“They have hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.”
(Jeremiah 2:12-13)
March 6, 2023
Recently I read an excellent article written by Jennifer Kane: “Bishops Buy Their Way Out of Moral Crisis In the Diocese of Buffalo“. She highlights that it is not only that decades ago bishops covered up sexual abuse while protecting the predator priests. Our church leaders still meticulously avoid acknowledging guilt or enduring any kind of suffering because of the crimes committed in the past. This is happening now, not two decades ago, and it is a continuation of the abuse that survivors still experience today.
Faithful Catholics approach their church with honest complaints, trusting that the church will listen and care. This is not just the laity. Seminarians, priests, and women religious also come forward with trust in our leaders. (See this story about Fr. Ryszard, this post of a priest survivor Gerard McGlone, SJ, or this post about former seminarian Anthony Gorgia.)
And our church leaders lawyer up. They treat the laity as the enemy and defend their legal and financial well-being at all cost.
They hew out cisterns for themselves-cisterns that can hold no living water.
This has been my experience: to be updated…
In response to the ongoing crisis in our church, a good portion of people leave and a good portion stick their heads in the sand. (A good article about this topic is here.) All the while survivors are often treated like black sheep, forced to suffer in silence within their faith communities. Not nearly enough Catholics are willing to face the truth of the spiritual war we are in. Not nearly enough Catholics are willing to take up spiritual armor and go into battle.
Update:
I wanted to add some of the lay organizations that are fighting for reform.
The Society of St. Peter Damian I love this one. They believe the Catholic response to the clerical abuse crisis has not been Catholic enough.
The Archangel Foundation, Inc. This organization connects survivors to resources such as counselors and legal representation. They help defray the costs for these services.
Laura Evans Serna 