Beleaguered Church offered a prescription of hope

Review by WAYNE HOLST
Special to the WCR

In a private discussion with the American Oblate counsellor from Rome I surprized myself by making this rather dramatic comment: "Wittenberg 1517. Boston 2002."

Although I tried to demonstrate my Canadian reticence to hyperbole and extreme statements, I maintain after reflection that what I said will prove to be true.

Ten years ago, Dominican Father Thomas Doyle, a canon lawyer who has worked for the American papal nuncio, stated that the currently unfolding sex-abuse scandal in that country is "the most serious problem that we in the Church have faced in centuries."

In the U.S. alone, several thousand priests have already been accused of sexual misconduct, by tens of thousands of alleged victims. This makes the Mount Cashel and native residential school scandal in Canada begin to pale in significance.

The lawsuits filed by victims have forced American dioceses to pay out hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. Lawyers estimate that the payments will eventually run into the billions, driving some dioceses (to say nothing of missionary provinces) into bankruptcy.

It is estimated that up to 10 per cent of U.S. Catholics are affected, directly or indirectly, by actual sexual abuse. Revelations to date have been bad enough. There will surely be more, perhaps many more, revelations to come.

The American Catholic Church finds itself in deep crisis and what is happening there will have repercussions far beyond it. While in many ways the Canadian Catholic Church has been working with integrity on this issue for more than a decade, the ripple effects of a neighbour with more than four times the number of Catholics and a penchant for influencing the entire world will continue to be felt here.

Lay people must not allow themselves to be scandalized to the point of withdrawing from the sacraments or to use the situation as an excuse to denigrate priests in general.

How did this happen? What can be done about it? Shaken By Scandals is an early and thoughtful attempt by loyal, mainly conservative Catholic lawyers, priests, parents, theologians, historians and writers, etc. to respond to these questions.

One of the contributors, Mark Shae, an author and columnist, believes that even though Catholics have been extraordinarily slow to believe the worst of their bishops, the current scandal reflects the gravest breakdown in moral credibility ever faced by the American hierarchy.

He claims righteous anger, not the endless carping of some liberal critics, while saying that many more bishops will have to resign because, in truth, they are not above the law.

Some bishops who have been pressured to quit should not step down yet, says Shae. They should only do so after they have faced, attended their accusers and acknowledged what they have done. There is general consensus among the contributors that the Church must “first take her medicine” if she can ever hope to recover.

Yet the book advances with a message of prescription and hope. History teaches that this is not the first time the Church has been enmeshed in sexual sin. Always she has come to honestly acknowledge her failures and to experience herself God’s grace, forgiveness and reconciliation that she has always proclaimed.

Interestingly, polls indicate that the vast majority of Catholics have not given up on their faith even though many currently register significant chagrin and a lack of trust in their leadership.

Restoration is sure to come, though it will not come quickly or easily. Prescribed remedies include the admonition that Rome take decisive action to discipline offending bishops. Bishops and other Church officials must take decisive action against offending priests.

Lay people must not allow themselves to be scandalized to the point of withdrawing from the sacraments or to use the situation as an excuse to denigrate priests in general. Finally, the entire Church must earnestly pray for justice and healing.

It would be hard to believe there is much disagreement between liberals and conservatives on these prescriptions.

The book concludes with sections of Scripture readings, reflections and prayers as well as some early responses from Church officials.

Is this crisis as big as the Reformation of the 16th century? This Catholic loving Protestant believes it will ultimately prove to be so. But there are some major differences.

The Catholic Church will renew itself, internally, without major fallout. The Catholic Church can count on much support for its renewal endeavours from non-Catholics as well.

(Rev. Dr. Wayne A. Holst is a writer who has taught religion and culture at the University of Calgary.)

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