Tag: Abuse

Writing to Bishops

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Earlier this week, I wrote a post on Facebook saying that I had spent the first few days of 2019 writing letters to different bishops, and invited others to do the same.

The purpose in writing these letters was to encourage our bishops to be fearless in the exercise of their office, to teach Catholic doctrine faithfully and to protect their flocks from physical and spiritual abuse, all the while being respectful of their office.

My friend Noelle asked me for an outline of what I wrote. Unfortunately, each letter had been different in content. However, I thought it might be helpful to post a synthesis of what I had written over the course of the different letters…

Your Excellency,

There is no sugar-coating it, the Church is in a state of crisis. Unfortunately, much of this relates to the laity’s wavering confidence in the episcopacy, as well as their faith in the upper echelons of the Church’s hierarchy. I am grieved to say that over the past year, both the sin and utter timidity of many, many bishops has continued to be on full display for all the world to see. The results of this have been devastating. Catholics are leaving the Church. Of those who remain, many are withdrawing their financial support. Those in RCIA are reconsidering their choice. Many souls are at risk.

If ever there was a time when the Church cried out for strong and fearless leadership, it is now. The flock need to see the faces of their shepherds and hear their voices. We need to be reassured that the Diocese is in good hands. We need to know that those who would prey on innocents will be swiftly removed and automatically reported to the secular authorities. Not only that, we need to have complete confidence that Catholic teaching will be upheld without exception in every parish, particularly in the extremely unpopular area of personal morality. We need to know that our shepherds will not cower in fear, but will defend us from the wolves.

St. Ignatius, on his way to execution in AD 107, wrote a letter to encourage his fellow bishop, Polycarp. I humbly offer these words to you as an encouragement to be fearless as you shepherd the Diocese over the coming year:

“The times call for you…as one tossed with tempest seeks for the haven, so that both you and those under your care may attain to God. Be sober as God’s athlete: the prize set before you is immortality and eternal life”

Thank you, your Excellency, for giving this letter your attention. You are in my prayers and I am always at your service. I look forward to hearing from you as to how I may assist in your effort to comfort and strengthen the Church.

God bless,

David Bates

Sex Abuse Facts

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The Catholic Church teaches a high standard of morality and when some of its members violate that standard, the media pounces and calls it hypocrisy, and rightly so. To be clear, this post in no way condones any of the abuses which have occurred over the years. They were all terrible, sinful tragedies.

However, over the past few years the media feeding frenzy has been such that I think it might be time to regain a little bit of perspective. The following facts came from an article at TheMediaReport.com.

1. IT’S NOT ABOUT CATHOLIC PRIESTS
FACT: Catholic priests do not offend at a higher rate than clergy of other religious denominations or employees of other institutions that deal with youth.

2. STRANGE DAYS INDEED
FACT: The media’s frenzied Catholic priest sex abuse storyline stems only from a historical anomaly, as the vast majority of allegations occurred during a narrow band of time from the 1960s to the early 1980s. During this period the Church sent abusive priests to treatment, conforming to the then-prevailing societal view that offenders could be successfully rehabilitated but resulting in a high rate of recidivism.

3. YESTERDAY’S NEWS
FACT: Almost all accusations against Catholic priests date from decades ago, and indeed nearly half of all abuse accusations concern priests who are already dead. In an institution of 77 million people, contemporaneous accusations of abuse against Catholic clergy in the United States are very rare, recently averaging only 8.5 “credible” allegations per year.

4. THE STORY THE MEDIA WON’T REPORT
FACT: The incidence of sexual abuse by teachers in public schools today has been estimated to be “more than 100 times” that by Catholic priests, and there is alarming evidence of school officials covering up abuse and failing to report suspected cases to authorities. Yet the mainstream media has largely ignored this shocking story while still rehashing decades-old allegations of abuse by Catholic priests.

5. A MODEL FOR THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN
FACT: The Catholic Church is likely the safest environment for children today.

I would invite you to pray a rosary today for the holiness of Catholic priests around the world