Please
Protect Us From All Forms Of Vocations Abuses!
An Open Letter to
the local Bishop or Archbishop,
Bishop Wilton D. Gregory, President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops,
and the Vatican,
from the Faithful of Christ's Church
(printer-friendly
version)
A note to those who want to use and send this letter: Consider copying
this, changing the "we" to "I" and adding specific information
about your own parish or diocesan situation, and making it available to people
who will print it and send it individually with their signatures, instead
of using it as a group petition.
Dear Bishops of our Church:
We, the faithful of Christ's Church, seek protection against all forms of abuses by clergy. Please do not deal only with what becomes public scandal from media attention. Please do not limit your disciplinary actions only to clergy and church staff who commit crimes as defined by civil laws, but show us that you are equally concerned about violations of Divine Law. We call upon you to take action against every form of vocations abuses. We stand behind the protection of Canon Law. We require your help, having been victims of clergy abuses that are described in Canon Laws 1740 and 1741, and we respectfully await your action, according to Can. 1747.
By Canon Law and moral law, every member of the Church has a right and an obligation to seek protection from all forms of abuses committed by representatives of the Church, not just sexual abuse, not just sexual acts affecting minors, and not just activities that can be proven illegal in civil courts. While it's a travesty that children have been abused sexually, all forms of abuse are immoral and are a crime against Divine Law. All forms of abuse are grievous to our Lord. All forms of abuse are mistreatments of the flock that the shepherds were ordained to protect. Therefore, all forms of abuse are abominations that hurt the priesthood and the whole Body of Christ.
The following comes from an official diocesan statement that deals with only part of the problem.
"The growing awareness of the number of children who have been abused by priests gave rise in many to feelings of betrayal, anger, loss of faith in the Church and sometimes even in God. For the victims of this misconduct, the almost daily news of additional priest abusers and the failure of some diocesan bishops and some superiors of religious congregations to remove the offending priests from their ministry gave rise to a new sense of re-victimization."
Yes, but what about other abuses by priests? It is also true that any type of ongoing abuses by priests give rise to feelings of betrayal, anger, loss of faith in the Church and sometimes even in God. For the victims of this misconduct, any form of abuse gives rise to a new sense of re-victimization, especially when abuse is overlooked because it's not sexual in nature, not done to minors, and not illegal according to civil law.
The same diocesan statement insightfully points out:
"The Church is also a family, and like a family, has been deeply hurt and scarred by the sex-abuse scandal that developed in 2002. Some people have left the Church because of this scandal; what was once an implicit trust in bishops and priests has given way in some instances to distrust, doubt and despair."
Yes, and this family is deeply hurt and scarred by other forms of abuse, too: neglect, verbal put-downs, disregard for personal dignity, unethical handling of conflicts, uncontrolled anger, harmful addictions, and demeaning arrogance, for example. It's all scandalous. It's a terrible witness to the world and thus directly hinders the mission of the Church. Some people have left the Church because of it, while devout Catholics, who don't want to leave the Eucharist, wonder who will rescue them and they either change parishes or else continue to suffer from the abuses. Therefore, even if the sexual abuse of minors were to completely come to an end, what was once an implicit trust in bishops and priests will continue to give way to distrust, doubt and despair.
It is good to hear a bishop say about the sexual abuse of minors:
"I am deeply sorry for, and ashamed of, what was done to you. And I realize that no words are likely to heal the searing wounds that you experience and feel."
However, we who are the victims of other forms of abuse also want to know that you have a similar concern for us. While we realize that the sexual abuse of minors creates some of the worst scars and deepest pains, we want to know that you disapprove of all forms of abuse.
Please assure everyone that no abuses of any sort will be tolerated, and that you will take appropriate action for people of all ages when any abuses occur repeatedly and without repentance.
It is right that bishops take seriously any credible report of abused minors and offers the victims and their parents and families pastoral assistance and counseling. However, such assistance is sometimes needed when the victim is an adult. Please assure us that the recovery needs of adult victims will not be ignored or neglected. Care enough to communicate with us and keep us informed of what is being done about the problems we report.
It's a good witness of Christ's healing love when a bishop relies on the help of God and invites his whole diocese to join him in this, such as was done in the following:
"As a sign of public penance, I will ask each parish in the diocese to include in the Sunday Prayers of the Faithful petition seeking healing for those harmed by anyone in the service of the Church and for the forgiveness of God for the sin of child abuse in our world and Church. I will also conduct and invite you to attend a special service at the Cathedral at which I will ask God's pardon and mercy as well as forgiveness from those abused."
However, please also encourage prayers for the healing of anyone and everyone who's been harmed by any form of abuse and for the forgiveness of God for the sin of all forms of abuse in our world and Church.
Dear Bishop, if you believe:
"There is no question in my mind that just as the actions of some priests have seriously wounded the Church of Christ, the decisions of and lack of supervision by some bishops have done the same",
then please take decisive action against all forms of abuse in the Church. Supervise your priests who abuse in any manner. You have the difficult responsibility of ensuring change in order to protect your people, and we pray for you.
If you fail us, we cannot in good conscience sit idly, watching and taking the abuse. We will ensure change, even if that means making the media aware of the abuses. While this is a last resort, because we don't want to cause scandal by taking our community problems to the world, we are not the originators of the scandal. The scandal is already occurring in the inaction of shepherds who are called to protect us and in the ongoing, unrepentant abuses that we are seeking to stop.
So, dear Bishop, will you actively protect all who are entrusted to your care?
Most sincerely, in Christ our Redeemer,
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