Abuse Summit convenes
From February 21 through the 24th the Bishops from around the world joined in Rome for a conference on the sex-abuse scandal that has rocked most of our world for the last number of decades. And in the end was I happy with what came of it? Well honestly yes. (Okay I will wait for all the screams of disbelief and chatter that is now heading my way.)
Okay now for what I mean by this. This scandal is huge quite possibly the largest and in the end most damaging to date to ever hit the Church. The Catholic Church is universal, meaning that it encompasses every nation, every culture, and every group in this one world. Would it even be possible to make standardized laws and rules that would work and be effective in every single culture in the world? No…. what may work in Chicago may not work in Istanbul. What might work in Guangzhou work in Milan?
What’s to be done?
Alright, I hear you. Something should have been done… I contend it was. 190 heads of Conferences, heads of orders, heads of Institutions, and leaders of the entire world have been told the expectations. That means that the men and women who were at this conference are in charge of hundreds more. The direct message will be given to each and every one, the bishops, the priests and deacons, the religious orders, the lay ministers and the laity will get the same message.
Perhaps right now there is not an issue in the Diocese in Bangladesh. But don’t let it get there. There is now no one in the entire world who can say, ‘I didn’t know…’ And that I think is a real big reason to cheer. Now that all are on the same page, the individual Bishop’s conferences can do what they need to do to stop any additional infiltration. United States, Mexico, China, English speaking, French speaking, Spanish all have the same marching orders… you know the best way for your particular area. But no child will be left unprotected. No adults will be left unprotected. No priest, deacon religious, etc. shall close an eye. And Bishops are under the same guidelines as everyone else.
All on the same page
With each and every diocese throughout the entire world heading in the same direction, everyone hearing the message and now everyone looking with eyes wide open working toward the same goal. Now am I naïve enough to think this will eliminate the problem? Over 53 years I have witnessed the perversity of humanity. Someone will try something the thing that brings me hope and faith is that now we all love each other enough to say something and stop it.
I am not an expert on all of the remaining issues related to the specific cases. I leave that to those who are experts, but having the hope and faith in Christ that he will guide the Bishops, Clergy, Religious and laity in removing this stain from our world. How can it not end well for the ensuing generations of Christians?