Meeting for the first time since Pope Benedict XVI visited the U.S. and spoke of the deep shame he felt over clergy sex abuse, America’s Roman Catholic bishops Thursday began discussing how they can repair relations with priests after six years of scandal.
A small group of bishops and clerics, over a private lunch, started talks about the pain and trauma clergy have suffered since the crisis erupted in 2002. Embarrassment ran so deep that many priests stopped wearing their Roman collars in public at the height of the scandal.
Archbishop Roger Schweitz of the Archdiocese of Anchorage, said bishops are trying to learn directly from clergymen what church leaders should do to improve morale.
“I’m hoping with the priests to work out an equitable and just way to preserve the reputation of priests and also take accusations seriously,” Schweitz said.
I’ve read that priests believe the bishops basically scapegoated the priests and limited their own punishment to public relations tears. One wonders if honest repentance on the part of the bishops might not go a long way toward restoring priestly morale.
Words MAtter,
Yes, it does take both sides to repent of their parts to be able to work towards reconciliation. I think the Catholic Church as a whole need to acknowledge it whole complete role in the abuses and cover up in order for Bishops and priests to be able to move forward in doing themselve. I believe that the higher ups on the chain bear some of the repentance as well.
Maybe they could actually start praying together again.
What Words Matter wrote.
[url=http://catholic.sub-page.com]Catholicism[/url] is not clericalism: I’ve never made excuses for this stuff (and at least one RC friend stopped talking to me because of that, right after it hit the headlines).
I think these chaps are ashamed they got caught.
They deserve to have the book thrown at them.
Just like the Bennison boys.
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