FROM THE PRESIDENT'S KITCHEN TABLE
Dear Readers,
My sister once asked Fr. John Hardon how to know when you’re doing enough for the Lord. “How tired are you?” he asked. I relate to that question. After 33 years fighting abortion and ten years fighting the battle in the Church, I’m tired. So when the director of religious education in my parish asked me to teach CCD this year, I said yes. Why? Because I’m orthodox, love the faith, and love children. I know I will teach the kids doctrine, not psychobabble and fluff. I’m a master catechist with fifteen years experience teaching from third grade through high school as well as teaching natural family planning to adults. We can all rest in heaven.
But unhappily my days in the classroom are numbered. I have no intention of being fingerprinted or submitting to the criminal background check required by the diocese. To do so is to accept the philosophy that the Church can’t protect our children and must turn to the secular state for help. That’s an insane position if you ask me! Our government has sanctioned the murder of 40 million unborn children in this country. The Supreme Court has “reasoned” that it can’t overturn Roe v. Wade, because that would undermine its credibility. (One is tempted to laugh.) Lower courts have legitimized sodomite “marriage” and the dehydration murder of the handicapped. The FBI keeps records on non-violent pro-lifers and labels them “domestic terrorists.” The child abuse industry has snatched children from home schooling parents while returning abused children to drug-addicted parents who later killed them. Many police departments harass, and even arrest, sidewalk counselors (myself included) for giving women information on alternatives. This is the system more competent than the Church to ensure a “safe environment” for our children?
What a ridiculous proposition! Children (mostly adolescent boys) were hurt because bishops and their chancery bureaucrats, many of whom promoted dissent, allowed (even encouraged) homosexuals to enter the priesthood. Then they enabled their immoral behavior in seminaries where sodomy was rampant and pornography often featured as part of the training. When these sick men later acted out their depraved lifestyle with minors (not surprising) the same bishops and chanceries covered up their crimes. It all began with dissent and accepting homosexuals into the priesthood.
Another serious aspect of the scandal has been left completely unaddressed, i.e., immoral relationships between consenting adults, particularly homosexuals in this country. Recently, the Archdiocese of Seattle’s review board raised the issue saying, “The vulnerability of persons to sexual exploitation does not end at age 18…Whether viewed from a violation of the vow of celibacy or as a matter of the abuse of authority, we believe the Church should address this issue more formally.” Indeed!
Meanwhile, the scandal goes on. Daniel Ryan, bishop of Springfield, Illinois was forced to resign in 1999 when news stories broke outlining his relationship with homosexual prostitutes (not minors). Despite the scandal, Ryan concelebrated the installation Mass of his successor, George Lucas, along with dozens of bishops who knew full well why he stepped down. Recently, Ryan was at the center of a domestic dispute between two of his “gay” lovers. From 1999 to 2002 he continued to perform confirmations and participate in other diocesan functions. Although Ryan is now a “private citizen,” the Springfield chancery is filled with those who knew about and enabled his perversion. Where is the accountability?
Unfortunately for the health of the Catholic Church in the U.S., most of the bishops continue to cover up the homosexual nature of the sex abuse scandal and the impact dissent has (and continues to have) on creating unsafe - environments. The debate over giving Communion to pro abortion politicians reveals the deep philosophical divide between those bishops who defend the deposit of the faith (the few) versus those who treat orthodoxy as optional (the many). Dissent from core beliefs of the church, especially teachings on marriage and sexuality, helped precipitate the crisis. We can be thankful that a few bishops courageously speak the truth; but until the root causes of the crisis are addressed forthrightly, i.e., homosexuals in the priesthood and toleration of dissent, criminal background checks and fingerprinting are just bandaids covering-up a festering wound.