The Abuse Crisis is in the News, Again. How Can I Respond?
In light of the recent headlines regarding Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s handling of clergy sexual abuse, FemCatholic invited me to write an article with advice for Catholics engaging in conversation about the topic.
You can read the beginning of the piece below, then click over to the FemCatholic website for the rest. (If you’re new to the site, you have access to a few free articles before you hit the paywall, so just click the X to close the pop-up inviting you to subscribe.)
Stay tuned for the January News Roundup next week!
You wake up to see news about the Catholic Church in the headlines, but it’s not the kind of news that makes you feel proud to be Catholic. Last week it was the report of Pope emeritus Benedict XVI mishandling four cases of clerical sexual abuse during his tenure as archbishop of Munich. But this is not the first time the abuse crisis has been in the headlines in the last few years - and it won’t be the last.
As you read through the article (or scroll by it in disgust), you probably have mixed emotions. Maybe you’re feeling angry or disappointed or disheartened yourself. Maybe you’ve even thought about leaving the Church in protest. But you also know there’s so much more to the Catholic Church than this scandal, and you’re a bit sad that the good things you see in the Church don’t tend to make headlines.
On top of all that, you also have to think about how to respond when your friends or coworkers bring up this latest news. What in the world do you say?
Read my suggestions at FemCatholic.com