What would you expect from the meeting of bishops at February 21-24, 2019?

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What can be reasonably expected from the meeting? Would it be just another attempt to silence the media? Or would it be an honest confrontation of the plagues of sexual abuse committed by Catholic clergy?

To name the major issue, would the term ‘clerical abuse’ or ‘pedophilia’ preferred? Would there be stricter policies outlined to eradicate clerical pedophilia? Would Metropolitan Bishops or the laity be more involved in investigating sexual abuse charges? Would credibly accused priests and bishops be sanctioned, suspended, defrocked, exiled or excommunicated?

Would LGBT clergy be exonerated from any connection to the abuse of minors? Would the homosexual cliques and power lobbies be talked about at the meeting in relation to pedophilia? Would seminary students and/ or the religious living in their convents/ monasteries be better protected? Would the human right issue be raised in connection to protection from predatory priests?

Would the theology of mercy be used to shield perpetrators from judgment? Would there be a more clear-cut theology of gender and sexual identity presented to confront deviations? Would long-held Catholic tenets about celibacy and male-only priesthood be maintained?

Would those high ranking clergy who cover up crimes against minors be held responsible for their own crimes? Would abusers be made liable to pay for damages/ settlements from their own personal wealth, properties or income? Etc.

What do you think?

Pope Francis convokes meeting of bishops on abuse crisis​

Pope Francis has called for all the presidents of the Catholic bishops’ conferences of the world to meet at the Vatican in February to discuss the issue of sexual abuse of minors. The summit will take place at the Vatican Feb. 21-24, 2019. In a press briefing Wednesday, Holy See spokesperson Paloma García Ovejero, said the February meeting would be on the “prevention of abuse of minors and vulnerable adults.”

 
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My expectations are very low. The Pope has said that he thought expectations were too high, for what might be accomplished. And, I’ve read in the same report that the Pope expected that sexual misconduct would continue in the Church.

I would be surprised if anything was accomplished. My hope is that the attendees take over the meeting and do something significant. I can’t foresee that they would go all the way to Rome and come back to their homelands empty-handed. That would be an outstanding embarrassment of the Church.
 
I don’t expect them to approve anything. They might come up with a few suggestions, but I don’t think they will leave that meeting with an action plan.
 
Here-I-am-Lord said:
What do you think?
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I think Catholics should be praying with an expectant faith that God’s will be done in and through this meeting .

God, eternal shepherd, you tend your Church in many ways and rule us with love. You have chosen your servants , our bishops , to be shepherds of your flock. Give them a spirit of courage and right judgment, a spirit of knowledge and love. By governing with fidelity those entrusted to their care, may they build your Church as a sign of salvation for the world.
 
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What I would like to see:
  • Acknowledgement that active, predatory homosexuals and clandestine homosexual networks within the clergy (particularly the hierarchy) are doing great damage to the Church.
  • That ALL abuse (not just sexual) of ALL people (not just kids) within the Church must cease.
  • A concrete plan to fix things including implementing the highly effective USA sexual abuse reporting system throughout the world.
  • An answer to the dubia.
  • An apology to faithful Catholics worldwide, particularly victims.
What do I expect
  • Lip service.
  • Profound disappointment. Growing bitterness.
  • Deepening rot of the Church for the foreseeable future.
 
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Not much.

It’s not enough time to really do anything. It will be what the pope said. They will level set so that all the bishops are equally aware of the extent of the problem.

The bishops will then go back to their national conferences. Some will implement reforms and some will issue vague statements expressing regret, but offer no plan.
 
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Here-I-am-Lord said:
I see good many high ranking bishops whose stance is firm and promising. Rather than giving up to low expectations, I place tremendous trust in them.
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The pope is in charge. The USCCB leadership traveled to the Vatican (once they finally received a meeting after more then 2 months) seeking permission for apostolic visitation powers to investigate McCorrick and other prelates. The pope denied them.

At their annual meeting at the last minute, the USCCB was also told by the pope not to vote on any corrective measures concerning the scandal.

I really don’t care about the “promising, firm stances” of “many high ranking bishops” when they’re not being allowed to address the problem!

This needs to get fixed!
 
Here-I-am-Lord said:
Would credibly accused priests and bishops be sanctioned, suspended, defrocked, exiled or excommunicated?
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How about those bishops who are accused by criminal elements for monetary gain? How about unverifiable charges from 30-40 years ago? Who will be able to time travel back, check the facts and tell the truth? The church has to protect its own and assume one’s innocence until one is proven guilty at the court of law.
 
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Ostiarius said:
I really don’t care about the “promising, firm stances” of “many high ranking bishops” when they’re not being allowed to address the problem!
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I pray for Pope Francis that he has the courage to allow the bishops to do their job. Problems should be targeted face to face. All the issues Archbishop Vigano raised are very serious and should be confronted right on the head. To make it clear: it is not Vigano who should be confronted, but the grave problems causing sexual abuse among the ranks.

If the Catholic Church in America is to survive as a significant denomination among the Christians on the land, then ducking the issues would not only be totally unacceptable, but also gravely and irreparably suicidal.
 
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The abuse scandal is the gravest crisis in the Church since the Reformation .

Don’t expect a quick fix .

This is going to take years .
 
How about the orthodox approach? The Church Militant quotes Cardinal Gerhard Muller and Bishop Athanasius Schneider:

https://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/bracing-for-the-abuse-synod

The former head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith was asked about a secretive gay lobby operating within the Church that is actively attempting to obfuscate the issue of homosexuality.
Yes, (…) they destroy not only the doctrine but also the people who say they want to help. They use people who have homosexual tendencies to win their ideology: they ideologically abuse these people.
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Bishop Athanasius Schneider told LifeSite in January that this homosexual network is very active within the Church.
The current crisis of clerical sexual abuse brought to the surface the fact of the existence of real clerical homosexual networks in the Church. If the upcoming Summit on Clerical Sexual Abuse in the Vatican will not address … the predominant role of the homosexual behavior in the clerical sexual abuse cases, the Summit will give a highly irresponsible answer and will be doomed to failure from the start, manifesting thereby also a peculiar form of clericalism.
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These prelates are in the orthodox wing of Catholic bishops. Their understanding and interpreting is predictably based on fundamentalist approach. I am not sure the current crisis of clerical abuse and sexual crimes against minors can be treated from the viewpoint of strict Catholic orthodoxy. Where would this lead us from here? What do you think? Scourging or bludgeoning the problems won’t make them go away, only will make them more hidden and untreated.
 
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and point by point on former nuncio Vigano’s letter on who new what- is not going to happen.
 
This new report that was posted yesterday on the CNA website is worrying. There seems to be a danger that Pope Francis himself may now come under attack for allegedly covering up numerous accusations that had been made against an Argentinian bishop.

www.catholicnewsagency.com

Analysis: Can Pope Francis inspire confidence during Vatican abuse summit?

A long-awaited summit on sexual abuse will take place at the Vatican two weeks from now.
www.catholicnewsagency.com www.catholicnewsagency.com
 
Great post. Hopefully it is not removed. This site seems to eliminate any mention that homosexual clergy are damaging the Church.
 
More under “What do I expect”
  • focusing only on “clericalism” and abuse of minors, with no mention of active homosexual activity among clergy
  • heightened emphasis on clergy who have sinned by having relations with women
  • hemming and hawing about whether celibacy should still be required
  • insisting that including more women in Church leadership will solve all problems
 
Honestly I am not expecting anything more than lip service to come out of this meeting.

Clericalism - not homosexual activity will be blamed for the sexual abuse.

Nowhere during the meeting will chastity be promoted.

Secular authorities will (and have been) be doing more to fight sexual abuse in the Church than the bishops sadly.

But I am not worried, because I have faith in God that He will find a way to deal with this problem in His Church.

Remember Satan may have his hour, but God will have His day.

Pray the Rosary!
 
Unfortunately I share your pessimism. Further, I fear there may eventually be another great schism, over either women’s ordination, blessing and “marrying” homosexual couples in the Church…or both. Only the younger generation can prevent this. The baby boomers–my generation–have failed.
 
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