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Is the Roman Catholic Church committing suicide?
There is no question that the Roman Catholic Church has shot itself in the foot, if it has not put the knife to its neck, in the way it has handled sex-offending priests, more recently in Boston and Philadelphia. The news gets worse and worse. All the news media have stories, interviews, and opinions on why the RC Church has stuck its head in the sand on the issue of sexual misconduct, particularly with boys. I say, for Pete's sake, let the priests marry and give them an outlet for their sexual drives, if even that would work! [I realize there are other issues involved.] It is absolutely galling to anyone who knows anything about pedophiles to think their behavior can be changed by moving them from parish to parish. Now the dedicated dollars of people who have sacrificed much go not to missions or education but to pay the just civil suits of victims.
Anyone who knows me knows how much I love the Catholic tradition. Without question the most influential person regarding my spiritual growth has been a Roman Catholic monk, Thomas Merton. Roman Catholic thought and liturgy is the natural playground for serious Methodists. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, drank deeply from Catholic wells in his understanding of spiritual life and sacramental theology. Many of the brightest examples of fidelity to Jesus have come from the Roman Catholic tradition. Now, in America at least, that church stands on the edge of the cliff, letting some of its priests push it closer and closer to the brink.
The United Methodist Church, of course, has its own problems with wayward clerics. At general conference we balk at St. Paul's comments on sexual perversity in Romans 1 and 1 Corinthians 5. Surely he doesn't mean what he says…. But all of this about victimizing innocents for one's sexual pleasure; this smacks of the Roman Empire all over again.
I have no advice for my Catholic brothers and sisters, the gospels and the Epistles do that. I am embarrassed for that wing of the Church universal and I sincerely hope that it gets its house in order. I know Catholic Christians who are chagrinned at what is happening and, undoubtedly, the faith of some has been rattled to the core. And that is another matter which will get attention before God.
Well, perhaps I do have a word here. The greatness of the Gospel does not depend on its messengers for its truthfulness and viability. No church structure, no doctrinal system, no liturgical procedure, no ecclesiastical authority speaks for the crucified and risen Jesus. He does that for Himself through the Gospels, the early church, and the Holy Spirit. While I appreciate the tradition I am in I have no illusions as to its essential sinfulness. That fact, however, does not excuse its sinfulness. What it does is drive "the faithful" to God, in repentance, self-examination, and prayer for the courage to do what is right. Things can be different…thank God. There is a good word even for predators, if they can hear it. We will have to wait for a verdict. In the meantime, lets' make the violated innocents the object of healthy prayers and truly loving care
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