For those present in Church last weekend when I read a letter from Archbishop Blair and preached on the topic of sexual abuse and the Church, I wish to briefly address again the issue on everyone’s mind: this scandal in the Church.
As a priest, this is very embarrassing and very sad. It is beyond my comprehension that anyone—clergy or lay person—could look at a child and see anything other than a child of God, innocent and precious. For an adult to consider a child in a sexual way only highlights that reality that the individual is sick—spiritually, emotionally and mentally. It is sinful, it is criminal, and no one should be above the law—period. The disgusting acts that we are hearing about in Pennsylvania—and have heard about before—are criminal AND sinful— whether they
happen in churches, schools, ballparks, within families and across all of society where this cancer on humanity exists. For the abusive actions of some clergy—and for the failure to act appropriately by certain bishops and cardinals, I am truly sorry and beyond saddened. I apologize on behalf of the Institutional Church.
Priests, deacons, religious and laity are called to be Christ’s soldiers in this fight against evil. Saint Paul writes about the cosmic battle between good and evil, and while some today may consider this an outdated point of view, be certain that evil does exist—we see it in wars, in the abuse of human beings, in the loss of dignity we place on human life and in the abuse of natural resources for personal gain at the expense of others. Evil—Satan—is very clever and everpresent. Evil encourages and convinces us that it does not exist but we can see it in the breakdown of our family at the same time evil calls upon its friends—indifference and fear—to make us silent through embarrassment to speak up.
I want our parishioners to be assured and confident of what Saint Catherine of Siena and the
Archdiocese of Hartford have done—and will continue to do—to be ever-vigilant in maintaining our parish as a safe place for everyone—children, teens, young families and the elderly vulnerable. To that end:
Indeed we find ourselves in “A sad state for a State to be in…” to paraphrase an old saying but this truth calls us to make changes and additions to our way of life, which are necessary in a world tainted by evil. We aren't accusing anyone by way these training sessions or background checks—what we are in fact doing is enlisting all to become protectors of children—our goal is singular--to ensure that our Parish is a safe environment for all: children coming to
know God and His love, for teens seeking to be part of a Church that truly does so much good in the world, and for families and older adults who desire to strengthen their relationship with a God who only desires the most excellence for all He has created.
With Saint Paul as our spiritual guide, let us be the victors in this cosmic battle against good and evil. On behalf of my brother priests who feel the anger, hurt and shame as I do about this whole sinful and scandalous side of humanity and the Church—for she is both human and Divine—I am truly sorry for the pain caused to you and all Catholics. May our efforts now be solely on the purity and safety of our Church and the protection of the people of God—body, mind and soul. -JMJ