I have been silent.
I have lacked words.
Because words fall short when facing evil.
I have lacked words.
Because words fall short when facing evil.
I grew up Catholic, but was fairly indifferent to the whole affair until young adulthood. Then I experienced truth and love and healing and transformation. I experienced Christ. I fell in love with Him, with the Bible, with the Eucharist, with the Catholic faith. Now I live every day with the firm belief and understanding that God exists. I have seen Him at work and I have felt His Hand. I have witnessed miracles. I know in my bones and blood that the Church is my home. I’m not leaving for anything.
I have been nauseous recently. I imagine you all know why.
Leaders of my beautiful Church, my home, have abused their power. They have preyed on the weak, they have taken advantage of the vulnerable, they have hidden dark and atrocious secrets. All under the guise of godliness.
Yes, it is nauseating.
Leaders of my beautiful Church, my home, have abused their power. They have preyed on the weak, they have taken advantage of the vulnerable, they have hidden dark and atrocious secrets. All under the guise of godliness.
Yes, it is nauseating.
It doesn’t matter if a person wears clerics; predators belong in prison.
There is nothing holy in lying and stealing innocence.
I am not perfect, and know that we are all broken and hypocritical to a degree, but this is not an instance of ordinary human sinfulness. This is the willful and repeated harming of others.
Goodness. And now those victims have a lifetime of work to find healing and peace. It isn’t fair. Where is the restitution? The justice?
I am sickened. I am angry. I am aghast.
I am now floored that it likely goes up to the very top.
Yes, nauseating.
There is nothing holy in lying and stealing innocence.
I am not perfect, and know that we are all broken and hypocritical to a degree, but this is not an instance of ordinary human sinfulness. This is the willful and repeated harming of others.
Goodness. And now those victims have a lifetime of work to find healing and peace. It isn’t fair. Where is the restitution? The justice?
I am sickened. I am angry. I am aghast.
I am now floored that it likely goes up to the very top.
Yes, nauseating.
I do want to reiterate though: The Church is my home. It is the place of truth. Some men decided to be predators, but that does not change Christ. He never once would have hidden their darkness. Christ had no qualms in calling anyone out—especially priests—and would have.
Molesting and manipulating are from hell, not Him.
Molesting and manipulating are from hell, not Him.
This is why I have been mulling through emotions and words. I have not really known how to go about writing my position. It is a complex matter expressing my love for the Church and the simultaneous horror at the humanity within it. Because not once does my love give a free pass to the latter.
I will keep going to the Sacraments and living as a Catholic because I have no choice. It is my home. It is where I have known Truth. It is where I have found Life.
I did not choose the Church because of sickos. I am not going to leave because of them either.
But I also will not hide their darkness if and when I ever cross it.
It is well overdue for things to be brought to the light.
I will keep going to the Sacraments and living as a Catholic because I have no choice. It is my home. It is where I have known Truth. It is where I have found Life.
I did not choose the Church because of sickos. I am not going to leave because of them either.
But I also will not hide their darkness if and when I ever cross it.
It is well overdue for things to be brought to the light.