a day of news coverage

By Fr. Wilson ( articles ) | Feb 27, 2004

I've watched several times today as Bishop Wilton Gregory boldly announced on TV that the release of these sexual abuse figures is a "benchmark' for our Church. One marvels at the performance.

As he speaks, we're coming out of weeks of bad headlines about bishops. The Bishop of Albany is doggedly clinging not just to office but to active control of his diocese under circumstances which would have been a "benchmark" resulting in the benching of any priest under his jurisdiction. Faithful Catholics in Springfield MA are reeling from the "benchmark" of the abdication of their bishop (Dupre) in the face of sexual abuse allegations (and in his wake there pop to the surface an array of stories about his genial toleration of priests under suspicion). Let's not forget what the Faithful of Manchester NH currently labor under (i.e., John McCormack), and those of St Petersburg Fl. (i.e., Robert Lynch), and what those of Springfield IL had to deal with in Daniel Ryan.

As Diogenes has consistently pointed out, the bishops, despite their regular and depressing appearances in the headlines, steadfastly avoid taking any personal responsibility for themselves or for each other, let alone for the dismal state of the Church. They adopt a "charter" for the protection of young people with seemingly strong sanctions against offending priests, which is inapplicable to themselves.

As everyone must realize by now, the percentage of offending bishops is significantly higher than the known percentage of offending priests. How did these men arrive at such height of hubris that they could publicly present themselves as the solution to the problem they so ably represent?

And is society, and the Faithful of the Church, going to give them a pass on this performance?

Speaking as a priest, I've never been so disgusted.