Clericalism and its Culture

The Cardinal's Portrait 
Toby E. Rosenthal 

The Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests from Vatican II clarified the duties of priests and their relationship with bishops and lay people, It implied that priests should foster greater involvement of laypeople in the life of the Church.  This document stood in direct opposition to the historic problem of CLERICALISM.    

The dictionary defines Clericalism as a policy of maintaining or increasing the power of a religious hierarchy.  When some clerics believe they are the untouchable representatives of the People of God endowed with the power to control and determine which person is a ‘Real Roman Catholic’, they will have failed their true calling.

The role of the Church is not to determine who is in, who is out, who is worthy and holy, or whose theology and Tradition is right or wrong.

 

Jesus meets us where we are, not where others would have us be.  When clerics feel the need to compare themselves with  those who fall short of being a ‘real catholic’ it suggests a definite lack of humility,compassion as well of an understanding where theologically informed adults are.  Even so, these clerics are themselves victims of the hierarchical system that drew them in with its appeal to their romantic pre-adolescent idealism.

This kind of outdated clericalism thrived in pre-Vatican II era and restores the high times of the hierarchical Church.  Eugene Cullen Kennedy emeritus professor of psychology warned  “Clerical redux energizes this spreading movement to reinstate that Neverland age of Catholicism when priests controlled the church, lay people knew their place, the Mass was in Latin, God was in His heaven and all was right with the world.”

  

It has been fifty years since Vatican II but there are still some obvious vestiges of clericalism that need to be addressed.

 

The quote from Eugene Cullen Kennedy noted above was taken from a two-part article which he wrote in 2011 under the general heading of ‘Set-decorator Catholicism’.  Part 1 ‘The Common traits of set-decorators’, and Part 2 ‘Clericalism thrives in a new phase of the sex abuse crisis’.

Both can be viewed in detail, courtesy The National Catholic Reporter as follows:

Part 1. http://ncronline.org/blogs/bulletins-human-side/set-decorator-catholicism-common-traits-set-decorators

 

Part 2. http://ncronline.org/blogs/bulletins-human-side/set-decorator-catholicism-clericalism-thrives-new-phase-sex-abuse-crisis

       

Both articles describe how the Roman Catholic Church came to and continues to struggle with the sex-abuse scandal and how CLERICALISM fostered the ongoing crisis.  Professor Kennedy colourfully illustrates how traditionalist clergy are like ‘set-decorators who treat their people as if they were children to be set right rather than as theologically informed adults to be nourished in their understanding of faith.’  He supports this observation with the need to respect the voices of Vatican II which promotes clergy and laity as equals.  When seen and treated as complimentary equals the Church will finally be able to honestly address the myriad of issues and challenges it faces today for a better and healthier tomorrow.  

 

Suggested reading: 'Clerical Culture - Contradiction and Transformation' (2004), Michael L, Papesh, Liturgical Press, Collegeville, MN.    

Catholic Church Fails on Handling Sexual Abuse Scandal

We have a Church that doesn’t have a tradition of talking together about things. The key in all abuse is to allow people to speak of it. If you can’t name it then you can’t identify what must be healed. There’s nowhere to go unless you name it first.” – Sr. Nuala Kenny

Your words have power
use them wisely

Not many Roman Catholics want to return to the subject of child sexual abuse, self included.  But  recent exchanges with several so called ‘devout’ Roman Catholics helped change my mind.  Opinions about the clerical sexual abuse scandal within the Roman Catholic Church are seen by some, especially its leaders, as nothing more than a vicious attack upon the institution.   Au contraire! This is a worldwide problem and not just within religious institutions.  However painful the subject may be, it must not remain closeted in some dark and secret place if we are to bring healing and understanding to both its victims and abusers. The Church, which could influence a much needed healing on the subject, seems to prefer a defensive approach by blaming the matter on the media, secularism, and atheism etc.. Thus the church avoids looking inwardly. In doing so, it reveals a total lack of integrity and honesty which is desperately needed to bring God’s gift of sexuality out of the present darkness.     

The Roman Catholic Church knowingly and intentionally withheld information that could have stopped the perpetrators from abusing more children.  Experts such as Dr. Richard Sipe and Fr. Tom Doyle clearly identified that the chief causes behind the abuse and cover-up are due to the clerical culture that allowed this situation to exist and continue.  A priest who did not feel free to identify himself for fear of repercussions from his bishop wrote, “Clericalism is not simply the burden of priests who abuse children; hierarchy betrays the whole Church by its dishonesty that they justify by a claim to superiority.”

Geoffrey Robertson QC in his book,  ‘The Case of the Pope’ (2010),  states, “The fact is that tens of thousands of children throughout the world have been sexually abused by priests who have mostly been secretly dealt with by an ecclesiastical law that provides no real punishment and gives them ample opportunity to re-offend.  There is no doubt that the scale of the sex abuse scandal came about because of directives from the Vatican – specifically from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) – which required all sex abuse complaints to be processed in utter secrecy and withheld from local police and courts.”  The culture of secrecy, according to Sipe, lies with Canon law and its instructions to the faithful -   i.e., ‘Do not give scandal —that is: do not say or do anything that could damage the image or reputation of priests or the church—or give the enemies of the church ammunition for attacks.’

Irish priest, Brian D’Arcy (2010) writes, “A combination of bad theology, the dysfunctional abuse of power and a warped view of sexuality, have contributed to the ‘systemic failure’ to protect the most innocent and the most vulnerable children. I believe that the evil clerical culture which pervades our institution, right up to the Vatican bureaucracy itself, needs to be dismantled.”

Again, to quote Richard Sipe, “It is clear that the institutional church is in a pre-adolescent stage of psychosexual development.  This is a period typically prior to eleven years of age in which boys prefer association with their own sex, girls are avoided and held in disdain, often as a guise for fear of women as well as-yet-un-solidified sexuality.  Sex generally is rigidly denied externally; while secretly explored.  The rigidity extends to strict rules of inclusion and exclusion.  Control and avoidance are of primary concern.  A church stuck in the pre-adolescent stage of development is limited in its ability to cope with sexual issues and give sexual guidelines”.

When the Roman Catholic Church is unable to face and handle its self-inflicted wound and refuses to apply the expert advice it has been given, it will simply remain in denial. In this unfortunate way, they are unable to assist the rest of the world in giving spiritual advice about sexuality for they obviously do not possess it themselves.

The late Cardinal Carlo Martini—a voice of reason and humility in the Church—said, “Our culture is out of date, our churches are big and empty and the church bureaucracy rises up, our rituals and our cassocks are pompous”. It will require a great deal of humility for the Church to finally accept its role in this terrible scandal.

After all, who is going to continue to speak for the thousands of nameless victims (who are never mentioned by most Pro-Life groups)?  The carefully arranged public offerings of apologies by the clergy for its victims may be a beginning but it hardly touches the depth of compassion and understanding required to bring a total healing to this painful episode in the lives of the victims and our church.

Finally, we need to reflect on the following challenging and concluding remarks from the distinguished human rights lawyer and judge Geoffrey Robertson, QC. “What will be required of the Vatican, as a signal of a new com­mitment to put children first, is the complete abandonment of Benedict's claim that the Holy See has the right to deal with sus­pected felons under an obscure, inefficient and secret ecclesiastical process. But Canon Law provides a form of power, and perhaps Benedict's fatal flaw is his attraction to power — to the pomp and circumstance of statehood, to the queues of world leaders who come to bend at his knee and kiss his fisherman's ring, and to the satisfaction of having delegates promote his ideology with six seats at UN conference tables. Journalists often tell how this kindly old man offers to share his food with them, but an analysis of his behaviour suggests a man in thrall to power and unable to give any of it up — even for the sake of innocent children. When it ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Holy See quoted the words of John Paul II, to the effect that children 'are that precious treasure given to each generation as a challenge to its wisdom and humanity'. John Paul II himself, as we now know, failed that challenge by cosseting notorious child molester and turning a blind eye to the mounting toll of child victims. So did his closest lieutenant, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger. On the question of whether Benedict XVI is capable of the wisdom and humanity to protect the children of his church, the jury is out.”

 

  

the culture that allows sex abuse to happen

There have been numerous occasions throughout this blog that I have spoken out about the Catholic Church’s struggle with the ongoing sexual abuse crisis, as well as its growing militant attitude on abortions and other areas of human sexuality such as homosexuality, celibacy, condoms masturbation, same-sex marriage, partcularly when they are expressed in absolute terms.

Why does a religion remain so fearful about a gift from God when those sexual abuse issues are clearly threatening to destroy the very fabric of the institution?  THE TRUTH NEEDS TO BE TOLD. When will the hierarchy finally accept its duplicity in creating a culture that allowed the sexual abuse to bring so much pain and suffering in the world? THE TRUTH NEEDS TO BE TOLD. Why does the church still remain in denial? THE TRUTH NEEDS TO BE TOLD.  Considering the recent advances to help us break through a better understanding of human behaviour why does our Church still rely on theological definitions established by St. Augustine in the fourth century A.D.- especially in light of his own struggle with sexuality.  The Church continues to uphold its traditions as unchangeable and from an exclusive patriarchal point of view.  God, on the other hand moves with us through time, even though his unconditional love for humankind remains unchanged. God meets us where we are – not where others would have us be. Does the Church truly believe that God does not play a role in the discoveries in science and human understanding?  Surely, the revelations made known by individuals such as Galileo made this all too painfully clear? THE TRUTH NEEDS TO BE TOLD.

Most religions today, particularly those with a fundamentalist background, appear unable or unwilling to accept change and will quickly condemn anyone with different views. Christians do well to recall the price Jesus paid for attempting to introduce change in his community.

There are a few people who have the strength and courage to challenge our beliefs and understandings.  This week one such person spoke up at a gathering on April 4 at Marquette University Law School, Milwaukee - his name is Archbishop  Diarmuid Martin of Dublin, Ireland.  Here follows his complete address as it appears on the Archdiocese of Dublin website.  A condensed version is also  available on the National Catholic Reporters website of April 5th.      For full video of Martin's talk, visit the page on the Marquette University Web site.  The two day conference took place under the banner 'Restorative Justice Initiative' includes many speakers, including several victims of sexual abuse as well as Archbishop Martin.  

Having read and watched significant portions of this debate I am encouraged by the positive approach to this crisis which continues to impact our society at large. THE TRUTH NEEDS TO BE TOLD.

A fallible Pope

Of all the issues facing the Roman Catholic Church the canonization of John Paul II is probably the least important. For many it will represent the icing on a cake consisting of various burdensome layers of deceit, lies and corruption. The facts are irrefutable. John Paul II despite his many positive qualities turned his back on the victims of sexual abuse, allowed pedophile priest to be moved from parish to parish, and ordered these most vile crimes to be held in secret, hidden from the general public. At the same time it was during his reign that an investigation into accusations of sex abuse by the Rev. Marcial Maciel Degollado founder of the Legionaries of Christ were first effectively squelched.

That same silence and secrecy was applied to the huge banking scandal (the collapse of the Vatican Banca Ambrosiano in 1982, with debts of up to $1.3billion) which occurred during his pontificate. Since September 2010 the Vatican Bank is again under investigation by Italian officials.

John Paul II embraced and then canonized Josemaria de Balaguer in record time. This controversial figure founder of Opus Dei openly defended Adolf Hitler stating that Hitler had been unjustly accused of killing 6 million Jews when he had killed only 4 million! Escrivá was well known for his political involvement with right-wing causes, such as the dictatorships of Generals Francisco Franco in Spain

Pope John Paul II has been called the champion of human rights, but publically denied those same rights to members of his own clergy defending ‘liberation theology’. Surprisingly this same Pope offered support to Chile’s ruthless dictator Gen. Augusto Pinochet.

It was under John Paul II in 1999 that human rights were violated when the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) declared that Catholic workers should no longer be engaged in pastoral work with lesbian and gay persons. What rights or truths was this Pope defending when he silenced more than a hundred Catholic theologians throughout his reign?

Pope John Paul II created more saints than the entire number originated by all of his predecessors. He beatified over seven hundred men and women and declared over three hundred saints. Until Wojtyla’s papacy, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints had had to certify two miracles for each person beautified; John Paul II lowered the bar to one miracle.

Catholics who have tied their faith to the Church will undoubtedly consider this report slanderous. However, in the Catholic Church co-dependency works in both directions. Millions of Catholics have been taught that disobedience to the Church is tantamount to disobeying God – and that is perhaps the greatest lie that has been perpetrated by the hierarchy for centuries. An all loving God does not make demands, punish, play favourites, or offer rewards to his people. God simply loves unconditionally and desires nothing more than to reveal his healing presence that exists within the hearts and souls of all humankind.

Sources:

Carl Bernstein & Marco Politi, His Holiness – John Paul II and the Hidden History of our Time, Doubleday, 1996

Jason Berry & Gerald Renner, Vows of Silence, The Abuse of Power in the Papacy of John Paul II, Free Press, 2004.

David Yallop, The Power and the Glory – Inside the Dark Heart of John Paul II's Vatican, Carroll & Graf, 2007.

David Gibson, The Rule of Benedict – Pope Benedict XVI and His Battle with the Modern World, Harper Collins, 2006.

Michael W. Higgins & Douglas R. Letson, Power & Peril – The Catholic Church at the Crossroads, Harper Collins, 2002.

And the walls come tumbling down?

Hardly a day goes by without some reference to the sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church. Some still claim that this is simply a vicious attack by the media to discredit the church, while still others think it is all the work of Satan. Those who remain in denial, including many in the Vatican, refuse to accept the expert and proven opinions flowing from within the Catholic community itself. To anyone on the outside the longer this crisis continues the more the institution will continue to suffer. If polls were taken today few would probably admit they still have confidence in the world's largest Christian Church. Before the walls came tumbling down in Berlin; few would have believed it would ever happen - yet this sexual abuse scandal is rocking the very foundations of the church. Like the walls of Jericho this institution could be the next victim - at the expense of those who gave so much and trusted in its true message and calling. Hopefully, the only walls that will eventually come down are those formed by the minds in the Vatican.

Sadly, many faithful Catholic followers have cemented their faith in the institution - an institution that speaks of itself as the necessary intermediary to God himself. This is perhaps even a greater scandal then the one we are dealing with presently. This is not a battle between the left and right, the clergy and the laity. It is simply a means to rediscover what it is to be a follower of Christ among and with the many religions in our world. Scripture tells us that Jesus rejected the earthly kingdoms while he was in the desert. Could it be that we have arrogantly misunderstood how this might apply to a religious institution?

What will it take to bring change and allow the People of God the freedom to worship and live out their lives 'to the full', as promised by Jesus two thousand years ago? What will it take to bring healing and a new understanding to the current sexual abuse crisis? Perhaps the Vatican also needs to heed the advice from its own members – such as contained in the following article:

The inner workings of a hierarchy with a sex offender mentality

By Fran Ferder and John Heagle

Aug. 02, 2010

Analysis

The Vatican announcement that the attempted ordination of women is a "grave crime" to be dealt with according to the same procedures as the sexual abuse of minors exposes the way those running our church actually think. In attempting to explain revised norms to church canons, they reveal the legalistic inner workings of their minds, and affirm unsettling psychological patterns of thought.

Msgr. Charles Scicluna of the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, for example, speaking about the new codes July 15, identified the sexual abuse of minors as an "egregious violation of moral law." His statement placed the emphasis on "violation of law." When all the words are parsed, and the nuances carefully articulated, it is law that has prominence.

What about the children? Should we not think of sexual abuse, in the first place, as an "egregious violation of children?"

This distinction is significant because it paints in bold letters the central concern of a hierarchical church whose first interest is ensuring its pronouncements are obeyed. A violated law and a violated child evoke, or ought to evoke, quite different emotional responses. Tears are generally not shed over a broken law. Perhaps this is why we have seen precious few tears among church leaders. They have been schooled to place obedience to the law above all else, with a tragic disconnect of empathy the predictable result.

Perhaps this is also why those who crafted the latest document can think of sexual abuse and the ordination of women in the same category of "grave crime." As long as both the abuse of minors and the ordination of women are avoided, the law is kept, and Rome is pleased.

We have conducted psychological evaluations of dozens of clergy sex abusers over the past 25 years, becoming familiar with their style of cognitive processing. Similar to sex offenders in general, they typically deny responsibility, minimize the seriousness of their offenses, blame their victims, react with outrage when accused and redirect attention away from their behavior. They are self-centered and often exhibit a sense of grandiosity -- a belief that they are above accountability. If this sounds familiar, it is because we have repeatedly -- and sadly -- been seeing it in the responses of church officials from the cathedrals of the United States to the basilicas of Rome.

A mentality is a way of thinking, a deeply ingrained pattern of perceiving, reasoning and decision-making. A sex-offender mentality is one that prompts defensive, self-serving, deceptive and blaming responses when faced with credible accusations of sexual crime. Unaware of their abnormal processing, sex offenders display a blindness that is central to the problem.

Even more disconcerting, however, is that characteristics observed in the mentality of individual offenders can also be present in systems and institutions. The similarity in cognitive processing between actual offenders and the system that seeks to shield itself from their offenses is often chilling:

• 
  
  "Holy Father, the people of God are with you and will not let themselves be influenced by the petty gossip of the moment" (Cardinal Angelo Sodano, former Vatican secretary of state, Easter 2010, St. Peter's Square).
• 
  
  "Pupils told me on concert trips about what went on. But it didn't dawn on me from their stories that I should do something" (Fr. Georg Ratzinger, brother of Pope Benedict XVI, BBC, March 29).
• 
  
  Only 300 of about 3,000 sexual abuse cases spanning 50 years involved allegations of "genuine pedophilia" (Scicluna, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith's promoter of justice, March 13).
• 
  
  "All we ask is that it be fair and that the Catholic church not be singled out for a horror that has cursed every culture, religion, organization, institution, school, agency and family in the world" (Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York, March 28).
• 
  
  And the latest -- the attempted ordination of women is a grave crime that ought to be treated with the same severity as the sexual abuse of a child.

These and similar statements illustrate a mentality whereby the characteristic way of thinking of sex offenders has found its way into the collective psychic structure of an institution. The same "default" setting in the brain that triggers distorted mental processing prompts members of an entire group to think and respond in much the same way that sex offenders do. This "group think" inadvertently offers protection to actual sex offenders, and may have attracted them to the institution in the first place.

Let us be clear: We are not suggesting that church leaders are sex offenders. But we must name a tragic reality: Many of them think or respond the way sex offenders do when confronted with clergy sex abuse and its cover-up: They deny, defend and blame. They minimize and cover up. They become outraged when their abysmal handling of abuse cases is exposed. Most egregious of all, they display appalling deficits in empathy for victims: They turn to categorizing crimes when all people want is a heartfelt pastoral response from their leaders.

Celibacy is mandated for male church leaders. Women are excluded from sacramental leadership, thus creating an ecclesial environment that offers a perfect refuge for those whose sexual interests do not include women. Among them are the sexually disinterested, who simply don't pick up sexual cues in the environment. For these asexual men celibacy is easy -- and so is failing to notice if some of their brothers become sexual with minors. Since asexual individuals have a minimized capacity for intimate feelings, their affectivity is stunted, limiting their ability to experience the whole range of the most normal human feelings, including falling in love and feeling horrified over the abuse of a child. Women are a genuine threat to this world. They can expose it. Keeping them far away from the inner workings of the system is essential to its survival.

Rome has now connected the sexual abuse of minors and a ban on the ordination of women in one of its own documents. Perhaps those who crafted the document are on to something: The refusal to allow women into the inner sanctum of ecclesial power may well be related to clergy sexual abuse, and to the Vatican's impotence in addressing this crime in a truly pastoral way. Is the attempted ordination of women a crime, or is the real crime the refusal to allow it?

[Fran Ferder is a Franciscan nun, clinical psychologist, author and professor at Seattle University. John Heagle is priest, psychotherapist, canon lawyer and professor at Seattle University.]

http://ncronline.org/news/vatican/inner-workings-hierarchy-sex-offender-mentality

Fast-tracking two Popes to Sainthood

I have just purchased the book, The Power and the Glory- Inside the Dark Heart of John Paul II's Vatican (2007) by David Yallop. Hopefully this book will reveal an honest and objective portrait of the 'real' Pope John Paul II, unadorned by the usual biased Vatican approved criteria. The author promises to expose some of the myths about the role Wojtyla played during and after WWII in Poland as well as some of the half-truths about this Pope's long reign. At the same time this book will examine the role of the Vatican in the fall of Communism, the mismanagement of Vatican finances, its failure to address the child sexual abuse crisis, the rise of Opus Dei, to the "Holy Alliance" between the White House and the Vatican. The Power and the Glory, according the fly-leaf is a bold and unflinching look at a man being fast-tracked to sainthood and his profound effect on a polarized institution.

As a convert to Catholicism, married to a cradle Catholic, I initially avoided almost everything and anything that spoke against 'the Church'. Today all that has changed due to a greater inner desire for truth and justice. As an active member of our small parish it was my happy duty to accept the role as Catechist for more than twenty years. In order the present fresh material for our yearly inquirers I specifically avoided using the same material and resources as much as possible (admittedly for the purpose of keeping it interesting for myself). The research lead me into many avenues and alleys along the way. However, the objective as I saw it was to bring people closer to an unconditionally loving Creator. As the years went on, I gradually began to question some of the teachings of the Church against the greater Gospel values. This was to become my 'downfall' as I started to speak out about a God, who did not punish, reward or hand-out favours. Additionally questions about Apostolic Succession, Gays, Abortion, and Sexual Abuse lead to my eventual (predictable?) dismissal by a recently appointed completely Orthodox minded priest. Most of the priests, during the previous year's understood and accepted my more expanded views. I seldom failed to include the Church's Traditional position or teachings. 'Critical thinking' is better than 'no thinking' remains my motto in the search for truth.

Nowhere does this seem more appropriate, then on the subject of Pope Pius XII and his role regarding the Jews during WWII. Yallop suggests that Pius XII may have saved as many as 860,000 Jews. The latest findings by German historian, Dr. Michael Hesemann were hailed as Proof is overwhelming Pius XII saved Jewish lives by a local Catholic on-line news media. The online article stated that Pius XII "arranged the flight of 200,000 Jews from Germany as early as 1938."

The number of books that have been written 'pro and con' about Pius XII during WWII would almost fill a medium sized library. Since the Vatican remains secretive and unresponsive, this controversial subject will remain on people's questioning minds for many more years to come. In the meantime, fast-tracking Pius XII to sainthood, similar to Pope John Paul II, may take a little longer.

>

Ending Sexual Abuse Requires Education & Compassion

It is becoming increasingly clear why so many people have difficulty believing that sexual abuse could have happened within a sacred religious institution. At the same time some people seem to think that such an institution is beyond question because of the Roman Catholic claim of Papal Primacy and Apostolic Succession through Jesus himself.

A recent article by an Italian sociologist of religion Massimo Introvigne 'Moral Panic Flares Again' even dares to suggest that the problem is merely a matter of public and media exaggeration. Incredibly his sponsors prefaced the article by stating " Is priestly paedophilia a problem? Yes, says an Italian sociologist. Is it a big problem? No." If payouts to date in the USA of more than US. $ 2 Billion to the victims so far is not considered a big problem then readers may well ask "what is?" What Mr. Introvigne states about homosexuals is typical of the defensive statements being made by many supporters of the institution. Witness the recent comments by Cardinal Angelo Sodano calling it "petty gossip" or Pope's personal preacher, Fr Raniero Cantalamessa deferring to the accusations as being equal to anti-Semitic remarks. These statements do not help to bring healing to the real victims!

It seems that critics sometimes fail to see that this crisis is about the suffering of the victims and a culture that allowed it to happen! There is little doubt in most people minds that the Pope was personally responsible for directing any cover-up surrounding the sexual abuse cases. His efforts and directives to control the situation beginning in 2001 are well documented. This however does not remove the silence that took place for decades prior but the pain and shame these innocent children have suffered continues to this very day. Each new revelation of sexual abuse adds to their suffering. If the Church and the Pope are unable to handle their own embarrassment above the pain of those children who have suffered for years than perhaps they should resign.

In defence of the Church many people try to defer the problem elsewhere but seldom sympathize with the plight of the real victims. Instead, they attempt to make it seem as if the Church is now the victim. What a clear example of where our church stands today. The problem has been clearly identified by leading experts as systemic. Ask yourself "When will the Vatican announce that they are prepared to look inwardly?" Only then will true reform take place!

Let no one forget that sexual abuse of children is a worldwide problem and not just confined to the Catholic Church. It even happens in the best of families. As a victim myself I have done my best to grapple with the problem and have found tremendous solace in a lot of inspirational writings including the Bible. What I find so discouraging about our Church is its inability to deal with the current situation and accept its role in this situation. Instead, it has become defensive instead of pro-active. Almost like a child caught with its fingers in the cookie jar. Pope Benedict XVI continues to cling to the outdated model of sexuality taught by St. Augustine more than 1400 years ago. One only needs to read this saint's tormented experience with his sexuality. Since that time, especially in the last hundred years, there has been tremendous progress in our understanding of human sexuality.

This understanding has not only made it possible to address the question of sexual abuse but also for victims who have finally gained the courage to speak out.

What follows initially encouraged me to reflect on this most sensitive issue in my blog of May 2009. In view of the recent events it seemed appropriate to repeat it once again.

"Many people awoke this week [May 20/09] to the long anticipated results of the inquiry into child abuse at Catholic Institutions in Ireland dating back some sixty years. The report found that church leaders knew that sexual abuse was 'endemic' in boys institutions. It also found physical and emotional abuse and neglect were features of these institutions. Schools were run "in a severe, regimented manner that imposed unreasonable and oppressive discipline on children and staff". Following a nine-year inquiry investigated over a 60-year period about 35,000 children were placed in a network of reformatories, industrial schools and workhouses up to the 1980's. More than 2,000 told the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse they suffered physical and sexual abuse while there. The leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Cardinal Sean Brady, said he was "profoundly sorry and deeply ashamed that children suffered in such awful ways in these institutions".

It has been almost twenty years since a similar inquiry was completed about sexual abuse within the diocese of St. John's Newfoundland. That damning report concluded that the patriarchal, clerical structure of the Roman Catholic Church created a climate that significantly contributed to child sexual molestation by priests. In all probability the abuses in Ireland will reflect the findings first reported in Canada in 1990 by A.W. Richard Snipe of The Johns Hopkins University of Medicine, as follows . . . . ."it is clear that the institutional Church is in a pre-adolescent stage of psychosexual development. This is a period typically prior to eleven years of age in which boys prefer association with their own sex, girls are avoided and held in disdain, often as a guise for fear of women as well as of the own as-yet-un-solidified sexuality. Sex generally is rigidly denied externally while secretly explored. The rigidity extends to strict rules of inclusion and exclusion. Control and avoidance are of primary concern. A church stuck in the pre-adolescent stage of development is limited in its ability to cope with sexual issues and give sexual guidelines."

Unhealthy Ideas Concerning Power and Sexuality

Australian Bishop Geoffrey Robinson, who was appointed to a special commission in 1994 following revelations of abuse in his native country, recently stated "sexual abuse is first and foremost an abuse of power. It is an abuse of power in a sexual form. Unhealthy ideas concerning power and its exercise are always relevant to the question of abuse. Spiritual power is arguably the most dangerous power of all. In the wrong hand it gives the power to make judgments even about the eternal fate of another person. It needs a sign on it at all times saying, 'Handle with extreme care'. The greater the power a person exercises, the more need there is for checks and balances before it is used and accountability after it is used'".

U.S. Dominican Fr. Thomas Doyle, a canon lawyer and advocate for those abused by priests, had this to say about the Irish abuse report: "The vicious sexual, physical, emotional and spiritual devastation inflicted upon these children was not accidental. It was systemic". And summarized the situation as follows: "The Church cannot and will not fix itself. The very reality of the systemic abuse in the Irish institutions (and elsewhere as well) reveals a deep disdain for people by those charged with leading the Church. There has been an abandonment of the fundamental values that are supposed to vivify the Church if indeed these values were ever really internalized by many in positions of power. There is something radically wrong with the institutional Catholic Church."

So far many people have talked about sexual abuse as though it were a modern day revelation. In my unprofessional and humble opinion that is not so. Sexual abuse probably continues to be the one of the most frequently occurring and emotionally damaging acts in human history! Again, due to its hidden and secret nature. We must learn to treat both the guilt and shame of the sexual abuse by exposing and calling it what it is. But it must be done with complete dignity and confidentiality.

The first step in treating the problem is to recognize that we have now made a giant leap forward by exposing the wrongs in our religious institutions. The second step must treat both the victim and the abuser. The third step must be to refrain from using the abuse as a weapon to wage war and revenge. This serves no one, least of all the victim. The fourth step must begin with education. We need to understand why some people are led to this kind of behaviour and why some become victims. Remember we are only on the first rung of a many tiered ladder to our understanding of sexual behaviour. Let us treat this painful issue with God given dignity and compassion. If we really want to help these victims we should not allow it to become an excuse for satisfying our hunger for news, revenge, labelling and continued accusations.

Perhaps we may eventually come to thank our institutions and those broken priests for bringing this 'scandal' to the forefront. If we allow ourselves to act with wisdom and compassion we will see that the victims and offenders can act as a shield by bringing this issue out of its dark past into a healing light. This will undoubtedly require a quantum leap of faith - but what if we don't?"

On Sexual Abuse

Many people awoke this week to the long anticipated results of the inquiry into child abuse at Catholic Institutions in Ireland dating back some sixty years. The report found that church leaders knew that sexual abuse was 'endemic' in boys institutions. It also found physical and emotional abuse and neglect were features of these institutions. Schools were run "in a severe, regimented manner that imposed unreasonable and oppressive discipline on children and staff". Following a nine-year inquiry investigated over a 60-year period about 35,000 children were placed in a network of reformatories, industrial schools and workhouses up to the 1980's. More than 2,000 told the Commission to Inquire Into Child Abuse they suffered physical and sexual abuse while there. The leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Cardinal Sean Brady, said he was "profoundly sorry and deeply ashamed that children suffered in such awful ways in these institutions".

It has been almost twenty years since a similar inquiry was completed about sexual abuse within the diocese of St. John's Newfoundland. That damning report concluded that the patriarchal, clerical structure of the Roman Catholic Church created a climate that significantly contributed to child sexual molestation by priests. In all probability the abuses in Ireland will reflect the findings first reported in Canada in 1990 by A.W. Richard Sipe of The Johns Hopkins University of Medicine, as follows . . . . ."it is clear that the institutional Church is in a pre-adolescent stage of phsychosexual development. This is a period typically prior to eleven years of age in which boys prefer association with their own sex, girls are avoided and held in disdain, often as a guise for fear of women as well as of the own as-yet-un-solidified sexuality. Sex generally is rigidly denied externally while secretly explored. The rigidity extends to strict rules of inclusion and exclusion. Control and avoidance are of primary concern. A church stuck in the pre-adolescent stage of development is limited in its ability to cope with sexual issues and give sexual guidelines."

Unhealthy Ideas Concerning Power and Sexuality

Australian Bishop Geoffrey Robinson, who was appointed to a special commission in 1994 following revelations of abuse in his native country, recently stated "sexual abuse is first and foremost an abuse of power. It is an abuse of power in a sexual form. Unhealthy ideas concerning power and its exercise are always relevant to the question of abuse. Spiritual power is arguably the most dangerous power of all. In the wrong hand it gives the power to make judgments even about the eternal fate of another person. It needs a sign on it at all times saying, 'Handle with extreme care'. The greater the power a person exercises, the more need there is for checks and balances before it is used and accountability after it is used'".

U.S. Dominican Fr. Thomas Doyle, a canon lawyer and advocate for those abused by priests, had this to say about the Irish abuse report: "The vicious sexual, physical, emotional and spiritual devastation inflicted upon these children was not accidental. It was systemic". And summarized the situation as follows: "The Church cannot and will not fix itself. The very reality of the systemic abuse in the Irish institutions (and elsewhere as well) reveals a deep disdain for people by those charged with leading the Church. There has been an abandonment of the fundamental values that are supposed to vivify the Church if indeed these values were ever really internalized by many in positions of power. There is something radically wrong with the institutional Catholic Church."

Sexual Abuse My Own Story

As a victim of sexual abuse myself, by a group leader, I feel somewhat qualified to provide some insight into this problem. Sexual abuse has many ugly and painful faces. Many victims have suffered and continue to suffer due to the hidden nature of the act. However, I believe we are on the verge of making a tremendous leap forward in bringing healing and understanding to this silent and hidden disease.

It is well known that the abuser, was often a victim of abuse themselves. The abuser was likely someone your family/community both admired and respected. And, finally the abuser is frequently a member of your own close family. It is due to this close association that the matter of sexual abuse has remained hidden and untreated for so long. When a problem of this nature is left secret or hidden it will take on a painful life of its own until it is acknowledged and correctly treated. However, when the solution is left or reduced to dollars and cents, and the original shame and guilt is left untouched the problem will remain. Such a victim of abuse, having been awarded a million dollars, will remain scarred unless treated professionally with compassion and understanding.

So far many people have talked about sexual abuse as though it were a modern day revelation. In my unprofessional and humble opinion that is not so. Sexual abuse probably continues to be the one of the most frequently occurring and emotionally damaging acts in human history! Again, due to its hidden and secret nature. We must learn to treat both the guilt and shame of the sexual abuse by exposing and calling it what it is. But it must be done with complete dignity and confidentiality.

The first step in treating the problem is to recognize that we have now made a giant leap forward by exposing the wrongs in these religious institutions. The second step must treat both the victim and the abuser. The third step must be to refrain from using the abuse as a weapon to wage war and revenge. This serves no one, least of all the victim. The fourth step must begin with education. We need to understand why some people are led to this kind of behaviour and why some become victims. Remember we are only on the first rung of a many tiered ladder to our understanding of sexual behaviour. Let us treat this painful issue with God given dignity and compassion. If we really want to help these victims we should not allow it to become an excuse for satisfying our hunger for news, revenge, labelling and continued accusations.

Perhaps we may eventually come to thank our institutions and those broken priests for bringing this 'scandal' to the forefront. If we allow ourselves to act with wisdom and compassion we will see that the victims and offenders can act as a shield by bringing this issue out of its dark past into a healing light. This will undoubtedly require a quantum leap of faith - but what if we don't?