A firm defender of the Dallas Charter’s plicy of “zero tolerance” for clergy who have been credibility accused of abuse, he has shown himself to be a careful steward of the Church’s resources, successfully blocking a recent legislative effort to lift the statute of limitations for civil suits against the Church ”” but not for other groups.
Over the long haul, however, the new archbishop of Philadelphia will make his mark as a leader of the New Evangelization who is prepared to challenge the received wisdom of secular elites.
“Christianity is not mainly ”” or even significantly ”” about politics. It’s about living and sharing the love of God. And Christian political engagement, when it happens, is never mainly the task of the clergy. That work belongs to lay believers who live most intensely in the world,” he said, during a recent speech before a Baptist audience in Texas. “But a Christian life begins in a relationship with Jesus Christ, and it bears fruit in the justice, mercy and love we show to others because of that relationship.”
Well whatever other merits he has when I read this: “he has shown himself to be a careful steward of the Church’s resources, successfully blocking a recent legislative effort to lift the statute of limitations for civil suits against the Church — but not for other groups” I am just dismayed.
Isn’t this exactly what the Taoiseach was referring to when he said of the Catholic Church: “The rape and torture of children were downplayed or ‘managed’ to uphold instead the primacy of the institution, its power, standing and ‘reputation’?
Does nothing get through?
Another view of the situation in Colorado:
http://www.staycatholic.com/abuse_in_public_schools_ignored.htm
Also, the archbishop’s own words on the subject:
http://ncronline.org/print/25692
The Greek Orthodox archbishop wasn’t wild about the bill either:
http://www.archden.org/images/letter1.pdf
In fact, here’s a whole page of links to information on the Colorado law:
http://www.archden.org/index.cfm/ID/127/Statute-of-Limitations/
The problem with the proposed law was that it established a preferred status for public schools, where (per the first link), sexual abuse is statistically 100 times more likely than at the hands of a priest.
Thanks for gathering up those links, Charles52. In the address/interview introducing him to his new archdiocese, Abp. Chaput made the point again about the importance that all institutions be treated equally under the law as he had been insisting on in Colorado.
Some irony in the title calling him a ‘trailblazer’, since he’s part Potawatomie Indian. The rest of the title is somewhat suggestive of a possibility that this new Archbishop might encourage ‘public square’ engagement of seculars with Christian believers, along the lines of the ‘Courtyard of the Gentiles’ encounters Cardinal Ravasi has been organizing for cities in Europe.
One of the complaints made in Ireland is that the Roman Curia in the 1990s interfered with very sensible arrangements out in place by the local RC bishops for reporting child abuse. If that was the case, then it has backfired very badly on the RCC there.
One hopes that ++Chaput will be left alone by Rome to implement sensible local procedures, and rebuild relations with the local community and authorities.
Re #2, that is a very good point. Whilst abuse anywhere is a very serious matter, those of a humanisst bent like to put the focus so exclusively on churches, that the very real risk of abuse in secular institutions gets minimised or even overlooked.
One notes with continuing disappointment the standard way which apologists for the conduct of the Roman Catholic Church in dealing with child abuse use to divert attention towards the failure of other institutions. This is as though they are not called to be held to a higher standard. It may well be that US state school institutions in the US failed children as well, much as Irish government instititutions also failed to protect children. Two wrongs do not make a right.
However, for AB Chaput to twice on behalf of the RC Church oppose changes in legislation to enable those failed by the church to be compensated on such grounds just beggers belief. This is just as it beggers belief that, like Cardinal Levada, his cynical and immoral actions to protect his church have been rewarded by promotion.
It is a standard tactic. The Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales is engaged in our High Court in trying to avoid liability for the actions of its priests by claiming it is not responsible because they can’t be regarded as its employees. That is notwithstanding that they pay, house, set work for, promote, move and pay pensions for them.
It just serves to show the disillusion felt by the Irish people and now damaging the Irish Catholic Church, just has had no impact upon a church hierachy who have not taken the lessons on board, and who continue to claim that they are unaccountable and above the law.
It is odd when you consider the advice to obey the magistrates to be found in the book which bears the name of the first Bishop of Rome:
[blockquote]Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king
1 Peter 2:13-17[/blockquote]
Would that this church would take seriously its legal obligations to look after the welfare of the children first, and its desire to put its own interests first after that, in the way our Saviour taught us.