Editorial

Wounds of sexual abuse cause universal Church to suffer

“If one member suffers, all suffer together with it” (1 Cor 12:26).

With those words from Scripture, Pope Francis began his Aug. 20 letter “to the people of God” offering his heartfelt contrition after more sexual abuse claims revealed last week through a grand jury report in Pennsylvania rocked the universal Church.

Tragically, the burden of this sin also weighs heavily on those of us who turn to God when evil rocks our lives of faith.

“These words of St. Paul forcefully echo in my heart as I acknowledge once more the suffering endured by many minors due to sexual abuse, the abuse of power and the abuse of conscience perpetrated by a significant number of clerics and consecrated persons,” the pope said in his letter, “crimes that inflict deep wounds of pain and powerlessness, primarily among the victims, but also in their family members and in the larger community of believers and nonbelievers alike. Looking back to the past, no effort to beg pardon and to seek to repair the harm done will ever be sufficient.”

That there were credible allegations against 301 clergy and religious in cases involving more than 1,000 children in six Pennsylvania dioceses (Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Allentown, Scranton, Greensburg and Erie) over a 70-year period is heartbreaking, and another wake-up call for our Church that no one—not even members of our clergy—is immune from sin.

In response to the recent abuse claims, Cardinal Blasé J. Cupich of Chicago cited the Holy See’s Aug. 16 statement following the release of the grand jury report: “The Church must learn hard lessons from its past, and there should be accountability for both abusers and those who permitted abuse to occur.”

As a former chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee for the Protection of Children and Young People from 2008-11, Cardinal Cupich says he, like many of us, is asking himself: How could this be happening again? Didn’t the U.S. bishops address this crisis 16 years ago when they met in Dallas? What are they doing now, and why should we trust that this time they will do the right thing?

“These are precisely the questions that ought to be asked,” Cardinal Cupich said. “And sorrow, disgust, outrage—these are righteous feelings, the stirrings of the conscience of a people scandalized by the terrible reality that too many of the men who promised to protect their children, and strengthen their faith, have been responsible for wounding both.”

Though most of the crimes are too old to be prosecuted, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said during an Aug. 14 press conference, “for many of the victims, this report is justice.”

The grand jury report also noted that “much has changed over the last 15 years” in how the Church in Pennsylvania approaches claims of clergy sex abuse.

“It appears that the Church is now advising law enforcement of abuse reports more promptly. Internal review processes have been established. Victims are no longer quite so invisible,” the report said. “But the full picture is not yet clear.”

In the days, weeks, months and, yes, even years ahead, the Church must be unequivocally committed to being part of the solution. Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, has laid out a comprehensive plan to respond to the abuse scandal that will involve the laity, lay experts, the clergy and the Vatican.

The three-part plan will include: a full investigation into the “questions surrounding” Archbishop Theodore E. McCarrick, a former cardinal and retired archbishop of Washington, and sexual misconduct claims made against him; an opening of new and confidential channels for reporting complaints against bishops; and advocacy for more effective resolution of future complaints.

Reflecting on the letter Pope Francis addressed to the Church in which he encouraged penance and prayer, Cardinal DiNardo said, “These words must provoke action—especially by the bishops. We bishops need to—and we must—practice with all humility such prayer and penance.”

The pope is also inviting “all the faithful” to join in prayer and fasting as a way to help foster conversion and genuine change of life wherever it is needed, even in the shepherds of the Church, Cardinal DiNardo added.

At times like this, our faith implores us to do as much. Our response must begin with prayer and an unabashed commitment to help bring the light of faith to this time of darkness.

Jesus’ own words about the power of prayer and fasting, Cardinal DiNardo said, are “a humble reminder that such acts of faith can move mountains and can even bring about true healing and conversion.”

—Mike Krokos