Abandoned Altars

It’s going to be an uphill push to sell World Catholic Abuse Survivors Day. Just getting the word out to victims and survivors is a struggle.

However, there’s one group already working on it. It seems the Church knows and is already planning counter-moves. On December 15, the pope’s own preacher, Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa in an Advent address called for a “day of fasting and penance” over the clergy sex abuse scandal to ask God’s forgiveness and express solidarity for victims.

Well, that should take care of it!

Actually, there was a time when such an action – especially if coupled with evidence of real concern and willingness to reform – would have been gratefully welcomed as a sign that the Church “got it” and was making an honest effort to fix the problem. But those days are long past.

Now, it’s just more evidence that the Church does not get it. A few crocodile tears, a missed lunch or two, are not going to prove anything. Not after years of lies piled on lies, of transfers and payoffs, of shady deals and secret policies revealed.
There’s one and only one reason why the Catholic Church would propose such an event — to preempt WCASD so they can go on and continue the cover-up. The proof of these intentions can be found in what Fr. Cantalamessa said about priest perpetrators:

“But there is one thing these brothers absolutely must avoid, something unfortunately some are trying to do: profit from the uproar to lessen their own guilt, giving interviews or writing memoirs in an attempt to place the blame on their superiors and the church community. This reveals a truly dangerous hardness of heart.”

Not as much, Father, as seeking to use public repentance to conceal the serpent nestled in the Church’s bosom.

This, however, should not discourage us. Rather, it should make us more determined. The Church is afraid. Afraid of what survivors may reveal, afraid of what will happen if we throw off our chains.

Let this be an inspiration to us, to redouble our efforts. We now have an indication that we may be considered a threat to the status quo. This could make 2007 quite an interesting year.