One week after thousands of Catholic laywomen signed a letter asking Pope Francis to respond to their questions about the Church’s sexual abuse crisis, a group of Catholic laymen have penned their own letter to the pope and American bishops, calling for an investigation into the Church’s role in preventing sexual abuse.
The letter is hosted on the website “Catholic Men United for Christ,” but it is not sponsored by any group or organization. The signatories of the letter pledge to do some form of fasting on each Friday starting Sept. 7, and continuing through 2018.
Signatories include popular Catholic author Scott Hahn, radio host Al Kresta, along with other notable Catholic leaders.
“Holy Father, we come to you for answers. You personally have been faced with allegations. These allegations have been leveled by a high-ranking church official, Archbishop Viganò. Further, many bishops in the United States have publicly stated that they believe these allegations should be investigated. We implore you to address them,” reads the letter.
“Moreover, regardless of the veracity of Archbishop Viganò’s allegations, our concerns about corruption remain.”
The letter requests that an investigation into Church hierarchy be carried out by “faithful lay men and women.”
Failure to combat this corruption and abuse could result in the reduction or elimination of ministries due to a lack of priests, signatory Mark DeYoung told CNA. DeYoung, a theology graduate student, said that fathers have expressed concern about potentially sending their sons to seminary, and have even said that they “will not have their kids involved in the liturgy as altar servers” out of fear of sexual abuse.
At press time, the letter had been signed by over 3,000 people.
Full story at Catholic News Agency.
Rumbling in the ranks? All depends on who is doing the investigation. Some investigators would possibly bring their own pail of whitewash and brush.
Raymond Arroyo: “Years ago, in 2002, the Bishop’s Conference empowered a panel that they called the National Review Board. I knew many of the prosecutors that were a part of that review board. They walked away and threw their hands up because they really didn’t have the authority to follow through on their findings and they were stonewalled in many cases.”
Interview with Cardinal Burke 8-16-2018
I read that that board is resurfacing and would like to roll their sleeves back up, although with access to also investigate the bishops this time. They were barred from doing so in 2002…limited to only looking into clerical abuse by priests. Hope this happens. This is what Bishop Barron and others are calling for as the only clear path to uncovering how the coverups reached all the way to the “top”.
You will not get answer from the Pope, who is an extreme modernist of the kind Pope Saint Pius the Tenth and eleventh warned about, as he is just like todays democrat party politician – when you get caught with your hand in the cookie jar, say nothing.
Given Pope Francis homilies of today or yesterday in which he warned against those who stick their noses into others business, there does not appear to be transparency forthcoming. We have entered the darkest days.
I don’t think the Holy Father will give a reply! His position in the world is way too high! Just as in the case of the “Dubia”– he will probably ignore this one, and be silent! Same thing with the bishops– they will not be reached, either! That is the way they all are! Impossible! I bet it will take some kind of very major catastrophe — lightning bolts from God!– to set things straight! And laymen technically (according to Canon Law) have NO POWER AT ALL in the Church! The Church is 100% in the hands of the Holy Father and his close prelates! Yes, Christ belongs to us– but the Church?? No. (Except to try to persuade the Holy Father, with popular opinion– which is a possibility.)
Well– today, mine was the 42,850th signature on this excellent letter! Hope it does some good!
Pride is the root of all evil.
The weeds will grow with the wheat until the end of the world.
Make sure you are not one of them.
Everyone makes mistakes, even the Pope.
Blessed are the merciful for they will receive mercy.
The laity needs to rebel and physically take over the facilities and refuse admittance to those involved in this scandal. We cannot rely on the doctor to heal themselves. A crusade is way overdue.
The laity? 70% of them don’t even agree with the Church’s moral teaching.
If access to key McCarrick-related documents and witnesses, as well as other abuses of privilege under the pretense of ecclesiastical discretion, the faithful have the collective intelligence to draw their own conclusions about those who have been entrusted with the leadership of the Church founded by Jesus Himself.
Apostolic and Petrine succession does not come with the entitlement to decieve, ignore and mislead.
This is Comedy Hour!! Pope Francis and the Moral-Vacants that sit in the Vatican laugh at such letters. How many times have we read reports that the Pope says, in effect (and as was reported as being said to Cardinal Muller in dismissing his three employees without reason), “I am the Pope. I do not have to give any reasons.”
They do not care about you except to the extent you impact their hold on power. They want the gavel, the glory, and the riches (no, it does not matter that the Pope lives in alternative rooms from that of other Popes). Oh, yes, and the sex; lots of that, too (and wishing you the same, with anything you like).
Barking up the wrong tree.
Holy Father you have a responsibility to 1.2 billion Catholics. The root word of responsibility is RESPONSE. Silence is what led to this diabolical mess….now is NOT the time for more of it.
Pope Francis is a Jesuit. He has spoken often about “discernment” – Jesuit practice. I suspect the Holy Father is taking some time to let things emerge. Certainly, some doubt has surfaced about the crafting of and motivations for the Vigano letter. Stay tuned! The Pope may surprise the entire Church with a comprehensive and insightful response to addressing the filth in the Church!
FHK…That’s funny. What’s the punch line?
FHK,
Regretfully, I have a much darker view of the Pope. With time and discernment, I think he’ll do what Obama always did: vigorously attack the opposition.
Look at it spiritually and simply.. God or the Devil. Which one wants you to have a darker view of the Pope?
God wants us to have a truthful view of the Pope. The devil is the Father of Lies. If the truth be dark, the devil will strive to make it light. And vice versa
Holy Father,
As the legitimate successor to St. Peter, exercise your Petrine authority and take control of the episcopacy:
https://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/fresno-catholics-remove-homosexual-pastor
The answer, of which the Holy Father is aware is quoted below:
CCC Para. 2357. “Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.” They are contrary to the natural law.”
The answer also is contained in Romans 1:26-32. These verses, however, have been conspicuously omitted from the Lectionary.
The Holy Father”s choice to have silence as his answer, does not invalidate the dogmatic teaching contained in the Catechism or the divine revalation contained in Romans, Ch 1.
Here is one of the “answers” provided by the lay faithful:
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/legatus-withholds-tithe-to-holy-see-amid-accountability-questions-24973
Similar answers will be sent to the U.S. bishops from the parisoners of their respective dioceses.
This letter from a faithful priest is worth reading and deserves an answer from the person to whom it was sent:
https://www.churchmilitant.com/news/article/one-priests-plea-to-pope-francis
We have more answers:
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/letter-acknowledges-vatican-receipt-of-allegations-against-mccarrick-in-2000-75585
Vativan strategy on this is going to ne based on the fact thst the initial claim was made in 2000, under the pontificate of St. John Paul II.
If you are interested in the gaying of the priesthood, this article (secular) has a lot of great links:
https://www.slate.com/blogs/outward/2017/04/20/how_the_catholic_priesthood_became_a_haven_for_many_gay_men.html
Holy Father,
You are the best person to resolve this becauee of your authority as the legitimate successor to St. Peter. Your own words here beg for you to act:
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/speak-out-against-injustice-pope-francis-says-91065
The Catholics I have talked to (not on the internet) think it a persecution of the Pope and that he is doing the Jesus thing by being silent and praying.