Turn in your cappa!
So they are going to take McCarrick's cappa back?
The literal term is laicization - return to the lay state, or more correctly, "‘dismissed from the clerical state,’ because this is a juridical status.” That's the news today - that the Pope wants him to be a sort of trophy to offer to the bishops when they gather for their conference in February. That's so Law and Order talk. Secular news is promoting the story.
Pope Francis, who has the final say in the case, wants it completed before heads of national Catholic churches meet at the Vatican from Feb. 21-24 to discuss what is now a global sexual abuse crisis, three sources said.
The meeting offers a chance for him to respond to criticism from victims of abuse that he has stumbled in his handling of the crisis and has not done enough to make bishops accountable.
“It (the defrocking of McCarrick) would be like a trophy to show that the pope is indeed serious about dealing with this. That is the process that seems to be unfolding,” said Kurt Martens, professor of canon law at the Catholic University of America in Washington. - Read more here.For me the biggest problem with McCarrick is the corruption, not so much the sexual predation of young men and priests. Some have even claimed the occasions with 16 year old could have been considered consensual. People call it a gay cabal or gay lobby, which protected McCarrick and helped him climb the ladder. The emphasis is placed on gay, the homosexual lobby. Nevertheless, after months of thinking about this, it seems to me it really goes back to clericalism, power, privilege and money. The sexual crimes seem to me to be a byproduct, a symptom of the corruption. The fact that McCarrick was a major fundraiser for the Church seems to me to account for his being protected and supported, and covered for when rumors and allegations emerged.
I too got caught up in the homosexual blame game, but the situation could just as well have involved sexual predation of women. No doubt, the secrets and lies associated with closeted homosexuality probably motivated SSA priests and bishops to look the other way, or even deny - refusing to believe - the stories of McCarrick going after seminarians, and so on. It's similar to Maciel, founder of the Legion. People were covering for him and refusing to believe he led a double life. He wasn't 'defrocked' - rather he was sent into exile to do penance. A similar case involving Fr. Gino Burresi resulted in his exile to a life of prayer and penance.
Calling for public repentance and confession is not any one's call, save for the Pope. Reduction to the clerical state seems unlikely to me, McCarrick most likely has repented - resigning his title as cardinal seems to me to signify that. Going into solitude to do penance seems to me to be enough.
I doubt the Pope is willing to make McCarrick a scapegoat to atone for the abuse crisis, much less as an example to reform the clergy. The McCarrick story points to a more serious corruption in the clergy. How crazy is it to imagine a young man claiming "McCarrick used his authority to coerce them to sleep with him when they were adult seminarians studying for the priesthood." What? Why? Adult men coerced? Trying to get through seminary by cooperating that way? Where is their faith? Why would they think they were qualified to enter priesthood with that type of compromise? You see, I don't know the answers to those questions, but it clearly points to corruption stemming from a crisis of faith and morals.
Oh. I could be wrong.
Song for this post here.
It is a time honored tradition that the biggest fundraisers get the biggest rewards. Probably true in all organizations. The fall of the Jesuits is something to behold. They were the best and the brightest in the Church. In the last few days the curtain has been pulled and it is yet another horror show of deviants preying on youngsters. I hope to live to see the end of this nightmare. I want the Church I thought I belonged to. I long for being able to respect priest and not be suspicious. I pray that the majority are not like these men. I believe that. Still, it must go on, the exposure, the outrage, the "I will not look the other way" attitude. Further still the big money fundraisers will always get the big rewards. Just the way it works.
ReplyDeleteI can honestly say that I haven't been following any stories about the Jesuits, but I'll bet it's about corruption. We have lived through and are living in an era of decadence and decline.
Delete"alling for public repentance and confession is not any one's call, save for the Pope."
ReplyDeleteAnd even the Vicar of Christ would tread lightly in the matter since I doubt they would be pompous enough to do so.
I mean gee ... has Christ called any one individual to public repentance? Maybe I have not been paying attention all these years but he called them in groups never seeming to single any one person out.
I'll go with our Lord's example and that of Papa Francis rather than that of Vigano's.
Me too. The one thing Vigano has done for me has been to re-examine my own conscience and see the Lord's mercy to me over the years. Yes, I think the Holy Father's wisdom has been proved as well. Anyone expecting him to make an example of McCarrick will be put to shame.
DeleteSo true, whenever a Church scandal erupts, it helps me to reflect on my own sins and failures before the Lord.
DeleteDespite the sorrows, I pray much good will come. I know it will no matter how long it takes because the Church belongs to Christ and not to us mere mortals.
"The Church belongs to Christ and not to us mere mortals." Incredible insight Yaya. Something to reflect and meditate on. We are all merely guests in His house and at His table. Some well behaved. Some not so much. Others downright awful. Thanks. That changes one's perspective.
ReplyDeleteIt is more of a local story right now. (Buffalo/Rochester NY). Jesuit Headquarters, to their credit, have released the names and assignments of 50 priests who had credible charges and against who they took action. As is common in large orders, these men served in multiple assignments across state lines. So, the abuse covers a wide territory. Several were Principals at prestigious schools and prominent in the community as fundraisers
ReplyDeleteand civic leaders. I am surprised it is not getting national exposure. Maybe the press has burned out on this topic or maybe there are just too many scandals to add yet another clerical sex abuse story to the thousands of others. The Jesuits seem to be trying to do the right thing here. Voluntarily putting this out. They also seem to have taken real action to punish and supervise their priests. At least I hope that is the case.
https://buffalonews.com/2019/01/15/jesuits-identify-50-priests-credibly-accused-of-molesting-children/
My husband is a graduate of Fordham Univ, a Jesuit school. They actually sent him a letter acknowledging and apologizing for this even tho the abuse did not happen at Fordham U. It was sent to my husband just because he went to a Jesuit run school. They really are making every effort to be open and honest about what happened among their priests. Gotta give them credit for that.
Delete"Nevertheless, after months of thinking about this, it seems to me it really goes back to clericalism, power, privilege and money. The sexual crimes seem to me to be a byproduct, a symptom of the corruption."
ReplyDeleteYes! This is what Pope Francis has been saying all along. Sexual abuse is just one symptom. The reason the abuse was so often male upon male abuse is because the priests had more access to boys. Why did McCarrick prey upon seminarians? That is who was available to him.
Sexual predation is never about sex. Sex is merely the weapon. Sexual abuse is about power.
" It's similar to Maciel, founder of the Legion. People were covering for him and refusing to believe he led a double life. He wasn't 'defrocked' - rather he was sent into exile to do penance."
ReplyDeleteThis was the idea, anyway. What really happened was that he spent his final years living in a fancy house surrounded by sycophants and one of his common-law wives.
I don't doubt the Vatican will toss the defrocking-of-McCarrick bone to the outraged masses in an effort to improve PR, but you are right, the big problem here is corruption. The priestly perverts we will always have with us, but if the institution of the Catholic Church allows these guys to run the place, that's a whole other kettle of fish. If you can't get through the seminary (or stay in the convent--see sexual abuse of nuns by priests and bishops around the world) without giving sexual favors to these guys, it's no better (and probably considerably worse) than living at the mercy of the mafia.