8-22-18
Growing up, St. Francis Xavier was both
my parish and school, but it was also my home. There was hardly a day
I wasn't there, if it be for mass, school or sports. I really loved
every aspect of it, including my pastor, Fr. Mark. He was a close
family friend, and someone I customarily gave a hug to following
mass. I was raised to have a great appreciation and love for priests,
understanding how much the Lord uses them in building up the kingdom
of God. They are truly Persona Christi, “In the person of
Christ.” This appreciation and love followed me when my family
moved to Steubenville, as I came to love and respect the new priests
in my life. I can honestly say that besides my parents and siblings,
the different priests in my life have had the biggest influence on
who I am today. I love and admire these men in my life, and want
nothing more than to be like them. I want to be docile to the spirit
as they have shown me, and I want to be able to give myself fully
over to the Lord, with no conditions or strings attached. This has
been my experience of men wearing the collar. Far from perfect, but
seeking heaven and looking to bring many souls with them.
Sadly, my experience is not everyones.
This crisis in the church is indescribable, for all the wrong
reasons. Abuse against children is once again at the forefront of our
news, and has many people wondering if anything has changed from the
last time this was brought to light in Boston. The numbers are
staggering, and the fact that it includes men from all levels of the
Church hierarchy only makes the stomach churn even more. It isn't
just one man doing a lot of harm. No, it's hundreds, and even more
added to the number on the count of inaction. The reality is this –
anyone who is involved in this will be judged harshly but rightly by
God, our Lord and Creator. The severity is unimaginable.
"Let
the children come to me, and do not prevent them;
for the Kingdom of
heaven belongs to such as these."
Matthew 19:14
The
Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. Children are pure and
innocent. The men who have done these heinous crimes have directly
interfered with that, broken that purity. To add to that, they
continued on with their ministry, now blasphemous. They celebrated
the sacraments, heard confessions, preached the word of God. I can't
judge them at all, and pray and hope they all repented, but there are
serious ramifications for the actions they've chosen. Souls have been
lost because of this. And then there are the men who knew about this
abuse and did little to nothing. They too are guilty for their sins
of omission, and will also answer to God for that.
All
in all, it's heartbreaking. The question I keep asking myself is, how
did it ever get to this? The reality is, no one wakes up and says, “I
want to sexually assault children.” The problem here seems to be
more an inability to act, than anything else. These men let fear into
their lives and listened to the lies the devil spoke to them. They
stopped being what they were created to be – which is saints! They
stopped accepting the graces of the moment, they stopped asking for
Our Lady's intercession, and they let the devil have the final say.
They stopped being children of God the Father, and no longer saw the
vital role as shepherd's. Instead, they devoured their flock with
sin.
So
what is next?
I
think we all know what needs to be done. Person by person, there has
to be change. PRAYER and FASTING have to be taken up, an emphasis on
the Eucharist must be at the forefront and lastly, we need to trust,
remembering that God always wins in the end. Truly, we have to have
hope for our future Church, no matter how ugly it might seem. And if
you're looking for a practical way to make change and build up your
church community, I highly suggest writing to your pastor, parochial
vicar, bishop, priest friends, etc. and let them know they have your
support and prayers. They need us in these moments, and we need them!
We need to continue to have priests that seek holiness above all
else, and want nothing more than to get their flocks to heaven. We
need priests of action, and with our own action, we can help them get
there! Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us! Sacred Heart of
Jesus, have mercy on us!
