Depressed About Catholic Church

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Erikaspirit16 said:
Meanwhile, 30 years later…nothing.
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And you know this how?

In fact, a lot has changed in the last 20 to 30 years, and changed for the better. Effective safeguards and protocols have been put into place at the parish and diocese levels, and things are much better today than they were 30 years ago. There is still room for improvement, and no, money is still not the answer.
 
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May we work against abuse and the greatest abuse towards our children is the murder of an innocent child by abortion. May Catholics truly witness to the protection of our children by being open to life in the sacrament of marriage, may they protect their children from the horrors of divorce and work to protect, care and promote life from conception to natural death. Peace to you all.
 
Divine3 said:
And Jesus has lots to say about money, doesn’t he?
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He sure did. Almost every parable is about a rich man or helping the poor. And when asked what the most important commandment was, after worshipping God, the most important commandment was loving your neighbor as yourself.
 
Divine3 said:
Do have any clue how the filthy porn companies can send their maggot porn through the mail without you ever meaning to sign up for it? You just state something about disgusting porn and without any facts ,except for the action of one of the hierarchy who had more facts than you do, and who knows how it came to the rectory. Anyone can get porn to someone’s house and it can be an evil way to attack someone.
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Sure, it’s possible someone sent the stuff to him as a prank or to discredit him. But from what I remember, it was not a one-time thing, it was stuff arriving regularly. And you think the correct response was for the bishop to suspend the accuser and let the whole thing drop? No investigation?

It’s your point of view I find disheartening: the clergy can do no wrong. They are to be given the benefit of the doubt. Accusers have to prove their claims beyond any doubt whatsoever. I would argue that it’s this attitude that got the Church into this mess in the first place.
 
Beryllos said:
And you know this how?

In fact, a lot has changed in the last 20 to 30 years, and changed for the better. Effective safeguards and protocols have been put into place at the parish and diocese levels, and things are much better today than they were 30 years ago. There is still room for improvement, and no, money is still not the answer.
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I know this because almost nothing has changed. There have been a few cases (McCarrick) where the evidence was overwhelming that some action has been taken…slowly and reluctantly.

I agree that there are more safeguards now than in the past, when it was simply open season. But it hasn’t prevented the problems.
 
Divine3 said:
Do have any clue how the filthy porn companies can send their maggot porn through the mail without you ever meaning to sign up for it?
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I’ve lived a long time, I have not nor have I ever met even one person who had “accidental porn” addressed to them in the mail.

This does not mean that there was not something else going on (someone trying to frame or embarrass a priest, mail delivered to the wrong address).

The whole story seems a bit like “my uncle’s mechanic’s cousin’s son in law knew a guy who had a neighbor who blah blah blah” sort of legend.
 
Something it is easy to do is to forget that society, families, the medical/psychological field were very different even 30 + years ago.

The experts believed that the abusers could be rehabilitated/cured.

Families wanted to keep scandals private. They did not want these instances made public, did not want their child to be forced through a trial, they were satisfied when the abuser was removed from town. Sometimes they moved away so no hint of scandal would become public.

Our current idea of putting every pain, every tragedy out there for public inspection is a recent phenomenon. Where were the parents? Often trying to keep their child’s tragedy as a private matter.
 
Erikaspirit16 said:
It’s your point of view I find disheartening: the clergy can do no wrong. They are to be given the benefit of the doubt. Accusers have to prove their claims beyond any doubt whatsoever. I would argue that it’s this attitude that got the Church into this mess in the first place.
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This is also my point of view. Anyone who points out that this is all very serious and wasn’t handled right is automatically accused of “needing a reason to bash the Church” or thinking that “all priests are pedophiles while forgetting about all the good ones.”

It’s like, because they are priests, they have to be defended no matter what, or at least have their actions minimized and dismissed as “well, everyone makes mistakes, we’re all human, no one’s perfect.” Nope, sorry, not good enough.

As I said in another post, I know full well that not all priests are abusers. I have many priests in my life whom I love and respect very much. I believe the Catholic Church is the one true Church, and I don’t think that the institution itself is corrupt.

My problem is with people who compare these abuses to St. Peter denying Christ in a moment of fear and then immediately repenting; people who blame the victims; people who try to minimize the impact by saying “well, not every victim committed suicide.” THAT’S what makes me sick. That’s what is extremely disheartening.
 
The Church has and will continue to serve. What goes down can still go up; that’s the natural course of life in fact. Failures being stepping stones.
 
Psalm30 said:
As I said in another post, I know full well that not all priests are abusers. I have many priests in my life whom I love and respect very much. I believe the Catholic Church is the one true Church, and I don’t think that the institution itself is corrupt.
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Only about 4% are abusers–about the same percentage as in the general population. No big surprise. The surprise is that they should have been weeded out in the seminary, and when they were accused–credibly–nothing was done.

A year ago, after the Pennsylvania grand jury investigation became public, my own parish priest gave his sermon on the subject (the first time I’ve ever heard a sermon on this). He was angry. He was being painted with the same brush as the abusers, and he was angry both with the abusers and with those who covered it up, thus putting him in a position where he didn’t want to wear his clerical collar in public. You’ll be happy to hear he received a standing ovation after his sermon. Some of you will be surprised to hear that I started the applause. We need to support people like this. They SHOULD be angry.
 
Hey here’s something.

Your relationship is with God. When the time for judgement comes, it’s ONLY between you and God.
People offend God daily, by the minute. Why abandon God for something he didn’t do? He gave us free will, and it’s being abused.

The way I see it, I’m in an exclusive relationship with God. My relationship with God does NOT depend on my fellow parishioners and priests. By rationale thought and reason alone, why should I leave the Church for something God didn’t do?

Ex: John is out walking with his father, when someone curses at him. John feels offended too, but supports his father. Do you think it’s wise for John to run away from his Father, leaving him there on the street by himself?
 
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Psalm30 said:
people who try to minimize the impact by saying “well, not every victim committed suicide.” THAT’S what makes me sick.
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Wow. I am blessed because I have not heard such callous things. Prayers for those who are so heard hearted.
 
Yes OP, what’s happening in the Church today is indeed very depressing. And it runs deeper than just the abuse and it’s cover-up. These scandals are a serious trial for ALL Catholics! I always try to reflect on the Bread of Life Discourse in John chapter 6, when after hearing Our Lord’s words, “many of his disciples went back; and walked no more with him.”

Can you even begin to imagine the twelve’s reaction on watching those disciples one by one, turn their backs on the Lord, and walking off in droves feeling scandalized and alienated with no intention of ever returning? And then imagine if you will their reaction when the Christ turns to them and says; “Will you also go away???”

I’ll say this. No matter what you think of these scandals that are rocking our Church today, tomorrow, or in the future. Our response must always and emphatically be just exactly like Peter, who said with heart felt conviction;
"Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we have believed and have known, that thou art the Christ, the Son of God."
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Anything less than that, and we’ll most certainly be answering for it come judgement day!
 
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OurGodIsWithUs said:
The way I see it, I’m in an exclusive relationship with God. My relationship with God does NOT depend on my fellow parishioners and priests.
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I second that. In the words of St Teresa of Avila: ‘whoever has God lacks nothing, God alone suffices.’
 
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We must be aware that the clergy are humans. Humans make mistakes and humans sin, like how we all do.
We must pray for the Church and ask for the intercession of the saints.
 
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