I posted the poster above because in my experience, this has been what happens to little girls and little boys who speak out about sexual abuse. If an adult speaks out about sexual abuse as a child, they are often told that it is over. Why are you bringing it up, they are often told? Fortunately, it appears that Pope Francis, yet again, has a different set of answers. The Catholic News Agency, Vatican Radio, and any of several other formal and official Catholic agencies have reported on a homily that Pope Francis delivered about four days ago. In it he said:
“But are we ashamed? So many scandals that I do not want to mention individually, but all of us know…We know where they are! Scandals, some who charged a lot of money…. The shame of the Church! But are we all ashamed of those scandals, of those failings of priests, bishops, laity? Where was the Word of God in those scandals; where was the Word of God in those men and in those women? They did not have a relationship with God! They had a position in the Church, a position of power, even of comfort. But the Word of God, no! ‘But, I wear a medal,’ ‘I carry the Cross ‘ … Yes, just as those bore the Ark! Without the living relationship with God and the Word of God! I am reminded of the words of Jesus about those for whom scandals come … And here the scandal hit: bringing decay (it: decadenza) to the people of God, including (it: fino alla) the weakness and corruption of the priests.” Text from page http://en.radiovaticana.va/articolo.asp?c=764583
Did you catch what he said? There are certain sins that are so foul that they are proof, in and of themselves, that the person who has committed that particular crime, “did not have a relationship with God! They had a position in the Church, a position of power, even of comfort. But the Word of God, no!” Look at the rest of the words that Pope Francis speaks. They wear a medal; they carry the cross. It is of no matter, of no defense, of no use. What he said so reminds me of the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 7, where it says:
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”
This is another of those crucial statements by Pope Francis. Previous Popes have treated this subject as though we need to balance caring for the priest with caring for the victim. Pope Francis says that there is no such balance. We do need to ensure that the accused person is truly guilty. There have been cases in which the person accused turns out to be innocent after all. Nevertheless, if there is any reasonable evidence that the person is indeed guilty, then there is no balance to be kept. We have a wolf within our fold. There is a false priest who “did not have a relationship with God.” We are not protecting a priest of God, in those cases; we are protecting a person who does not merit our protection because they are nothing but a tool of the evil one. All too often, the Church has appeared to condone the priest by moving him from one post to another, rather than by following the ancient tradition that would have forbidden him from celebrating the Divine Liturgy, if found guilty.
At the end of his homily, Pope Francis prayed a prayer to God:
“Poor people! We do not give the Bread of Life to eat; we do give – in those cases – the bread of Truth! And many times, we even offer a poisoned meal! ‘Awaken! Why do you sleep, Lord?’ Let this be our prayer! ‘Awaken! Do not reject us forever! Why do you hide Your face? Why do You forget our affliction and oppression?’ We ask the Lord that we never forget the Word of God, which is alive, so that it enters into our hearts and never to forget the holy people faithful to God who ask us to nourish and strengthen them. “
It is the people who are the “object of our affection” not those who are merely part of the hierarchy, but are truly wolves. I am again impressed that Pope Francis has said what needed to be said. But, do not miss the theological point. Those who commit sexual abuse of children have no relationship with God. They are not his; they are not of the Church; there is not an issue of protecting the Church. Rather, the Church must be protected against these wolves. Again, thank you Pope Francis.
So does that mean that these abusive priests do not have salvation? And (opening a can of worms) are the sacraments that they performed invalid? How bad does a sin have to be before we can make such a judgment?
But yes, there certainly are wolves in sheep’s clothing, and the church needs to be protected against such.
As Pope Francis would probably say, “Who am I to judge them?” I would not care to judge someone’s salvation. Though, the saying about putting a millstone around your neck and throwing yourself in the water does come to mind. If you think about it, that Scripture says that being judged by God as a suicide is probably better than being judged by God for harming a little one.
But, in a practical way, Pope Francis is making it clear that whatever the state of their salvation might be, those priests do not have a working knowledge of God. And, he is making it clear that whatever the state of their salvation, in practice, he is not going to allow them to continue as priests nor will he harbor or hide them.
The question about the sacraments was asked centuries ago. In fact, by and large, the decision has been that the personal state of the minister does not affect the sacrament. The XXVIth Article of the XXXIX Articles of the Anglican Church says:
“Although in the visible Church the evil be ever mingled with the good, and sometimes the evil have chief authority in the Ministration of the Word and Sacraments, yet forasmuch as they do not the same in their own name, but in Christ’s, and do minister by his commission and authority, we may use their Ministry, both in hearing the Word of God, and in receiving the Sacraments. Neither is the effect of Christ’s ordinance taken away by their wickedness, nor the grace of God’s gifts diminished from such as by faith, and rightly, do receive the Sacraments ministered unto them; which be effectual, because of Christ’s institution and promise, although they be ministered by evil men.
Nevertheless, it appertaineth to the discipline of the Church, that inquiry be made of evil Ministers, and that they be accused by those that have knowledge of their offences; and finally, being found guilty, by just judgment be deposed.”