It has been horrible to hear so much of the sexual abuse crisis – but nowhere near so horrible as the sufferings of the victims, be it remembered – and in this Catholic it has engendered confusion and competing emotions. I suppose we all begin with outrage: both at the commission of such crimes, and the attribution of them to the Church, and the Church alone. Then comes further horror: the realization that such imputation of blame is not wholly anti-Catholic bigotry, but in many cases richly deserved.
I suppose if priests and bishops smilingly preside over the loss and warping of the Faith, it is hardly surprising that they likewise look on unworried while perverse crimes are hidden away.
The greatest horror is that the Church of God, Christ's Body and Bride, far from acting as His instrument of salvation in converting and sanctifying souls, is so befouled by her sinful members' crimes as to be manifested to too many – especially the victims of abuse – as a monstrous Anti-Christ, an instrument of Satan, of destruction and degradation.
I am sick of the passive virtues espoused by mealy-mouthed clergy, wringing their hands, whining and whinging that they knew not, O they knew not, and that they feel so sad... How much worse suffered and still do suffer the little raped children! Where are the active virtues that would with manly vigour condemn, fight against and rise up to extirpate such outrages? Where is the bishop that would not walk alongside a pedophile to court, but rather slap him in the face for his abominable wickedness?
It sickens me to the core to read of the assaults of voices threatening the sanctity and the seal of the confessional: but, humanly speaking, who can blame those ignorant of the divine origin of the sacrament, who see it as but another device by which the wicked pretend to cleanse themselves while yet sinning on with impunity?
It is not as if a certain Eminence did himself or any Catholic any great service recently with his most imprudent comments, which not only were made at the worst possible time, but, in regard to confession, were so badly worded as to appear to corroborate the accusation that confession was misused, and that the proverbial "say three Hail Mary's and don't sin any more" was the advice given not too long ago to priest-perverts.
Frankly, if more than a few priests and prelates go off to prison, it will be no bad thing for the Church.
Right On Joshua
ReplyDeleteWell said.
ReplyDeleteI concur with Kate Edwards's comment.
ReplyDeleteI concur with Kate Edwards's comment, as well as your own observation about a state of anarchy.
ReplyDeleteWell said, Joshua.
ReplyDeleteWe Lutherans have long maintained that the Papist church is a manifestation of Anti-Christ because of its anathema aginst the Gospel. Present events the world over serve to reveal it is morally as well as doctrinally corrupt.
"Schadenfreude" - a German expression for delight in the misfortunes of others.
ReplyDeleteIs that not a sinful stance, Pastor?
Given your beliefs, you certainly think the Catholic Church doctrinally errant, else you would not remain a Protestant, and that I can understand.
However, to delight in scandal is hardly worthy of a true Christian.
If I were to hear of cases of child abuse committed by Lutherans - and please God there are none – then I would at least do Lutherans as a whole the honour of remembering that their moral code is just as opposed to such evils as that of Catholics, and indeed the morals of virtually every sect and tribe.
For that matter, since Lutherans believe in the irresistibility of sin, the impossibility of keeping the Commandments, and seemingly therefore in the total depravity of fallen man (though I understand the last is more typically a Calvinist tenet) - indeed, that the soul even of one reborn in Christ is as a dungcart covered with snow, to quote Dr Martin himself – then moral corruption is but the abiding state of all men, and proves nothing against anyone, since we are all black with sin according to such a viewpoint.
Try not to delight in the sins of others; it is a vile habit. Rather, "there but for the grace of God go I" would be a more evangelical meditation.
I trust you will accept this fraternal correction in the spirit in which it is intended.
Pastor i think you will find that only the WELS now has the pope as AntiChrist. And what of the Doctrine of Justification that was signed well voer a decade ago
ReplyDeleteAnd as for the Catholic churcc being anti Gospel- I think that is wrong given the stand against abortion,euthanasia and gay marriage. One only eneds to read the Latin Mass to see how Gospel centred it is.
And as to being antiGospel-what of the theology of the State Lutheran churches in Scandanavia and the ELCA .Quite questionable.
Perhaps what this Royal commission would do is to act as God's Instrument and be a refining fire to the Church,and perhaps also the reforms of Cardinal Pole-the real one- may be brought in . Perhaps even some of Luther's. I think we could do with a golod dose of English Catholicism-hardly any child abuse there-and remove the Jansenist imfluence of Irish catholicism that was part of our Australian church