Sexual Abuse
We’ve all had stressful job interviews. For some it’s the questions, for others it is the waiting. And every few years it’s the expectations of a billion people for you to lead them. It’s currently just over 30 days from when the Vatican says we will have a new Pope. I’m not Catholic but I still find the process interesting. And as a parent dealing with sexual abuse of a child, I see the Pope as having more potential to do something about the problem of child sexual abuse by priests than anyone else on the planet. So the question is will the next Pope live up to that potential?
As with any job interview, the decision isn’t left to the masses. Many people think because we vote for President that those millions of votes are what matters, but in reality it is this strange thing called the Electoral College. So in reality the voters that matter could fit in a typical gymnasium. The process with selecting a Pope is a much more secretive process known as Conclave. In either case it comes down to whether the needs and values of those voting are met by a particular candidate.
What is the church looking for?
So what will be Conclave be looking for in the new Pope? The Catholic Church , perhaps more than any other organization, has a history of protecting itself as an institution as a first priority. The current Pope has spent most of his tenure watching a series of lawsuits unfolding from decades of sexual abuse. Many say that this is the actual reason he is stepping down.
The problems of the church are two big and should be left to a younger man. I don’t know if this is actually true, but I would have liked to have heard that as reason. To be fair, I don’t think this is an unrealistic expectation for a Pope. They are supposed to be a spiritual leader, not the leader of a legal team. Be that as it may, such is the likely role for the next Pope. The question is will he focus on transparency and cleaning house, or will he be looking for a rug big enough to sweep all of this under. Again, a lot will depend on what the members of Conclave are looking for.
So much like our Electoral College, there is an expectation that members represent the views of those who sent them there. So if you are communicating with your local Bishop maybe you could suggest the following three things:
- The next Pope must make the Catholic Church once again a safe place for children
- The next Pontiff must find a way to let past sexual abuse by priests victims get closure
- The Pope must purge the church of abuser priests
Then maybe he can get back to the business of being Pope.
Let us know if we can help you dealing with your family’s sexual abuse situation. For ideas to get started please check out our book on what to do during the early days after disclosure.
Sexual Abuse
A definitive report of over 150 pages by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops basically indicates that sexual abuse by priests is a problem from decades past, and was really a symptom of societal dissent from the Vietnam era. Also, any associations of priests to pedophiles is largely a misnomer. That’s the reader’s digest version.
Self Policing
Having done research studies in the past, this one is almost comical. It sites studies from the 1930s and 1940s and then casually states that contemporary studies have found similar results. Can you think of any area of contemporary study that would use information from over half a century ago as a primary reference? The study spends most of it’s efforts showing that sexual abuse in other areas of society is higher, or at least on par with that of the Catholic Church.
We spend a lot of time and energy convincing ourselves and others that we are safe from ourselves. The fact that it is not true doesn’t seem to stop people from trying to make it that way. Saying it doesn’t make it so. Fixing the problem will.
Let us know if we can help you dealing with your family’s sexual abuse situation. For ideas to get started please check out our book on what to do during the early days after disclosure.
Sexual Abuse
The Catholic church needs to get clearer on who it serves. The latest story out of the Philadelphia area has 21 priests suspended and as many as 37 additional with credible sexual abuse allegations remaining in active ministry positions. There are too many mixed messages coming from the Catholic Church. They come out and condemn abuse by priests, but at the same time seem to spend an equal if not larger amount of energy protecting the church entity. Does the church serve itself, or is the church in service to millions who believe in the Catholic Church? The reality is often both, and this is where the problem lies.
Protect the Catholic Church
I’m not an expert in Papal Law but from what I have read, much of it is geared toward protecting the institution of the church. This is changing so they do get points for that, but it seem to get used at the convenience of church, and often to the disadvantage of it’s most vulnerable members. The church needs to adopt a zero tolerance for abuse policy. Immediate removal from service during any period of investigation, and permanent removal from the church for any convictions. I’m sure I’m missing the finer points, and conditions for circumstances, etc. but you get the point. They need to be specific so everyone knows what their position is. There is way to much ambiguity betweens words and actions in the Catholic Church. This just leaves the public wondering who their church serves, and eventually leads to a church which serves no one.
Let us know if we can help you dealing with your family’s sexual abuse situation. For ideas to get started please check out our book on what to do during the early days after disclosure.
Sexual Abuse
What if there were more woman priests? Clergy of all denominations are included in the ranks of sexual offenders, but the Catholic Church has a unique characteristic which also magnifies the issue. It is an gender specific organization. Gender exclusive organizations such as fraternities, gentleman’s clubs, sports teams, some military units, etc. often exhibit behaviors that would not exist in a co-ed environment. Integration of woman, as equals, in any organization provides balance which might not exist otherwise. So why not have women priests?
Accountability
The executive director of the Women’s Ordination Conference had an answer to the problem of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. “We believe that if women had a say in the church, if there was more accountability and more transparency, [then] the men would have been held more accountable.”
This is one of those changes that would be good for other reasons as well. Unfortunately, like many things that make sense. They take far to long to implement.
Let us know if we can help you dealing with your family’s sexual abuse situation. For ideas to get started please check out our book on what to do during the early days after disclosure.
