On a positive note, it seems the commission's main theme seems to be what people have been wanting: transparency. So at least someone seems to be getting it. Now it remains to be seen if more transparency actually happens. I suspect that getting some of the higher Churchmen to do so will take a lot of humility because many of them, possibly even Pope Francis himself, are going to look very bad if we find out what really took place behind the scenes in cases such as Rupnik or Principi (and many others as well).
I suspect that it will go well beyond humility and into a willingness for a lot of them to lose their jobs, and large-scale, wide-ranging dying to self.
If they reveal that a bunch of high-level men who've dedicated their lives to God have been knowingly protecting abusers, the only way to protect the Church from that will be resignations/firings. If they choose to stubbornly cling to their positions in the face of everyone knowing that, why reveal it in the first place? It will not restore trust to go from many people suspecting a bunch of Cardinals and bishops are rotten, to everyone knowing they are. To restore trust, you have to both reveal the problem AND deal with it.
And even the churchmen who aren't involved, will probably not appreciate having to do the work of their departing colleagues without additional assistance, and with a general cloud over the Church.
They ought to just take the step in front of them and leave the rest to Our Lady. Then take the next step. But I can certainly understand why they'd freeze up under the magnitude of the problem.
I try to presume the best with the Universal Church, which has to develop procedures that apply globally, including to societies I know little about. This may be a fine document.
It does seem to focus on the juridical procedure after an act of abuse is committed and an accusation made. I think most of us laity are looking for an earlier intervention.
Of course, at the local and parish level in North America, the Church is totally unserious about preventing abuse. The policies are a joke and Catholic parents are wholly justified keeping our children away from priests.
I disagree with you. My former diocese (I recently moved) is extremely good about preventing abuse and dealing with problems. No idea about the diocese I now live in.
Lay engagement with a canonical right of the laity to transparency and accountability, not narrowly limited to child protection but extended to parish finances and priestly review.
No organization anywhere in the world treats the general membership with the contempt the Catholic Church treats the laity. Every other organization and community I am associated with gives far more courtesy to their members than the Church.
This report defines it as "a form of emotional and psychological abuse ... characterized by a systematic pattern of coercive and controlling behaviour in a religious context."
I want to know what is being done for those priests falsely accused. Not one group has the GUTS to address what happens when someone anonymously makes a complaint about a priest or bishop or Cardinal etc. It appears that any of these complainers have put a target on the backs of the one complained about.There are two sides to a story and overlooking this side is a form of abuse- the very thing being addressed. Anyone with some GUTS out there?
Smoke + Mirrors
this report, or the church's approach to abuse in general? I think this report is a good document and <<may>> help the overall process
On a positive note, it seems the commission's main theme seems to be what people have been wanting: transparency. So at least someone seems to be getting it. Now it remains to be seen if more transparency actually happens. I suspect that getting some of the higher Churchmen to do so will take a lot of humility because many of them, possibly even Pope Francis himself, are going to look very bad if we find out what really took place behind the scenes in cases such as Rupnik or Principi (and many others as well).
I suspect that it will go well beyond humility and into a willingness for a lot of them to lose their jobs, and large-scale, wide-ranging dying to self.
If they reveal that a bunch of high-level men who've dedicated their lives to God have been knowingly protecting abusers, the only way to protect the Church from that will be resignations/firings. If they choose to stubbornly cling to their positions in the face of everyone knowing that, why reveal it in the first place? It will not restore trust to go from many people suspecting a bunch of Cardinals and bishops are rotten, to everyone knowing they are. To restore trust, you have to both reveal the problem AND deal with it.
And even the churchmen who aren't involved, will probably not appreciate having to do the work of their departing colleagues without additional assistance, and with a general cloud over the Church.
They ought to just take the step in front of them and leave the rest to Our Lady. Then take the next step. But I can certainly understand why they'd freeze up under the magnitude of the problem.
Minus Cardinal O’Malley (retirement), this will devolve into a charade
Two thumbs up for the PCPM! A very straight forward look at things. I hope this actually causes a change.
I try to presume the best with the Universal Church, which has to develop procedures that apply globally, including to societies I know little about. This may be a fine document.
It does seem to focus on the juridical procedure after an act of abuse is committed and an accusation made. I think most of us laity are looking for an earlier intervention.
Of course, at the local and parish level in North America, the Church is totally unserious about preventing abuse. The policies are a joke and Catholic parents are wholly justified keeping our children away from priests.
I disagree with you. My former diocese (I recently moved) is extremely good about preventing abuse and dealing with problems. No idea about the diocese I now live in.
What would you consider serious policies for preventing abuse? Is there any organization anywhere in the world that might provide a model?
Lay engagement with a canonical right of the laity to transparency and accountability, not narrowly limited to child protection but extended to parish finances and priestly review.
No organization anywhere in the world treats the general membership with the contempt the Catholic Church treats the laity. Every other organization and community I am associated with gives far more courtesy to their members than the Church.
Please define “spiritual abuse.”
Thank you.
There's no agreed definition that I know of.
This report defines it as "a form of emotional and psychological abuse ... characterized by a systematic pattern of coercive and controlling behaviour in a religious context."
https://thirtyoneeight.org/media/4upcux21/spiritual-abuse-position-statement.pdf
Thanks to Mr. Coppen for a great summary! He really knows how to make salient details accessible, for which I’m grateful.
I hope this report touches the consciences or at least the pride of those in charge to spur them to better address the manifest problems in this area!
I want to know what is being done for those priests falsely accused. Not one group has the GUTS to address what happens when someone anonymously makes a complaint about a priest or bishop or Cardinal etc. It appears that any of these complainers have put a target on the backs of the one complained about.There are two sides to a story and overlooking this side is a form of abuse- the very thing being addressed. Anyone with some GUTS out there?