Dear readers,
It’s been a very long time.
The demands of caring for an aging parent combined with those of
traveling extensively for work provide precious few moments to write. However, recent hubbub compels me to
sacrifice a few moments of sleep to write.
At Mass last weekend, the priest spoke of the clergy abuse revelations
in Pennsylvania and described it as, “the scandal in Pennsylvania.” With 200+ dioceses and growing having abuse
scandals worldwide, we are safe to call it “globally systemic” rather than
confine it to any geographic area as if it were a surprising anomaly. Let’s stop being shocked that the abuse is
uncovered in yet another group of dioceses.
Let’s work to shine the light to expose it everywhere and fix it.
The pastor discussed the PA abuse scandal while defending
the Lansing diocese’s decision to continue holding its “Made for Happiness”
Diocesan Assembly in a few weeks despite this latest sex abuse scandal news. Tragically ironic, the diocesan shindig will
be held at Michigan State University’s Breslin Center, the basketball arena for
a university recently publicly criticized for institutional enablement of a
serial child molester, Dr. Larry Nassar.
Side note: Prior to prison, Nassar was a devout Catholic in the Lansing diocese. The diocese could only be more tone-deafly insensitive
if it asked Larry Nassar to speak at the assembly.
All this pissed me off but did not compel me to write. No, no…it took former papal nuncio to the
U.S., Archbishop Vigano’s recently published lengthy letter calling for Pope
Francis’ resignation to do that.
Vigano, whilst self-righteously adjusting his imaginary
halo, wrote that Francis knew about Cardinal McCarrick’s serial sexually
abusive misdeeds and tsk, tsked at him for doing nothing. Just a little aside here: Francis, Benedict,
John Paul II, Paul VI, etc… all knew about and participated in abuse cover-ups
too. Why is Vigano ok canonizing JPII as
a saint but wants Francis fired? Regardless,
let’s pause a moment to understand how news about sexually abusive priests gets
from the US to dear old popes. IT’S
THROUGH THE PAPAL NUNCIO! Vigano would
have had knowledge not just about McCarrick but about EVERY SINGLE SEXUALLY
ABUSIVE PRIEST reported to any Catholic official in the US.
So, dear Mr. Vigano, you knew about McCarrick too and did
not report him to civil authorities. Nor
did you report to civil authorities any of the sexual crimes priests committed
against children during your tenure.
Therefore, please dispense with your political posturing for papal power
until you first return your pointy hat, signet ring and blinged-out crosier to
the “Shamed Bishops” department and tender your own resignation. Thank you, ever so much.
I also cannot overlook noting that Vigano’s come-lately concern
about sexual abuse was about …wait for it…not any of the thousands of kids
molested by priests, even those suffering during his tenure…no, it’s only about
sexual harassment endured by that precious subclass of humans which clerics
believe sit above the rest of humanity, seminarians and fellow priests. That speaks volumes.
As occurs following each scandalous revelation, there’s a
flurry of advice on how to fix the church…female priests, ditch celibacy, laity
takeover the church…whatever. Please
indulge me in offering my advice to the dialogue…oh, sorry, was dreaming for a
minute there – that the hierarchy actually sought sincere dialogue about how to
fix its systemic criminal activities.
Nonetheless, here are my thoughts.
It’s all about governance.
According to Canon Law, those who write the laws are the same who interpret
the laws and are the same who enforce the laws.
That is a system destined for abuse and corruption – two longstanding
trademarks of the hierarchy.
To add to their death-grip on all ecclesiastic power (Canon
223 and others), Canon Law includes several Canons that make it near impossible
to overturn existing laws. This is a
trap that results from belief in their own perfection. If you believe you are perfect, then how
could you write imperfect laws? And
since you don’t write imperfect laws, why would they need to be
overturned.
Canon law divides humanity into lay people and clerics (Canon
207), setting clerics above laity (Canon 223, 247 and others) and actually
demanding that lay people revere and obey their pastor because pastors are the
best representation of Christ for lay people (Canon 212). As a side note, Canon Law decrees clerical
institutions such as seminaries to be ecclesiastical juridical people (Canon
238). Yes, yes, seminaries are people
too according to Canon Law. As
ecclesiastical people, they not only are people but more powerful people than
ones of non-clergy flesh and blood variety.
This is all problematic in itself but then, the hierarchy do
two additional insidious things: 1) They say you must receive Jesus via Holy Communion
and 2) incarcerate Jesus in the tabernacle and declare only they can summon Jesus
to dwell amongst us in the form of the Blessed Sacrament. In simpler terms they in essence say, “you
need what I got, or you die and I’m the only provider.” A drug cartel could not wish for a better
setup.
But wait, it gets more insidious. Canon Law includes 12 Canons which codify obligations
to maintain secrecy (Canons 127, 269, 471, 645, 983, 1131, 1132, 1455, 1457,
1546, 1548 and 1602). Canon Law reflects
the hierarchy’s normalization of its stunningly unhealthy culture of secrecy
and court intrigue. Transfer a priest
from diocese to diocese in secrecy?
Canon Law says that’s ok. Hold in
secret things that the brotherhood doesn’t want to divulge? Canon Law approves of that too.
As Canon Law stands today a priest molests a child but the
child is taught that this guy is the closest thing to Jesus the child is going to
encounter on Earth and he’s the guy who will give the child the Eucharist, without
which the child will be damned forever. If the
priest is reported, the hierarchy can deal with him and his trial in secrecy
and transfer him in secrecy. Meanwhile,
the parents and kid have to worry if they report the guy, will they be shunned
or excommunicated, cutting themselves off from what they are taught is their
only chance at eternal life.
Canon Law lacks checks and balances on power and depends instead upon a belief that men of superior moral ilk occupy positions of
ecclesiastical power. I think 2000+
years of history prove that assumption breathtakingly wrong.
Short of a major overhaul of Canon Law, instilling a viable
set of power checks by offering ecclesiastical power to lay people in equal
levels to clerics while also ridding it of codes of secrecy, obedience to pastors,
a sense of clerical superiority over lay people, and hand-binding laws against
fixing the laws, the church will not seriously or successfully address its
issues of systemic abuse.
I hold little hope that the same men who write into law what
gives them absolute power will voluntarily change those laws. Withholding money and subjecting them to
legal recourse have some effect. However, I think
that people just need to both openly challenge the hierarchy and make the
hierarchy irrelevant in their lives.
This is easier said than done in some countries, but I believe it is
essential to force change and protect children.
Side note: The Lansing Diocesan Assembly offers free
admission, but you must pre-register.
Here’s a link
in case you’d like to acquire tickets to use or dispose of as you see fit. Their website indicates they offer free child
care, and we all know what a great reputation the church has for taking care of
kids.
