As 2019 begins, all eyes in the Vatican are turned toward the upcoming summit on sexual abuse, and recent weeks have brought a number of stories that reveal how Pope Francis aims to lead the church on this issue.
First, the Vatican confirmed this past weekend that it is investigating a third accusation of abuse against Archbishop Theodore McCarrick. On “Inside the Vatican” this week, Gerry O’Connell and I look at how—and why—the Vatican is expediting that investigation.
Next, we examine the U.S. bishops’ retreat, which they held at the behest of Pope Francis. The pope sent the Vatican’s top preacher, Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa, along with a personal letter to guide the retreatants in their reflection.
Finally, Gerry and I look at the resignation of the director and deputy director of the Vatican’s press office, and what challenges the interim director will face as he coordinates media coverage of February’s summit on sexual abuse.
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My thoughts and opinion are that it must be transparent. There must be viable action taken that can visually be seen and experienced. There can no longer be silence, and those of the Hierarchy who have abused, or covered up abuse by others must go! There can no longer be silence, nor we are so sorry, or a word said that (we) as Laity need to pray for the Church. We have been praying for this whole scandal to be exposed and removed. Homosexuality needs to be addressed. Those who are active homosexuals need to go. There is no room for active homosexuality. It is simple as one, two, and three. Those guilty need to be defrocked, prosecuted, and removed from the church. The confidence in the Church has been destroyed. There is no turning back to what has been. We can only move forward with transparency and active visual action. The Laity are not going to settle for anything less. Cardinals, Bishops, Archbishops, and Priest that have been in la la land need to realize that all of this charade is over with and needs to be reformed. The Pope needs to call for a Vatican Council III so that changes can be made that this no longer happens in the future. Laity need a much larger say in the management of the Catholic Church. The Princes of the Church need to realize that royalty no longer exist and that they can no longer manage the church in SILENCE in which they do as they will. Power can no longer be used in a method to create evil. The Devil in the Church needs to be given his walking papers. Holy Spirit send down your corrective action upon the Church!
Your lead picture speaks volumes to me. We have a closed door meeting of the US Bishops regarding a crisis and they are all wearing their red caps! They all know that each is a Bishop! It appears to be an illustration of the deep CLERICALISM that allows them to live in a separate world. The secular political world uses the term "deep state" as the barrier to civil political transparency : in a sense our Church is sabatoged by this "DEEP CLERICAL CULTURE".
In 1975, my Bishop told me "YOU can go far in the Church only IF you are more PRUDENT." I'm afraid that the virtue of prudence has been corrupted into a VICE which is part of the source of our state of affairs.