Just Shine On

As I write this post, it is August 15, 2018.

Today is the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Mother. Today was a Holy Day of Obligation, and I went to the 8 AM Mass, just minutes after reading the report from the Pennsylvania Grand Jury and the reactions of people, Catholic and not, from across the globe.

This report, which covers the heinous crimes by the clergy, (of which an estimated 90% were from prior to the 1990’s) comes on the tail of the scandals in Argentina and Australia. A bit more personal to me, an investigation has also been launched against the major seminary in my own diocese, after an extremely damning piece on the conduct of some who have attended, was published by an ex-seminarian whom was one of my first JSO Instagram followers.

Considering everything that has been going on, and all the attention the Church has been getting from the major news media, it is safe to say that I, among many others, are beside ourselves, with a storm of incredibly difficult emotions.

I feel sick about the children who have been failed, their innocence destroyed and lost. I am angry about the coverups done to save face. I feel powerless to help clean up any of this mess and promote healing. I feel betrayed because the Church that I have fought for and defended for so long, is now being smeared by the hundreds of men who were unfaithful to the vows that they made. This goes beyond the breaking of promises though. This is pure evil, and it is unfathomable to me that this is the current face of the Catholic Church, especially since we know that our teachings hold us to the highest of standards when it comes to sexual conduct.

I am sad because for so many people I know who are not Catholic, this is only adding fuel to their fire. Whether it be outright hatred towards Catholicism in general, lukewarmness, or the deterrent of a faith journey that has barely begun, the damage has been done. I am sad for the practicing Catholics who are struggling with their faith right now. I am absolutely heartbroken for the many good, faithful seminarians, priests, and bishops (the vast majority of the clergy, actually,) who are being regarded with such hate and suspicion right now, trying to shepherd their parishes while also coping with their own feelings of grief, disgust, and betrayal.

The important thing to remember, and the driving reason behind this post, is that the clergy is not the end-all-be-all of the Church.

Good clergy members are guides for us, support for us in our journey as imitators of Christ. But they are not Christ Himself. It is Him, and Him alone, that we look to and follow. The Church does not contain any less Truth because of the unfaithful. The Sacraments are not any less valid. The Mass is not any less sacred. Lastly, we should not let this devastation damage our own relationship with God, nor our involvement in the Church.

I think this idea was best depicted while I was at church this morning. For an 8 AM Mass, on a Wednesday morning, the pews were surprisingly full. People of all ages attended. The Creed was professed just as loudly as usual. One voice in particular stood out: the voice of a child, no older than 6, proudly reciting the words louder than anyone else, mispronunciations and all.

I watched as my fellow parishioners exchanged glances with each other, no doubt taking note of the irony that this child, who, unknown to him, had been failed by the actions of unfaithful clergy, was displaying such pride in something that there is no way he could possibly understand at such a young age. But I watched it plant hope in weary hearts regardless.

Some are already speculating that the results of the jury are most likely just the tip of the iceberg. They say that more scandals will continue to unfold.

Unfortunately this is probably true, although it is important that they are all made public and are exposed. I think it is also worth noting that many of these abusers are thought to be part of a larger scheme; non-believers who entered the Church with the intention of destroying Its’ credibility from the inside out. This theory comes from a woman who testified as much in front of Congress years ago. (Google ‘Bella Dodd’.) Others though are clearly pedophiles, or living a homosexual lifestyle. (I want to make it very clear though, that pedophilia and homosexuality DO NOT go hand in hand with each other, and are completely separate from each other.)

Now, we are finally uncovering the damage done. The Church will suffer and the numbers of the faithful will continue to dwindle. No matter what happens though, I am staying in the Church because I believe in Its’ teachings, and I am praying that you will too. I am praying for the victims of this abuse. I am praying for my fellow faithful laymen. I am praying for the faithful clergy, who have given their lives in vocation to serve Christ and His people, many of whom I am so blessed to have in my life, including my own pastor. I am praying for those departed from the Church because of these scandals, past, present, and future. As hard as it is, I am praying for the men who have caused all of this wreckage too, with the evil they have done. I hope those still alive will repent, hold themselves accountable, and justice will be served.

Most of all, I will pray that the innocent bishops stop giving us empty statements, and instead work to deep clean and restore the Church once again. To my friends and followers of other Christian denominations, I ask that you pray for us as well, as we call for action and attempt to heal in the coming days.

 ^“And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.” -Matthew 16:18 NABRE

Keep the faith.
~Alexis Grace