Today I sent this out in a private email to a few people and thought I’d share it here…
It’s a video that I actually thought was well done — it’s about the HORRIFIC priest abuse issue:
(I especially liked how he closed out the video…)
If you have older kids and decide to watch it with them, there are just a couple things you might add that I wish Fr. Mike would’ve covered:
- In ANY population group there are mostly good, but always a few bad, and sometimes VERY bad people. Whether it’s black or white people, Protestant Christians, Catholic Christians, Muslims or Jews, those who are heterosexual or homosexual, priests or laity (anyone non-ordained), no matter WHAT group we’re talking about, this is the case. And in the 1960’s and 1970’s some really really bad men got into Catholic seminaries and EVIL worked its way into the Church.
- Some may disagree (??) but it’s my opinion that whether they are the abuser OR the one who did not turn them in to police immediately, if they are PROVEN guilty, they should spend the rest of their lives in JAIL.
If you’d like to share your thoughts and can do so respectfully, comment below.
God bless you all!
Great advice from Fr. Mike Schmitz: Don’ t LEAVE the Church; LEAD the Church!
Thanks for sharing, Kelly.
I believe the number one problem in the Catholic church is that priests are not allowed to marry. This sets them up for trying to deny they are human, and has the potential to push them in the direction of being sexual abusers.
Hi Sheryl, that’s a common misconception, but it doesn’t make sense to me. If celibacy “caused” pedophile behavior, then there would be no married pedophiles, but obviously there are plenty. Pedophiles are very very sick and disordered people, and some just happen to be priests.
I can find more for you on this topic later.
Kelly
Okay here’s another really good article that addresses this:
https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2017/12/15/its-not-about-celibacy-blaming-wrong-thing-sexual-abuse-church
Kelly
I am offended by the sainthood for Popes who reigned during the last 70 years, especially Paul VI and John Paul II. The latter and John XXIII were popular and viewed as saintly men, but they both turned away from the system that perpetuated this abuse, thereby perpetuating it. Who knows how many had been abused sexually before then. I don’t think the problem started only in the late 20th century. I’d like to see the church revoke their sainthood. That said, I agree that civil laws should be changed so that the statute of limitations does not apply for victims of clerical abuse and so that their superiors can be made accountable for their actions. I attended a Catholic high school in the East in the 1960’s where the girls were subject to emotional and physical abuse on a daily basis. However, I have recently learned during the lead up to our 50th reunion that there were three priest pedophiles on the boys’ side. Lives were destroyed, and many of my classmates left the Church because of this dysfunctional, if not downright scandalous, system.
Kathy, thanks for sharing your thoughts. Certainly no one could blame your classmates for the leaving the Church. 🙁
Kelly