Pertinent Scripture

As the U.S. bishops began their fall meeting in November, I could not help but be struck by the readings for the day: Paul’s instruction to Titus on the character of bishops and Jesus’ millstone-around-the-neck warning to those who lead the “little ones” astray.

How we need the Holy Spirit to fall upon our bishops, that our Church might be cleansed of its “filth” (to use Pope Emeritus Benedict’s word)!

I feel especially for the priests in many dioceses who are unable to speak up for fear of retribution. Please, Lord, have mercy on us!

         Name Withheld

 

Designed Revolution

My wife and I have been blessed to be able to travel around the U.S. extensively and to Europe many times. I have never been shy to talk about religion and have a robust conversation about Catholicism. I have discovered that many people still have spirituality in their hearts and still believe in prayer, even if it’s just to stop into church and pray. However, it seems that there is a universal answer as to why Catholics just don’t attend Mass anymore, and it seems to be what I would call a designed revolution.

That revolution is against the hierarchy of the Church, its morals and its rigidity, and most of all its inability to move forward and change.

The consistent word or phrase that I hear is “trust” or “People (I) just don’t trust the Church anymore.” Why? It seems to stem from the Church’s history (current and past), its treatment of people and its inability to be honest about the many issues facing us in a very digitally enhanced world. The issues with priestly abuse make it worse by tenfold, not that it is a new topic for the Church. It seems to me that the Church is an immovable organization. The Church believes with fervor that its ideology is right and truth-based, and yet it continues to fail time and time again, while losing good people to either other religions or just nothing. I myself must fight to continue to believe in our Church, and I guarantee you it’s not an easy battle. If people all over the world cannot connect to the Church, then our demise is inevitable. Yes, there are many Catholics worldwide, but how many practice or attend Mass? The meaning of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. The Church must find different ways to connect to those in danger of leaving and those who remain loyal.

My heart aches for the Church. If the world can no longer trust it, then it seems to me that a major revolution must occur within the walls of the Vatican. The question is not how, but when? Time is running out, but I think the Church is aware of that anyway.

         Victor Augello

         Apollo Beach, Florida

 

The editor responds: In difficult times such as these, we need to take comfort in the words of Christ, who in his Great Commission told us he would never leave us until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). As well, the gates of hell will not prevail against the Church (16:18).

 

Problem-Solving

Regarding the Nov. 11-24 issue of the Register:

In our current crisis in the Church we seem, as an institution, remarkably lacking in basic problem-solving skills.  We seem to be addressing symptoms rather than the root causes. The root causes are there to see (youth synod, seminary reform, destruction of Chinese Marian shrines, removal of bishops) but seem to get ignored.

It is not the seminaries that are the problem; it is the people running the seminaries. It is not just the people running the seminaries who are the problem; it is the Churchmen who put them in charge. It is not Gov. Jerry Brown who is the problem; it is that generations of Catholics, like him, have been raised without the concept of sin and its consequences. It is not that bishops are removed for financial misdeeds; it is that they are not removed for sexual misdeeds. It is not that the bishops and cardinals are silent; it is that bishops and cardinals are complicit. It is not just the bishops and cardinals who are complicit; it is that the Chair of Peter is silent and complicit, or, worse, ambiguous and too accommodating of error, the situation in China being a prime example. Problems don’t start at the bottom; they just become evident there.

What we have is rot at the top of the hierarchy and it has spread downward, straight to hell, in some cases. Nothing less than a purge of the hierarchy can solve this crisis. The priests in error, having lost their protectors, can either self-correct, renew or leave altogether. And the Church will be better for it. Put not your trust in princes, even if they are princes of the Church.

         Katie McDonald

         Houston, Texas

 

The Police’s Job

Pertinent to the articles in the Dec. 23 issue relating to the sex-abuse crisis: Clerical sex abuse should never have been a matter for the bishops. These are crimes that should be handled by the police. The first priest who went to jail would have stopped this 30 years ago. Church cover-ups have encouraged these clerical predators. I call on all laity to report all clerical sexual-abuse crimes directly to the police. The bishops can minister to those convicted inside the prisons. Justice includes protecting the rest of us from criminals by incarcerating them. This is the role of the police, not the bishops.

         Mike McCarthy

         North Carolina