As promised, I have below done some reflecting on some of what I love about the Catholic Church. As much value as there is in celebrating the Church, it may seem inappropriate in this era. There can be so much frustration, division, and confusion in the Church. I see it frequently, and it makes me both sad and angry at times.
As we all know, these days the world has also seen the utter sin of some members of the Church, i.e., in the sex abuse scandal. We dare not dismiss or forget this sad and shameful reality. In fact, Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York City (who is also head of the US Bishops) has stated recently that the Church must be continually "haunted" by what occurred.
Granted, the same terrible phenomenon of abuse and cover-up has occurred in many other sectors of society, but under no circumstances can this ever be tolerated, least alone in the Church which is meant to be the universal sacrament of salvation. I do think the Church has learned profoundly from this and has worked hard in its stringent policies to make itself the safest place possible for children.
Still, there will forever be the sadness of this episode in Church history. I am reminded of Pope Benedict XVI, who met privately with a group of sex abuse survivors. Afterward, one of the survivors said that the Holy Father "wept with us who were weeping." Surely Christ weeps as well.
Nevertheless, we know in the mystery of the Cross that sin, evil, death, and destruction are NOT the end of the story. The Church carries the Cross but it lives the Promise of the Resurrection. It is this that we must remember and celebrate.
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