Every now and then I am confronted with news items and stories of people who have been sexually abused by clergy. It breaks my heart. While we wish it never happened, the truth is that sometimes it has. There is no getting around it. While research indicates that about one in three females will be sexually abused in their lifetime, and as many as one in nine males will be sexually abused, any sexual abuse is simply not acceptable or justifiable.
It is impossible to fathom the harm sexual abuse by clergy has done to its numerous victims. First and foremost is the harm done to the victims who may never be able to fully enjoy sexual and romantic love and intimacy the way God intended it. Rather than associating human intimacy with happiness and comfort, warmth and security, often those abused go through life associating human intimacy with the pain of abuse. I have often heard victims say that while the perpetrator will get out of prison, that they, the victim, got a life sentence and will never be free.
Then there is the guilt by association. I have often been challenged by statements like, “How can you remain a Catholic after learning of all the abuse? I could never be associated with a Church that let that happen!” While we know that not every priest is a perpetrator, even the sin of one is scandalous to all. No matter how much we do to correct the sin of the past, the effects of that sin will always be with us. One can only guess at the numbers of people who left the Church. In a real sense the whole Church is a victim of sexual abuse by clergy.
Not just Christians, but all people have been injured. This sin has is an impediment to many people seeking Christ. “If this is the way the leaders of the Church act, what about the followers? Can we trust any of them? Can we believe the Christian message? Do I chance it?” Is there any congregation in any church that has not felt the sting of sexual abuse?
What are we to do? What are we to think? How can we move forward? Jesus said it from the cross, “Father, forgive them. They do not know what they are doing.” Perhaps we should also pray, “Father, forgive us for being unforgiving. Heal us of the effects of this sin.”
“May the Lord bless and keep you. May he let his face shine upon you, be gracious to you, and give you his peace.”