Catholic Church working to clean up sexual abuse

This letter is in response to the opinion piece by Janice Kennedy in the Aug. 29 edition of the Leader-post (A papal apology is not an action plan).

In the column, Kennedy lamented inaction by the Catholic Church in dealing with sexual-abuse cases and coverups by clergy within the church. I understand and sympathize with Kennedy; many of us within the church are saddened and disillusioned by these horribly tragic reports. My heart bleeds, not only for the victims of the abuse, but also for those who have lost their faith because of these shameful crimes. And my heart bleeds for the church itself.

Kennedy seems to imply the problem can be solved if the Catholic Church simply abolishes the rule of celibacy for priests. The John Jay College of Criminal Justice did a study in 2011 that determined that celibacy is not a cause. Celibacy, properly lived out, is a witness that we live for more than what this world can offer. It is to be a witness that only God can satisfy our deepest desires.

Kennedy states sexual abuse is an epidemic within the Catholic Church. This is true. But it is also true that it is an epidemic within society as a whole.

The number of Catholic priests who are abusers, according to research, is not higher than males in the general population. And Kennedy herself states that, in the past, the church may have attracted ‘misfits’ and ‘perverts’, because they saw the church as a place where they could easily prey on victims. These people would have been a high risk for being sex offenders even if they weren’t priests. Stringent screening policies have been put in place since then.

Yes, the Catholic Church does need to work in cleaning up this mess, but it has begun to implement policies of greater screening, honesty and training.

Also, there are calls for prayer and fasting.

Still, there is more that likely can and must be done. But at the same time, perhaps society as a whole needs to take a look at the reasons why sexual abuse is so prevalent in today’s world.

David Hudy, Melville