RECONCILIATION AFTER THE SEX ABUSE SCANDAL
FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT
FEBRUARY 18, 2018
WHEN OUR LORD, IN HIS INFINITE WISDOM, ENTRUSTED HIS CHURCH TO FRAIL HUMAN BEINGS, HE WAS BOUND TO HAVE SOME DISAPPOINTMENTS. HIS MOST RECENT DISAPPOINTMENTS, CAME IN THE LENT OF 2002 WHEN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES ENTERED THE GREATEST CRISIS IN ITS HISTORY.
WE CAME TO REALIZE THAT SOME PRIESTS AND BISHOPS BEHAVED BADLY. WE FOUND TO OUR SORROW THAT THE PRIESTHOOD, LIKE ALL HUMAN GROUPS, IS NOT IMMUNE FROM TROUBLED MEN WHO CAN INFLICT HARM ON OTHERS.
LIKE EVERY CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY, THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IS A CHURCH OF SINNERS. ITS SPIRITUAL RHYTHMS REGULARLY REPEAT THE ANCIENT BIBLICAL CYCLE OF FAILURE, REPENTANCE, PENANCE, FORGIVENESS, AND RECONCILIATION.
YET EVEN IN A CHURCH THAT KNOWS A LOT ABOUT SIN, SOME ACTS OF WICKEDNESS STILL RETAIN THEIR CAPACITY TO SHOCK. THE SEXUAL ABUSE OF MINORS BY PRIESTS IS ONE SUCH KIND OF WICKEDNESS.
OUR CATHOLIC PEOPLE SUFFERED AN EMOTIONAL EARTHQUAKE IN THE LENT OF 2002 WHEN NEWS OF CLERICAL SEXUAL MISCONDUCT WAS REPORTED. IN THE FIRST MONTHS OF 2002 WE WERE ENRAGED, ASHAMED, EMBARRASSED AND HUMBLED. THE SHOCK AND THE SADNESS COMES FROM THE FACT THAT SOMETHING SO BEAUTIFUL COULD SO EASILY BE BROKEN.
TRAGICALLY SEXUAL ABUSE OF CHILDREN IS NOT A NEW PHENOMENON. IT IS A FACT THAT CHILDREN ARE MOLESTED IN OUR SOCIETY AND SOME OF THE PERPETRATORS ARE CLERGY. RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT SEXUAL ABUSE IS NOT A CATHOLIC PRIEST PROBLEM. WE KNOW NOW THAT IT IS PERVASIVE IN OUR SOCIETY AT LARGE. IT IS HORRIFIC WHEREVER WE FIND IT.
IT IS NO LESS HORRIFIC TO KNOW THAT THE PERCENTAGE OF CATHOLIC PRIESTS WHO ABUSE CHILDREN IS THE SAME OR LESS THAN THE PERCENTAGE OF MALE CLERGY FROM OTHER RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS WHO ABUSE CHILDREN.
IT IS SMALL COMFORT TO KNOW THAT SEXUAL ABUSE OF CHILDREN OCCURS IN OTHER OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS SUCH AS TEACHERS, COACHES, SCOUT LEADERS, SOCIAL WORKERS AND OTHERS WHO HAVE ACCESS TO CHILDREN.
OBVIOUSLY ANY SEXUAL ABUSE OF MINORS IS AN ABOMINATION. IT IS IMMORAL, UNETHICAL AND ILLEGAL. WE EXPECT BETTER BEHAVIOR FROM THOSE WHO ARE ENTRUSTED WITH THE CARE AND FORMATION OF CHILDREN. ALL THOSE WHO ARE GUILTY OF SUCH EVIL SHOULD BE REMOVED AND PUNISHED.
JESUS SAID: “IF ANYONE CAUSES ONE OF THESE LITTLE ONES TO STUMBLE, IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR THEM TO HAVE A LARGE MILLSTONE HUNG AROUND THEIR NECK AND TO BE DROWNED IN THE DEPTHS OF THE SEA.”
THE PAIN OF THE VICTIMS OF SEX ABUSE CANNOT BE IMAGINED BY ANYONE WHO HAS NOT EXPERIENCED THAT VIOLENCE AND INDIGNITY. NO AMOUNT OF APOLOGY OR COMPENSATION CAN TAKE AWAY THE SCAR OF SEX ABUSE.
BISHOP CUNNINGHAM HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE IS A GRAVE SIN AND A CRIME. HE HAS ALWAYS MAINTAINED THAT NO CHILD IS RESPONSIBLE EVER FOR HIS OR HER ABUSE.
THE PROBLEM OF SEX ABUSE IN THE CHURCH IS A PROBLEM THAT MUST BE DEALT WITH BY THE ENTIRE FAMILY OF THE CHURCH, BISHOPS, PRIESTS, RELGIOUS AND LAY PEOPLE. WE ARE THE ONE BODY OF CHRIST. ST. PAUL SAYS THAT WHATEVER AFFECTS ONE MEMBER OF THE BODY AFFECTS THE ENTIRE BODY.
WHAT HAS THE CHURCH DONE TO RESPOND TO THIS HORRIFIC BEHAVIOR?
SINCE THE ADOPTION OF THE BISHOPS’ CHARTER FOR THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE THE SYRACUSE DIOCESE HAS IMPLEMENTED A NUMBER OF SAFEGUARDS AND PROCEDURES DESIGNED TO KEEP CHILDREN SAFE.
ANY CLERIC AGAINST WHOM AN ALLEGATION OF ABUSE IS SUBSTANTIATED IS PERMANENTLY REMOVED FROM MINISTRY.
THE DIOCESE OFERS BOTH PASTORAL CARE AND REIMBURSEMENT FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL COUNSELING TO VICTIMS.
BY WAY OF PREVENTION, SINCE 2003 THE DIOCESE HAS HAD A CHILD AND YOUTH PROTECTION POLICY AND A CODE OF CONDUCT FOR ANYONE WHO HAS ACCESS TO CHILDREN. NEARLY 40,000 BACKGROUND CHECKS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED ON CLERGY, RELIGIOUS, EMPLOYEES AND VOLUNTEERS.
ALL OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE RECEIVED SAFE ENVIRONMENT TRAINING.
OVER 16,000 STUDENTS IN THE CATHOLIC SCHOOLS AND FAITH FORMATION PROGRAMS RECEIVED AGE-APPROPRIATE SAFE ENVIRONMENT TRAINING.
THE SAFE ENVIRONMENT PROGRAM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES HAS BECOME A MODEL FOR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS OUTSIDE THE CATHOLIC CHURCH BECAUSE SEXUAL ABUSE IS EVERYWHERE.
ON ASH WEDNESAY BISHOP CUNNINGHAM HAD A PRESS CONFERENCE. HIS CHIEF CONCERN IN THIS PRESS CONFERENCE WAS THE NEEDS OF THE VICTIMS AND HIS DESIRE TO BRING ABOUT FURTHER RECONCILIATION AND HEALING. HE IS DEEPLY AWARE THAT THE PAIN OF THE VICTIMS CONTINUES; IT IS HORRENDOUS AND MUST NOT BE FORGOTTEN.
THE BISHOP ANNOUNCED THAT THE DIOCESE IS ESTABLISHING A RECONCILIATION AND COMPENSATION PROGRAM TO PROMOTE THE RECONCILIATION AND HEALING OF THE VICTIMS. OTHER DIOCESES HAVE ESTABLISHED THIS SAME PROGRAM WITH GREAT SUCCESS IN ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF VICTIMS.
MORE ABOUT THIS PROGRAM CAN BE READ IN THE CATHOLIC SUN AND ON THE WEBSITE FOR THE DIOCESE OF SYRACUSE.
THE BISHOP ANNOUNCED THAT THE FUNDS FOR THE COMPENSATION PROGRAM WILL COME FROM THE GENERAL LIABILITY INSURANCE PLAN. THE DIOCESE IS SELF-INSURED AND HAS BUILT UP RESERVES FOR EMERGENCY USE.
THE BISHOP MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT NO MONEY GIVEN BY THE FAITHFUL TO SUPPORT PARISHES, SCHOOLS, CATHOLIC CHARITIES, THE ANNUAL HOPE APPEAL, THE CATHEDRAL RESTORATION FUND OR ANY OTHER CHARITABLE FUND WILL BE USED IN THE COMPENSATION PROGRAM.
PLEASE HEAR THIS MESSAGE. MANY PEOPLE IN OUR PARISH AND MANY PEOPLE IN THE DIOCESE ARE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THIS COMPENSATION FOR VICTIMS IS COMING FROM THE PEOPLE IN THE PARISHES. THIS IS NOT THE CASE. NO MONEY COLLECTED FROM THE PEOPLE WILL BE SPENT ON THIS COMPENSATION PROGRAM. LIABILITY INSURANCE WILL PAY THE VICTIMS.
BISHOP CUNNINGHAM ASKS THAT WE JOIN HIM IN PRAYER THAT THIS NEW EFFORT WILL BRING RECONCILIATION, FORGIVENESS, HOPE AND HEALING TO ALL THOSE AFFECTED BY THIS SCANDAL. PRAY ALSO THAT THE THIS TERRIBLE SCOURGE WILL BE REMOVED NOT ONLY FROM THE CHURCH BUT FROM ALL OF SOCIETY.
REMEMBER THAT THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST HAS STRUGGLED FOR CENTURIES TO BRING OUT THE BEST IN MEN AND WOMEN OF ALL RACES AND CULTURES. THE SOCIAL CONTRIBUTION OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH THROUGH THE CENTURIES DEFIES COMPREHENSION.
AS THE OBLATE PRIEST FR. ROLHEISER PUTS IT: “THE CHURCH IS ALWAYS GOD HUNG BETWEEN TWO THIEVES. THUS, NO ONE SHOULD BE SURPRISED OR SHOCKED AT HOW BADLY THE CHURCH HAS BETRAYED THE GOSPEL AND HOW MUCH IT CONTINUES TO DO SO TODAY. HOWEVER, NOBODY SHOULD DENY THE GOOD THE CHURCH HAS DONE EITHER. IT HAS CARRIED GRACE, PRODUCED SAINTS, MORALLY CHALLENGED THE PLANET, AND MADE, HOWEVER IMPERFECTLY, A HOUSE FOR GOD TO DWELL IN ON THIS EARTH.’