Can Anything Good Come Out of 2018?

It is hard to describe 2018 as anything short of a disaster for the Church, both in the United States and around the world. I will not recite every gory detail here but suffice it to say that this year will go down in history for its high-stakes drama and the discouragement that ensued among both clergy and the faithful.

Can anything good possibly come from 2018? None of us can say for certain, but we do know that God can write straight with crooked lines; He can make a way out of no way. Though I am a known critic of many of the events of the past year, I would like to point out some positive effects that have occurred. I pray that these do not become overcorrections, which can sometimes be as bad as the evils they replace.

The laity has found its collective voice.

Many of us can remember a time when it was almost unthinkable to say anything negative about a priest or bishop. Even if one saw evidence of problematic behavior by a clergyman, mentioning it was verboten. There was a kind of excessive deference to Church authority. Because the priest was holy and had given his life to God, questioning or opposing him was tantamount to questioning or opposing God.

Though this began changing in the 1970s and ’80s, there has still been a sometimes-unhealthy submissiveness to the clergy, especially bishops. For traditional Catholics, disrespect for the clergy—especially the pope—was a mark of dissent and highly frowned upon. A true and orthodox Catholic had a filial love for the pope and, as general rule, for the bishops in union with him.

Although we call priests “Father” and think of bishops as shepherds, most of us are adult children. The Catholic faithful have equal dignity before God and have both the right and the duty to work with their clergy in manifesting the Church. The roles are distinct, but the responsibility is shared.

While not rejecting the divine constitution of the Church (wherein the Lord established his clergy with the power to teach, govern, and sanctify in a unique and authoritative way), God’s faithful people are to work with their clergy so that the clergy are responsible and accountable for the gifts and roles God has given them. Canon 212.3 says this of the lay faithful:

According to the knowledge, competence, and prestige which they possess, they have the right and even at times the duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church and to make their opinion known to the rest of the Christian faithful, without prejudice to the integrity of faith and morals, with reverence toward their pastors, and attentive to common advantage and the dignity of persons.

A fawning and overly deferential attitude toward the clergy does not help them or the Church.

The bishops and other clergy have been humbled in a way that may have salutary effects.

Over the past thirty years, many Catholics have become more comfortable giving feedback to their local priests, even confronting them when necessary. Bishops, however, have continued to be well-insulated; they are often surrounded and protected by several layers of staff. Most lay people indicate that they have no hope of ever getting through to the bishop. Even letters addressed to the bishop are answered by subordinates. In some larger dioceses, even priests can have difficulty meeting or speaking with their bishop.

Many bishops have become aware that they are too distant from their people and must get better at listening to them, taking their concerns seriously, and participating more in the everyday life of the flock.

Clergy are more likely to correct one another and speak more honestly to their bishop.

Priests are not immune from showing excessive deference to and flattery of higher-level Church officials. Priests are people and most people are hesitant to speak clearly and forthrightly to those in authority over them.

We priests need to overcome this tendency and learn to speak more frankly, yet still respectfully, to our bishops. A priest has a shared responsibility with his bishop, acting as his eyes and ears in the parish as well as being his voice to the parishioners. Priests must become more willing to say things to their bishop that he would rather not hear but needs to hear.

This recent crisis has helped some priests, even if only a minority, to become more willing to speak out, to the bishop and to the laity, with clarity and charity. Priests owe respect and obedience to their bishop. This is not obsequiousness and fawning deference, but manly and respectful interaction that has the best interests of the bishop and the wider Church at heart.

We have learned the price of silence and compromise.

The sexual revolution was simmering through the early 1960s and reached a boil in the last few years of the decade. Sadly, most clergy and parents remained far too silent as the body count grew. It is estimated that there are more than 40 million abortions per year around the world. Most children are now raised without the benefit of a father and mother in a stable marriage. Sexual promiscuity (and the resultant sexually-transmitted diseases) and sexual confusion are rampant. Yet the silence from many pulpits on these matters is deafening.

In 1968 many clergy, embarrassed by the prophetic encyclical Humanae Vitae, simply stepped away from any teaching on human sexuality. It became too politicized and controversial for their tastes. In sowing the wind, we have reaped the whirlwind.

We have been reminded that “tactful” silence is foolish and compromise with the world brings a false peace rooted in lies. The world will never be satisfied with any compromise we make. In fact, it derides us when we do so! The world will only be satisfied with total surrender. The sexual sin and confusion, up through the highest ranks of clergy, shows forth the price of such compromise. The world is not changed by our compromise, but we are corrupted, weakened, and confused by it. We have earned no converts, only derision and moral debilitation.

It’s time to get back to the uncorrupted and pure teaching of Scripture, which is more concerned with people’s salvation than with their feelings.

Some are now speaking more plainly about the central issues of homosexuality and the abuse of power.

The connection of homosexuality to sexual abuse by clergy has been a forbidden topic, but the current crisis has forced it out into the open. (I have written in detail about this topic in other posts, here and here.) When 80 percent of the victims of sexual abuse by clergy are males, we must investigate why that is the case; remaining silent about this fact has only caused further damage. An honest assessment is going to be necessary for any credible solution.

Clearly, those with deep-seated homosexual tendencies are going to face unique problems in the same-sex settings of seminaries, rectories, and religious houses. The Pope himself recently raised these concerns. The current crisis has encouraged more to speak out about these issues, realizing that continued silence will only make matters worse.

The common good and the spiritual welfare of those with same-sex attraction require a truthful assessment of this matter no matter how unpopular such observations and prescriptions may be. Besides, the world isn’t going to love us no matter what we do!

We are now more aware that the victims of sexual abuse are not just pre-pubescent children and post-pubescent minors, but vulnerable adults as well.

Although seminarians and newer priests are adults, an older priest or bishop can use his power, authority, and influence over their future to make it difficult for them to resist sexual advances.

Further, because priests are called “Father,” any sexual interaction with the faithful—male or female, young or old—can rightly be called “spiritual incest.” All this talk about “consenting adults” ignores the fact that many relationships are not ones between equals. The #MeToo movement has brought this out in the business, media, and Hollywood worlds.

There is a growing awareness in the secular world of the damage that can be caused by caretakers, therapists, counselors, and others in positions of influence who take sexual advantage of vulnerable adults. In the Church, a priest who does this is guilty not only of violating a professional boundary but also of sacrilege, because he violates his sacred vows.

The current crisis has caused the Church to take a much clearer look at this aspect of the problem. If even the secular world is beginning to understand this, we can do no less.

Here, then, are some positive outcomes, even if painful in their initial unfolding. They can be helpful trends for the Church provided they do not become overcorrections. This is one of the dangers of any response to a crisis: that we simply swing to a perhaps-equally-undesirable extreme. For example, overcorrections might result in some of these:

  • A laity that is so bold as to be incorrigible, unteachable, and disrespectful of clergy and bishops.
  • Bishops that are so anxious for the approval of their flock that they stop leading and prophetically challenging the faithful to follow Christ, especially in matters that challenge popular ways of thinking.
  • Neglecting mercy and the pastoral need to be patient in leading people out of habitual sin.
  • Forgetting that 20 percent of the victims of sexual abuse by clergy have been female.
  • Demonizing sexual attraction such that even appropriate flattery and outreach (e.g., asking someone out for a date) is considered abuse. Attraction between men and women is normal and healthy and should not be criminalized. Obviously, clergy should never signal sexual interest, but a mere look or an expression of concern does not amount to a boundary violation.

Ultimately, we must lovingly summon all to chaste living in accordance with the Sixth Commandment and God’s overall teaching. If we can be serious and loving about this, something good may come of the crises of 2018.

Cross-posted at the Catholic Standard: cathstan.org/posts/can-anything-good-come-out-of-2018

8 Replies to “Can Anything Good Come Out of 2018?”

  1. As usual, well stated!

    The greatest outcome of this crisis needs to be a recommitment of the Church (clergy and lay faithful) to teach the full truth of Catholic moral doctrine with clarity and courage. If we talk only in generalities about sin, it doesn’t resonate with anyone. We need to be specific about what is sin and what are the “near occasions of sin.” This needs to be reinforced every week and not just once a year in the middle of the week at a penance service.

    There are so many people I love who are living in terrible moral confusion and our Church has done very little in their lifetimes to provide the necessary clarity. If it’s in the Catechism, we should be saying it on Sunday with conviction and joy! Our eternity depends on it.

    Our mission is the salvation of souls. We show love for one another by helping each other cooperate with God’s grace and repent of our sins. If instead we avoid talking frankly about sin and end up losing our souls, our lives are an absolute failure.

    As the last fifty years has shown, we can’t be successful at encouraging one another toward repentance if we’re terrified to talk frankly about what is sinful. We need to do that with kindness, compassion, humility, and gentleness – but also with courage and conviction.

    God bless your voice in the wilderness!

  2. The sexual abuse scandals in the Roman Catholic Church is beyond the pale disgusting.

    A Catholic woman in my apartment building who is from India was telling me that the talk from back home was all about this topic. She said unlike the U.S. when it began to be publicly exposed in the mid 1980’s nothing was said in her hometown until recently. Today the AP has an exclusive story concerning nuns who have been abused by priests and a particular bishop. Oh my, will it ever end?

    In 2018 it appears the focus in this matter goes right to the top concerning the shepherds you mentioned: bishops, cardinals, and the pope. In particular the gross mismanagement of this problem which appears to be ongoing. Are they up to the job? So far, gains have been made in the U.S. where I live, but I do wonder what is occurring in third world countries.

    I grew up in broken home with a father who by his own admission was not cut out for marriage and fatherhood. Regardless, when I was sexually molested as a boy he took prompt decisive action. No messing around with him, he got the job done. I wish I could say that about my church but I can’t.

  3. Thank you Msgr. from your lips to the ears of all bishops and priests everywhere. To God be the Glory!!

  4. Msgr. Pope, thank you from all of us for being one of the few sources of light and forthright truth on the heterodoxy, corruption, and the gay mafia in Church leadership, and for your wonderfully insightful teaching of the faith. Please continue in this urgently-needed service to the people of God. May the Lord bless you in 2019.

  5. I don’t know if the bishops appreciate the level of dismay and fury felt by the laity. We have been betrayed and continue to be betrayed by our own shepherds and not just in sexual matters.

    If the USCCB refuses to investigate or even request investigation of their own, if the Church allows reception of the Eucharist by adulterers and non-Catholics, if climate change is more important than stopping abortions, if China is the country that “best realize[s] the social doctrine of the church,” if validly ordained bishops are replaced with those illicitly ordained, if doctrine is ambiguous to the point of personal interpretation, what compels our allegiance or separates us from Protestantism?

    But for Peter’s declaration, “Lord, to whom shall we go?” I would shake the dust off my feet.

    1. Thank you, Jim — you have given expression, succinctly and painfully, to everything in my heart (and I’m sure the hearts of other readers of Msgr. Pope’s invaluable blog). The anguished question, “Lord, to whom shall we go?” (regarding my need for the sacraments) is all that keeps me in the Catholic Church. While everything else is being stripped away, I cling to that.

  6. Thanks for the article and great insights but I’m cautious and not so appreciative of the optimism. It just further validates the disconnect of the clergy from the laity.

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