Continuation:
So in fact your superior is following what he is directed by Rome to do so in turn he tells you that you are not to say anything about this to the civil authorities. So using the tool of mental reservation when the police do come and ask about complaints made against the brother you can mislead them and not be lying therefore you have not been ask to do something that is sinful and maintain your blind obedience at the same time the brother is still abusing children. But you have avoided excommunication.
First, the principle of mental reservation has nnot traditionally been used to protect those who habe abused children. It was mostly used in Europe and other oppressive societies to protect teh innocent from dangerous governments. The Principle operates on a very simple directive. You must always choose to do the higher good., when there are two good to choose from. One good would be to turn in a suspect who may then be treated unjustly and even charged and sentenced without proper hearing or trial. We know this happens in many societies. But taking him off the streat remains a good. The other good is to avoid communication with anyone who may ask you his whereabouts so that you need not lie. This may be the higher good if the person is not going to be treated with justice. The deciding factor is justice. If the arrested is going to be treated with justice, then there is rarely a need to apply this principle.
To ensure that the highest good promised by justice is achieved, we must get behind teh media and demand that they cover the outcome. Not everyone who is accused is guilty. But all the accused are paraided across our screens and newspapers. How many have been exonerated? Justice requires that you do not ruin the life of a person by letting society believe that they are guillty of some falsehood or a lesser crime.
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Just to deal with this in a block. There is no argument about the importance of Bishops. However there is something to be said about a blind obedience to Bishops. The laity are not called to be blindly obedient to the Bishops, nor is the mystical body of Christ dependent solely on the Bishops I would refer you back to MYSTICI CORPORIS CHRISTI no 17
And as for down playing the importance of the laity and others I quote from the CCC.
872 "In virtue of their rebirth in Christ there exists among all the Christian faithful a true equality with regard to dignity and the activity whereby all cooperate in the building up of the Body of Christ in accord with each one’s own condition and function."386
873 The very differences which the Lord has willed to put between the members of his body serve its unity and mission. For "in the Church there is diversity of ministry but unity of mission. To the apostles and their successors Christ has entrusted the office of teaching, sanctifying and governing in his name and by his power. But the laity are made to share in the priestly, prophetical, and kingly office of Christ; they have therefore, in the Church and in the world, their own assignment in the mission of the whole People of God."387 Finally, "from both groups [hierarchy and laity] there exist Christian faithful who are consecrated to God in their own special manner and serve the salvific mission of the Church through the profession of the evangelical counsels."388
The purpose of this statement was to animate the laity to become co-operators in the mission of the Church, not to take over from the bishops or to suggest that the bishops are accountable to the laity. Church alw is sitll clear that the laity are bound by obedience to the bishops, not only in matters of faith and morals. The bishop is still the head of the local Curch. Thje difference between you and me is that I’m bound, not to a bishop, but to my superior who speaks for my founder and my brothers. In our community we promise asolute obedience to Fancis and to our brothers. The superior is the person responsible for making keeping the lines of communication open between Francis, the brothers and the individual I am only bound to obey the bishopi matters that relate to the laity, because the laity comes under his jurisdictionl If I work for or with the laity, I must follow the bishop’s guidelines, unless they are in conflict with those of the fonder or the brohers. In that case, I must go to my sperior and report it. It is the role of the superior to solve the conflictr of interest, which is usually easy to solve.
I would also remind you that originally a Bishop was chosen from the community of believers one that comes to mind is St Ambrose who was organizing a meeting to choose the next Bishop and himself was elected by popular degree. I am not saying that it is practical to go back to that way but just to show that it wasn’t always the way it is now. So change is possible. And again I will say it Bishops need to be accountable.
Only diocesan bishops were chosen that way. But the had to coose men were either bishoops or approved to be ordained bishops by Rome, who had consented and if they were religious, they had received permission from their superiors to accept the nomination. Today they aer still cosen from the community of believers. Only tose bishops who belogn tothe same province may be consulted on the chice of a bishp. That information is gathered by the Nuncio and sent to Rome who approves the choice of the local bishops. These local bishops, as I said before, come from the province. and erpresent the provice. Therefore, they are chosen locally. The campaign is no longer present, than God, because it looked just like a convention for bishops. A sacrament had been taken into the political arena and was being used to yield power.
