|
Pedophilia by priests is an abomination because it is wrong
in itself and because it is betrayal by a person who was called by God to serve
him and others.
Scandal from pedophiliac priests is also an abomination.
Jesus said, “It would be better to have a millstone placed around your head and
be thrown into the sea than to scandalize even one of my little ones.”
Pedophiliac priests are not entitled to any immunity in
civil or criminal law from the consequences of their conduct.
Most of the media reports are not of acts of pedophilia but of homosexual
acts. “Pedophilia” is sexual contact with a child who has not yet reached
puberty, around age thirteen. Of course, this explanation is no justification of
priestly homosexual acts with minors, which also involve an abuse of power by
their superior age and authority. The media, by and large, have chosen not to
delve into this aspect of the story for fear of being labeled homophobic.
The media should be fair and report that pedophilia by
Catholic priests is no more prevalent proportionality than pedophilia by
Protestant clergies or married persons. This is no justification for pedophilia;
it just shows that the media presents this as only a “Catholic priest problem”.
Bishops should report all reasonably grounded accusations
of pedophilia to law enforcement authorities if the victim consents.
Many accusations were not reported in the past because the
Bishops were focused on rehabilitation and sent the accused to rehabilitation
centers. Doctors certified many of them as suitable for pastoral ministry.
There is no evidence of any conspiracy to protect them and enable them to
continue their pedophilia, as the media suggests. The mistake of some bishops
was that they treated pedophilia like a disease that could be cured by
counseling. They should have treated it as an abominable sin, removed the
pedophile from the occasions of sin (pastoral ministry with children) and sent
them to monasteries for their conversion.
This is not an issue of celibacy, because marriage is not a
cure for pedophilia. There are proportionately as many married pedophiliacs as
priest pedophiliacs. Pedophilia is not a disease; it is a grievous sin. The only
cure for pedophilia is total repentance, conversion, forgiveness, restitution to
victims and a chaste life by God’s grace.
Jesus is purifying his church by allowing the media to
expose this grave sin. In the mystery of God’s providence, he allows evil so
that some greater good may come from it. (His crucifixion caused his
resurrection). What the pedophiliac priests did in the dark is now brought to
the light. Guilty priests will go to jail or be removed from ministry.
Hopefully, victims will be healed. There will be zero tolerance for this in the
future.
Jesus had eleven good apostles and one betrayer. The number
of good priests will always be greater than the betrayers. Jesus said that he’d
be with his church to the end of time and the gates of hell will never prevail
against it.
Some people are weakening in their faith because of the
scandal. It was like this in the 16th century in Europe when many
priests lived with mistresses, sold indulgences and caused grave scandal. This
is what St. Francis de Sales said about that and it applies equally to us:
He said, "Those who commit these types of scandals are
guilty of the spiritual equivalent of murder," because they destroyed other
people's faith in God by their terrible example. But then he warned his
listeners, "But I'm here among you to prevent something far worse for you. While
those who give scandal are guilty of the spiritual equivalent of murder, those
who take scandal — who allow scandals to destroy their faith — are guilty
of spiritual suicide." They're guilty, he said, of cutting off their life with
Christ, abandoning the source of life in prayer and the sacraments, especially
the Eucharist.
So we must strengthen our faith, hope and love through personal holiness.
We're called to be saints and our society needs to see this beautiful face of
the Church. We’re all a part of the solution - that is to become a holy church.
Let us pray for the conversions of pedophiliac priests’,
for the healings of their victims, for a pure, holy and celibate priesthood and
for a holy church.
Dan Lynch is a retired Judge in the
State of Vermont. He is an author, producer of audios and videos and has
appeared on radio and television. He is also the Director of the
apostolate of The Missionary Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
OTHER ARTICLES BY DAN LYNCH
TOP OF PAGE
|
