BishopAccountability.org
	The Scandal of Abuse Cranbrook Daily Townsman May 2, 2010 http://www.dailytownsman.com/article/20100502/CRANBROOK0304/305029996/-1/CRANBROOK03/the-scandal-of-abuse I wasn't planning to write about the current scandal being faced by our Roman Catholic sisters and brothers. It's a terrible tragedy. Most of the ink spilled on this subject has not been very helpful in healing those who have been hurt. We've seen the strong passions of people around this issue in the pages of this paper, in Bishop John Corriveau's letter and subsequent responses. Late last week, I was encouraged by a letter from the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales. It exhibited a markedly different tone about this tragedy than we've heard before from other church leaders. These courageous bishops take full responsibility for the "terrible crimes and the inadequate response by some church leaders." They accept the need for "reparation and atonement" by the church, and commit themselves to care for those who have been damaged by abuse. Part of the pathology of abuse is that it is shrouded in secrecy. Healing of abuse requires an openness and transparency that so far has been missing from the way the Vatican has been handling the whole tragedy. So I welcome this courageous statement by the bishops of England and Wales. Let me quote several paragraphs: "Child abuse in the Catholic Church has been such a focus of public attention recently, that we, the Bishops of England and Wales, wish to address this issue directly and unambiguously. "Catholics are members of a single universal body. These terrible crimes, and the inadequate response by some church leaders, grieve us all. "Our first thoughts are for all who have suffered from the horror of these crimes, which inflict such severe and lasting wounds. They are uppermost in our prayer. The distress we feel at what has happened is nothing in comparison with the suffering of those who have been abused. "The criminal offences committed by some priests and religious are a profound scandal. They bring deep shame to the whole church. But shame is not enough. The abuse of children is a grievous sin against God. Therefore we focus not on shame but on our sorrow for these sins. They are the personal sins of only a very few. But we are bound together in the Body of Christ and, therefore, their sins touch us all. "We express our heartfelt apology and deep sorrow to those who have suffered abuse, those who have felt ignored, disbelieved or betrayed. We ask their pardon, and the pardon of God for these terrible deeds done in our midst. There can be no excuses. "Furthermore, we recognise the failings of some Bishops and Religious leaders in handling these matters. These, too, are aspects of this tragedy which we deeply regret and for which we apologise. The procedures now in place in our countries highlight what should have been done straightaway in the past. Full co-operation with statutory bodies is essential." My good friend Father Conrado reminded us in a recent letter that only a very few priests were guilty of this abuse. That's true. But the very few have cast a pall over the whole church, and the bishops of England and Wales recognize that "we are bound together and their sins touch us all". This offense was not only against the abused children, terrible as that was. It was an offense against society as a whole. It was an offense against God. I was profoundly touched by this response. It seeks to deal with the tragedy in helpful and healing ways. I can only hope that the Pope and other national bodies of bishops follow suit. The primary need is to heal those who were damaged by the actions of these few. Protecting the reputation of the church must come a very distant second. The bishops end by making a new commitment "to the service of children, young people and the vulnerable in our communities." With such responsible and faithful action, there is indeed hope for healing.
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