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In a sermon written by Bishop Thomas John Paprocki and delivered in the 130 parishes last weekend, the head of the Diocese of Springfield admitted to having felt anger and disgust after a series of events last month. report that charges have been laid against more than 300 predatory priests and leaders who have covered the abuses.
The bishop also called for "public prayers of repentance and atonement" and "spiritual renewal at all levels of the Church".
Many sources in the diocese say that it was the first time under Paprocki that a homily was being distributed at this level.
In the homily, Paprocki once again mentioned Pope Francis, calling the report of a former Vatican ambassador that the pope knew about it and concealed allegations of abuse against a senior US church official.
Local and local Catholics had mixed reactions to the sermon, with some suggesting that the church would go through the renewed crisis.
"It's partly the reason I'm here," said Stella Nwajei, coming out of a recent week-long mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Springfield. "When there is a need in the church, it requires prayers.
"I am 100% with (Bishop Paprocki) It's time for the church to wake up."
Nwajei, a parishioner of Christ the King and a native of Nigeria, said that she was part of the "gray movement", a response from laypeople who calls on the hierarchy and priests to repair the sins of the church and to "act immediately to bring all the culprits to a speedy justice, while supporting the victims (sexual abuse) and many faithful and diligent priests and religious."
The movement asks the faithful to wear gray clothing at mass and write letters to Pope Francis and the bishops to ask them to cleanse the church.
Mary Frances noted that, in the sermon, Paprocki was committed to praying and fasting as part of the expiation of the crisis, while encouraging others to do the same.
"I thought (the sermon) was proactive," Frances said. "(Bishop Paprocki) takes his own responsibility in his own life and addresses the highest (including Pope Francis) and asks them to take their responsibilities in their lives."
Frances, a cathedral volunteer who attended the diocesan training sessions called "Protecting God's Children," challenged church leaders to examine the crisis of abuse of the church. 39, a criminal point of view.
"They can no longer protect these priests," she said. "They feel that they must continue to cover each other.
"We can not continue to do that to children."
In his sermon, Mr. Paprocki called for "new measures to review the management of affairs by bishops and a reaffirmation of my commitment to a policy of zero tolerance in our diocese".
Mike Armstrong of Chatham said he agreed with some points from Paprocki's sermon, but he objected to the bishop's comments about Pope Francis.
On August 28, Paprocki issued a separate statement in which he declared that the situation involved Pope Francis and Archbishop Theodore McCarrick of Washington, DC, who resigned from the College of Cardinals for allegedly sexually abusing his wife. a minor and adults. carefully considered. "
Asked on the question of whether he was covering McCarrick, the pope told reporters on August 26 aboard a plane read the statement of Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, who asked the pope to resign and judge a single word about it. "
"The bishop threw Pope Francis under the bus," said Armstrong, who is attending St. Joseph the Worker parish in Chatham. "The letter written by Vigano is nothing more than an accusation." Many of the comments in this letter have already been torn apart.
"Pope Francis was elected in 2013 and inherited the problems related to child abuse (made public in 2002.) This sin is for us and Pope Francis is doing his job to bring this project to fruition."
Armstrong also believed that Pope Francis and Cardinal Blase Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago, were trying to bring people back to church and work to be inclusive.
"I do not see that coming from this diocese," said Armstrong.
Speaking outside the cathedral, William Heffernan defended Paprocki's position.
"If you will not fight when you need it, what is the reason behind it? Why (the pope) is not it clear? The hierarchy should be accountable," he said. -he declares.
"That's why the Pope's comments are so disturbing, he has not provided any responsibility."
Heffernan felt that some Catholics might abandon the church because of the scandal.
"If the church gets smaller, it's a good thing in the end," he said. "If that's what needs to happen, then it has to happen.It's time to get back to what the church really is."
"We have to clean up," Nwajei added. "Eventually, the church will come out stronger in the end."
Contact Steven Spearie: [email protected] or follow us on Facebook or Twitter @StevenSpearie.
