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Baltimore – "Even in ordinary times, we are very few not to see through a dark glass," said Theodore Roosevelt in 1910. "And when the glass is clouded by the furious popular passion disorder, the vision of the best and the bravest is faded. "
Nobody would say that the American bishops are brave and, even if some of them are among the best, in their public debates no one has witnessed an unfailing view. As Cathleen Kaveny did during a briefing on Nov. 11, NCR co-sponsored the Fordham Center for Religion and Culture, claiming that in 2002 the problem was designed to address the aberrant behavior of a few sick clergy. 2018., the problem is different. Now, the question many of us need to know is whether sexual abuse of children and others is endemic, if not constitutive, of the clerical culture as it currently exists.
At the same event, Massimo Faggioli examined the ecclesiological advances of the twentieth century and some of the unexpected and unfortunate consequences of these achievements. He noted that the Second Vatican Council had made it clear that the bishops were not Vatican employees, but bishops, sacramentally reserved for the governance and leadership of a local church. Therefore, it is not so easy to simply dismiss them when they are wrong. Faggioli said that if the 20th century was the century of ecclesiology, we are now facing problems of ecclesiology: how can there even be a church of Jesus Christ if it is? the kind of mess in which he falls?
None of this has manifested itself deeply in the proposals the conference was planning to adopt this week, until the Vatican asks them to suspend next February's meeting of presidents of all countries. episcopal conferences of the world to address the problem of sexual abuse by the clergy and its consequences. been covered. It is clear that bishops are always focused on the institution and not on the mission. As pragmatic Americans, they are eager to focus on policies and procedures and less on the need to convert the clerical culture that has produced and maintains them now, whether large or small.
The proposals present other technical problems. The "standards of episcopal conduct" state: "Sins against the sixth commandment undermine the very dignity of a person and have absolutely no place in the life of a minister, especially A bishop ". The "sixth commandment" covers a lot of moral ground. Even Jimmy Carter had the lust in his heart. The "Special Commission for Examining Complaints Against Bishops for Breach of Standards of Episcopal Behavior" explained in detail how the composition of the commission would be constituted, but then referred to a board of directors at the time of the meeting. selection of the members of the commission. on the composition of the board of directors.
As I wrote yesterday, I strongly suspect that Pope Francis decided to suspend action at this stage precisely because the proposals take a lot of trouble and offer clear ways to clean the outside from the cup, but not inside. Indeed, during the morning session, the bishops devoted themselves to fictional boxing. Bishop Earl Boyea, Bishop of Lansing, Michigan, asked the bishops to discuss a request that the Holy See release documents concerning McCarrick. Bishop Joseph Strickland, Bishop of Tyler, Texas, made a long speech on the salvation of souls that could have given rise to a fruitful discussion if he had not been so complicit in disgusting the publication of Viganò's testimony. in August.
The bishops heard Francesco Cesareo, who heads the National Review Board. He added: "The allegations of Archbishop Viganò need to be dealt with." No stone should remain unnoticed. "Ignoring these allegations would leave a cloud of doubt about the church, as the issues would linger." Really? All the allegations? I can assure Cesareo of my certain knowledge that some of Viganò's allegations were pure hogwash. In fact, Viganò said, inter alia: "In any case, What is certain is that Pope Benedict imposed the aforementioned canonical sanctions on McCarrick and that these were communicated to him by the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, Pietro Sambi ". [emphasis in original]. Viganò has since rejected this assertion when it became clear that no canonical sanction of this type had been applied. He also stated that Cardinal Edwin O'Brien, who was once the Archbishop in Baltimore, is part of a "homosexual stream" at the Vatican, among others. Does Cesareo really think that bishops should investigate this claim?
I suspect the bishops did not want to be seen confronting one of the few lay people in the room, but anybody should ask that question. respect for the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. Cesareo now admits that the audits are inadequate. Was not it apparent before? He cited a recent article in the Boston Globe and the Philadelphia Inquirer, which provided insights into how the bishops had handled and mismanaged clergy sexual abuse. Bishop Mark O. Connell, Auxiliary Bishop in Boston, asked if the Review Committee had compared the statements contained in these stories with recent audits. Cesareo replied no. Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich asked if he had compared the Pennsylvania Grand Jury report with the audits and Cesareo said they were working on it.
I know that we are all supposed to bend the knee to the idea of secular oversight, but frankly, if Cesareo's inability to see this mess come, I feel that the control of the laity is insufficient.
Above all, today 's session was just boxing in the shadows. The Conservative bishops did not come forward to say that they wanted to focus on homosexuality as a cause of sexual abuse within the clergy, but they alluded to it. The bishops who support Pope Francis have not defended the pope's decision to postpone the vote on these proposals. The American bishops are not, by and large, supporters of Pope Francis' fan club, so they may not have digested his calls for reform. But, aware of the words of the Lord in the Gospel of Matthew 23:25, they should now consider that even if their proposals are well designed to clean the outside of the cup, it is the only thing that can be done. 39 interior that needs to be cleaned.
[Michael Sean Winters covers the nexus of religion and politics for NCR.]Editor's note: Do not miss the latest from Michael Sean Winters: Sign up to receive free newsletters and we will notify you as soon as he publishes new, distinctly Catholic columns.
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