As an advocate for clergy sex abuse victims, their families and those who support them as mandated reporters, it is hard to believe that another Easter is here and four years since one of my first writings, Hidden Blessings, was published online at www.opednews.com.
The publishing of the article and feedback received,for me as an amateur writer, looking for enough courage to communicate with others online, there have been many forks in the road since that first article. And, using a scale from 1 - 10 to rate the many blessings that have followed, I have to give this time of blessings a rating of 10!
Thank you to those who have touched the lives of my family and I, and for reaching out to others with courage and persistance via online communications.
Easter, Passover and/or Spring are often times forself-reflection and renewal. As a cradle Catholic, there is no doubt the Holy Spirit is alive and working harder than ever, especially as it relates to the clergy sex abuse scandals that have slowly evolved into a serious global crisis. Yet, I still cannot grasp exactly what it is Pope Benedict, the Cardinals, the Bishops, Church attorneys and leaders expect from the faithful in the pews. The messages from Church leaders get scarier by the minute and I cannot help but wonder if anyone has learned anything from the painful truths revealed since the clergy abuse crisis publicly erupted in 2002. It is now time to Stop Enabling the Tabloids and "Petty Gossip"!
Four years ago,in the midst of Holy Week . . .
*** It was George Neumayr's Cardinal Sin, that explained how Cardinal Mahony wrote a letter toPresident Clinton, on behalf of Carlos Vignali, asking for clemency for the cocaine dealer, that confused the faithful. I have often wondered if Cardinal Mahony would write a letter on my behalf and/or on behalf of one of the clergy sex abuse victims if one of us found ourselves in trouble with the law.
Today,also in the midst of Holy Week. . .
*** The Vatican and Pope Benedict himself have sent a message that the sex abuse scandal isn't really about the tens of thousands of precious children who were raped by members of the clergy. Apparently, the concern is the strength and resolve of the faithful in the pews to not be intimidated by such "petty gossip". There is something very wrong with this message from the Vatican. I cannot help but ask myself why is the Vatican enabling the tabloids and petty gossip?
Sadly, the most disappointing message in the midst of this year's Holy Week is Bill Donohue from the Catholic League of Religious and Civil Rights'advertisement in the New York Times, entitled Going for the Vatican Jugular . The clergy sex abuse scandals have been shocking and disgraceful; however,why would Mr.Donohue, who is employed by the Catholic League of Religious and Civil Rights,enable the tabloids and petty gossip to continue by paying for an obvious opinion involving his own employer's handling of a global sex abuse crisis that destroyed the lives of children and families for decades?
God bless all during this time of self-reflection and renewal. Without justice, there will never be peace. Without peace, faith and our country's laws are empty.
