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	The Culture of the Collar By Tim Fischer It's about Me November 19, 2010 http://www.timfischer1.com/Site/Blog/Entries/2010/11/19_The_culture_of_the_collar.html Today on my way into work I heard Sylvia Poggioli from NPR Radio reporting on the abuse crises that now is entering Rome Italian Priest's Trial Shines Light On Pedophilia. Poggioli reported that the crises has been focused mainly in America and Northern Europe, but with the Pope calling a one day conference of his Cardinals to discuss the church's handling of the abuse of thousands of children around the world by priests and nuns, along with a bishop having to go to court in Rome this past month to testify about one of his priests accused of molesting at least 7 boys in Rome, it seems that the abuse crisis has now landed right on the Vatican's doorstep. Ms. Poggioli also reports that this is a landmark case because the church has had such control over the law in Rome (known as "The shadow of St. Peter's Dome") that this is the first time an Italian bishop has taken the stand in such a case. That bishop, Gino Reali, confessed he had been aware of these allegations against Fr. Don Ruggero Conti for at least two years before charges were brought but didn't think there was enough evidence for a "church trial" on these "rumors" as he called them. A very disturbing part of Poggioli's report said at each hearing, many parents come to cheer for the priest and show their support. There have also been death threats made to the victims, their families, their lawyers, and even the presiding judge. A woman who supports the priest stated she thought this was a witch hunt to hurt a good priest and her church. It does seem like there is a witch hunt here but not toward the church or priest. The culture of the Catholic Church has always been kill her wounded and protect her money. Just look at a few of the facts in this case. •The 7 victims, their families, their lawyers, and even the presiding judge are under police protection because of death threats. •Parents are gathered outside the courtroom to cheer on an accused child molesting priest. •The accused child molesting priest's bishop dismisses 7 accounts of being molested by this priest as "rumors" and did not think it deserved a church trial. My guess is if you could ask 100% of the world's population what they would do with someone accused of raping/molesting a child, 99% of the answers would include some sort of violent punishment usually including but not limited to: a slow death and/or the cutting off of certain parts of the male anatomy. So why does this change in almost every case of clergy abuse to "I know he is a good man/woman, the victim is lying" or "He (the victim again) is just after money" and my personal favorite, "They (still talking about the victim) are just trying to destroy my church". I wish people would think with a clear and open mind. You have pedophiles in your church. We are trying to help get rid of them!!! When I was a child, I was taught that a priest was Christ's representative here on earth. I took this as gospel. As children we had perfect faith and trust. If you tell me it is true, it must be. Why would someone lie to me? I know we were all like this for a while anyway. So why is it so hard for people to get their heads around the truth that mankind, all of mankind, lies, and that greed is the motivating factor in all sin. We all know this to be true... now don't we? Most people have had a slow death of their childhood and childhood trust. I mean to say, most realized slowly, as life moved along, we couldn't trust everyone. Kids in our class, or even friends on our block taught us this sad lesson. As we got older, people like our elected officials start falling into this category too. Then we realize we can't even trust some adults we thought were close friends. But most people will hold out (maybe forever) for clergy even when there is overwhelming evidence against them. Even when there are multiple accounts. Sometimes even when the priest himself confesses. How can this be? It's because we were never taught that these men/women who are touted as God's representatives here on earth, have been lifted to a place even St. Peter himself refused to go. They have been made into gods. For millennia they have been above question. They are God's men/women and that is the culture the church has taught in the past and promotes even today. With that logic in place we see the problem: If God's representative can rape and molest children... Then God could too. And that is not a God we would worship, and our whole belief system falls apart. Of course, this is not limited to the Catholic Church but they are the most pervasive in this teaching. Still the question that begs to be answered is "Why?" Why would a church build a culture that makes mere men/women gods? I have found one answer in couple of the most under preached verses in the bible: John 12: 42-43 Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved praise from men more than praise from God. Now that's culture for you! They would not confess a belief in their Christ because of fear of their leadership and a loss of status. The culture of the church, as I have said for years, has to change! But a culture shift is maybe the hardest thing to facilitate in the world. But hard as this might be, I have witnessed a few in my lifetime. And the only way it ever happens is from the top down. The church leadership must spearhead this change. And it must be lead by the Pope himself. He must show that the church is really about protecting souls and not about protecting it's money. He must open up the secret record books. He must turn over the men and women they know are pedophiles to the authorities. He must tell the catholic faithful that the real villains who seek to destroy the church are the molesters and not the victims. Then and only then will we see a cultural change. I realize this is not going to be easy nor safe. The Pope may lose his power from within and he and his leadership team may receive death threats from some of those threatening death to the victims now, or even worse. So, does the Pope and his team of Cardinals have the same courage that we terrified victims have? Will they come forward and try to changed things even in the face of great danger? Or is all their faith talk and their red garments (the cardinals red cassocks symbolize a willingness to shed their own blood for the church) just that, talk and symbols? In the meantime, we must keep applying constant pressure from the outside in every legal way we can. Change, real change, NEVER comes in a place of comfort.
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