This Labor Day weekend marks the unofficial end of another summer season as many of us transition back to school and a busier schedule. Several parishioners asked me this week if I would share with them the comments I made in my homily last weekend relative to the sexual abuse crisis we continue to face in the Church. And so I offer these reflections once again in written form for parishioners who may have been away last weekend:
Today’s readings (21st Sunday – B) are certainly most fitting for us today as we find ourselves grappling and struggling with renewed revelations of the sexual abuse of minors by priests and the ways in which authorities and bishops did or did not deal with these atrocious crimes. Yes, the pain of priestly sexual abuse was reignited again with last week’s release of the Pennsylvania grand jury’s report covering six dioceses over a period of 70 years. The details of report are shocking and deeply disturbing. Our first and continual response must be to mourn for the victims who were so betrayed when they were children or teens. We must always pray for them and do all we can to reach out to them to help and counsel and heal. We must also compensate them now and into the future.
This is a time of sorrow for all of us in the Church. We experience a wide range of emotions. We are saddened, embarrassed and angry. It is important that we talk about our thoughts and feelings with one another. Yes, we have been here before some 16 years ago in 2002 when priests with credible allegations of abuse were being removed from ministry. The Charter for the Protection of Children & Young People was written and implemented calling for zero tolerance. We acknowledge the progress that has been made in creating safer environments in our communities, parishes and schools while realizing there is still much more for us to do. What is different now in 2018 is that more and more bishops and church authorities will be – and should be – held accountable for their actions and for not removing abusive priests from ministry, but instead often moving them to another assignment.
Through the years of this great crisis we all know people who have stopped coming to Mass. They, too, have been disillusioned, are hurt and angry. Others who were already inactive still use the crisis as the reason for remaining inactive. But our efforts to evangelize and reach out to these brothers and sisters must continue. Our desire to embrace the gospel message and live it out in our own lives and in our community must grow even stronger.
Yet through it all, we are here – we are still here. And so we must ask “why?”. It is a necessary and legitimate question. Reflecting on today’s readings helped me personally to answer this question. Remembering all that God has done and been, I can renew my commitment and say with the words of Joshua “as for me…I will worship the Lord.” Jesus’ question to his disciples is now addressed to us – “Do you also want to leave me?” The disciples’ response reminds us that our faith is in Jesus Christ – the Word of God who became one of us – the Bread of Life who gives us life. The Church is the vehicle, the community that brings us together to Christ. “Do you also want to leave me?” I pray today that each of us can answer the Lord’s question with a faith that reflects his disciples’ response - “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”