Is the Story of the Catholic Church Distorted?

By Mark Peterson
Star Tribune
October 16, 2014

http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentaries/279504402.html

The Star Tribune regularly reminds us of the scandal in the Catholic Church, highlighting the horrible actions of the priests who molested young boys and the bishops who covered up for those priests.

These priests and bishops committed horrendous sins and will be held to account not only in the media but by Almighty God. As a practicing Catholic, I pray often for healing for all the victims of this terrible abuse.

Yet I believe that today’s media are painting a picture of the Catholic Church based on the actions of a minority of priests. The John Jay Report of 2011 estimated that about 4 percent of priests were accused of abuse between 1950 and 2002.

On a regular basis, newspapers print front-page stories detailing the actions of the four among every 100 priests who went astray, while paying little or no heed to the 96 good and humble priests who have remained faithful and true to God and to their congregations.

The story has become so distorted that it is like opening a Bible to the New Testament accounts and finding references only to Judas Iscariot, the one apostle of the 12 who went astray, while discovering that the references to the 11 who remained faithful have been expunged, or perhaps mentioned only in footnotes. Judas Iscariot’s actions should never be used to tarnish Jesus and his message. In the same way, the actions of four of every 100 priests cannot falsify the teachings of the Catholic Church.

The church isn’t perfect, as the 12 apostles weren’t perfect, because in any endeavor involving human beings, sin enters into the picture. Yet at the same time, the church, which scripture describes as “the pillar and bulwark of the truth,” has handed down Jesus’ teachings to a fallen and broken world for 2,000 years.

For a true and complete picture, I urge Catholics and all other Christians to think about the 96 priests out of every 100 who have lived humble lives of service to God and to those they serve, and who have never even thought about molesting anyone. Also, read the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Augustine. Read about the lives of the great saints, such as the humble priest St. John Vianney or Maximilian Kolbe, the priest who volunteered to die in place of a stranger in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II.

Read about Blessed Mother Teresa, St. John Paul II and St. Bernadette Soubirous, the humble young girl who had visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary, “the Immaculate Conception,” at Lourdes, France. When we read about the saints, we are humbled, uplifted and inspired, because the saints point us toward heaven, and toward Jesus.

Don’t let the beautiful, rich and deep teachings of the Catholic Church be tarnished by the actions of those who have gone astray. And remember also that the church is moving to eliminate sexual abuse among its clergy. According to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, there were six credible accusations of clergy abuse of minors in the United States in 2011. At that time, there were more than 38,000 Catholic priests in the United States.

As we pray for the victims of clergy sexual abuse, we also pray that the church will continue to move to wipe out such abuse now and forever. And may God continue to bless the Holy Roman Catholic Church.