. The entry won over a country ballad from the Netherlands that finished second that wouldn't sound out of place in Nashville radio. Even some fans thought that was more of a worthy winner.
There are so many faithful Catholics sickened by the never ending revelations of Clerical sex abuse and its ( to say it mildly “ systemic mismanagement ‘) one can reasonably ask why they continue to support the system. Undoubtedly , there are scores of answers. Those answers that are highly personal …that speak to their own spiritual connection to the institution , I find compelling tinged with sadness. All others. I find specious. So long as legions of facially celibate men are able to control the institution to the extent that not only are “non clerics “ excluded from governance they are excluded from actionable oversight of the clerical abusers, nothing will change . It will remain a criminal enterprise. How could it be otherwise?
How could it be otherwise? Through the work of the Holy Spirit. "With God nothing is impossible."
I don't disagree that a lot more accidentally and visibility is needed, but your post completely loses sight of the pact that the Church isn't a "system" or institution like any other. It's not primarily a hierarchy, although it has one. The Church is the Body of Christ, still led by its founder and Head through the Holy Spirit, who will never abandon it. The men in charge have been scandalous in past centuries and are scandalous again now, but they are, in many ways, less "in charge" than you think. We are the Church, and they exist to help and serve us (no doubt there have been vast failings in this regard): to give us the sacraments, preserve and teach the truth, and provide a visible sign of unity. But the clerics are not "the Church" without all the People of God.
When we give them too much credit for the whole shebang, even in the form of criticism, we are contributing to clericalism.
Don't lost sight of the laity and especially the Holy Spirit, who can bring renewal even when it seems impossible.
You say the Church is an institution not like any other because it is the People of God led by The Holy Spirit. But the Holy Spirit acts through us, not independently of us. In order for us, the People of God, to address the criminality of the purveyors of our sacraments, we have to have standing. We have no standing. Without standing, the Holy Spirit cannot act. Explain how the laity , the disciples of the Holy Spirit, can create change the laity knows must take place.
The Holy Spirit can act without us if he needs to, through the formation of better priests in the future, the elevation of right clerics at the right time, or though a miraculous appearance of true remorse on the part of wrong-doers, or many other options. God has plenty of options, more than just those I can think of.
I would have no objection to a lay council with significant voice to investigate clerical abuse and impose penalties, if it could be structured under the auspices of the local bishop or pope as appropriate who have governing authority. That governing authority is important (though I suspect you will object that it is fatally flawed) because of its sacramental foundation in holy orders, with authority flowing from Christ himself. We need a point of unity in teaching, belief, and life--the Fathers of the Church (can't remember if I want to reference Ignatius or Irenaeus) emphasized unity with the bishop being essential to avoiding heresy etc. You can ditch that if you want, but it puts you in some pretty dubious company.
But we do have "standing." We have the dignity of children of God. Catherine of Siena changed the course of the Church by her letters and personal appeals to the pope, despite being a relative nobody in the eyes of the world. Write to your bishop, demanding he care for his children by protecting them from predators.
To assist with Confirmation class I was required to complete a course about sexual abuse / red flags that others might be involved in abuse before I could work with the students. I believe this is pretty standard in most US dioceses. The course was pretty much a no brainer for anyone with a moral center and common sense. In the past year I have seen post on social media by teachers in our public school systems which throw up multiple red flags as to child grooming. Books allowed in children's libraries also frequently throw up similar red flags. There is a push in our society to accept the idea that children should experience and embrace sexuality as early as possible. This thought would have been met with scorn and concern that our children need to be protected from such depravity just a few years ago, but is now put forth in various circles as acceptable. Just look at the drag queen phenomenon. I have begun to wonder if this previously underground sexual ideation of children and youth has existed in more people then I ever imagined - and allowed with a wink and a nod and just don't get caught attitude. Child sex trafficking appears to be at an all time high. I would like to see the Church make a strong push for the protection of children - not just in our schools and churches, but everywhere.