Moral Catastrophe

Catholic Southwest Kansas “you �a� s�ea� �ut a word to a �hild, a�d i� that �hild there �a� �e slu��eri�� a �o�le heart whi�h shall stir the Christia� Chur�h i� �ears to �o�e.” atholic — CHARLES SPURGEON CNewspaper of the Catholic Diocese of Dodge City www.dcdiocese.org/swkscatholic Vol. LIII, No. 10 Sunday, September 2, 2018 What can I say to my kids President of U.S. Bishops’ when they ask Conference announces eff ort Forgive why we keep that will involve laity, experts, Please The Most faith in this and the Vatican as U.S. Bishops Rev. John B. resolve to address a ... Brungardt, church? Bishop By KERRY WEBER of the America Jesuit Review Catholic dragged my kids to 8 a.m. Diocese of Mass this morning for the Dodge City IFeast of the Assumpti on. It was one of those days where es, troubling news regarding the “obligati on” part of the the abuse scandal in the Holy Day felt parti cularly YChurch. We discussed it at heavy. There is a small parish length at our diocesan directors’ within a short walking distance meeti ng and our presbyteral of our home, but we are sti ll council meeti ng. Some of the adjusti ng to the logisti cs of words expressed: betrayal, sadness, leaving the house with two “punched in the gut,” shame, anger, kids, so my husband, our 3- horror, pain, ... month-old, our 2-year-old and I refl ect in my mind and heart and I managed to roll our stroller spirit: quietly to the back pew of the • We all seek Jesus Christ, our church around the ti me the Lord and Savior, the Wounded One. fi rst reading started. I pointed Jesus Forsaken on the cross. We out the pictures in the stained ask for healing for the victi ms and glass of Jesus and Mary and their families. Christ is the Divine Joseph to my son who snacked Physician of our body and soul. He on Cheerios while my husband moral will heal all. “And one of them, juggled my daughter on his realizing he had been healed, shoulder, slowly becoming drenched in drool. We make the eff ort, however catastrophe We seek justice. imperfectly, because I want PAGE 5 my son and daughter to know We seek that our faith is important, because I want them to choose our solidarity and commitment to a culture of forgiveness. to live it themselves one day, care that says ‘never again’ to every form of because I believe it is good. f one abuse,” he said. “Every one of the baptized We seek Jesus. And my belief in the good at should feel involved in the ecclesial and social the heart of our faith is why I change that we so greatly need.” returned, glorifying God” (Luke have tried hard to contribute member In the lett er, Francis acknowledged the recent 17:15). to the insti tuti on, too: to fi nd publicati on of a report detailing abuse in six • We are sinners. We bishops community in our parish, to Pennsylvania dioceses, which included more are sinners. We priests are sinners. spend hours researching local suffers...’ than 300 priests and 1,000 victi ms, over a period All are sinners. The Gospel from a Catholic schools, saving to pay of some 70 years. recent Holy Mass was the questi on for them, budgeti ng to make Pope Francis calls for action Recognizing the deep pain and suff ering endured to Jesus: “how oft en must I forgive donati ons to the church, to Iati can City, Aug 20, 2018 (CNA/EWTN by many minors who have experienced sexual … ?” Jesus responds: “seventy- Catholic Chariti es. News) - Pope Francis called for every abuse, or the abuse of power or conscience, at the seven ti mes,” meaning we are And then I came home Vmember of the Catholic Church to pray hands of clerics, he said no eff ort to seek pardon called to keep forgiving our brothers from Mass, and while the kids and fast in penance for the evil of clerical sex or to repair the harm will ever be enough. and sisters, over and over (Matt hew napped beside me, I started abuse, and to be involved in needed change “Looking ahead to the future, no eff ort must 18:21-22). I am sorry. Please reading the grand jury report within the Church. be spared to create a culture able to prevent forgive us bishops and priests. of sexual abuse in several “The only way that we have to respond to such situations from happening, but also to • We seek justi ce. Justi ce for the dioceses of Pennsylvania. I this evil that has darkened so many lives is to prevent the possibility of their being covered perpetrators and enablers. We could only get through a few experience it as a task regarding all of us as the up and perpetuated,” he stated. ask for deeper involvement by civil pages before feeling physically People of God,” Francis wrote Aug. 20. He said the words of St. Paul, that “‘If one authoriti es and the laity, in order ill and being fi lled with a sense In a lett er to the enti re Church following member suff ers, all suff er together with it’… to seek justi ce. “It is [the Lord] of disgust and anger and widespread revelati ons of clerical sex abuse forcefully echo” in his heart. who judges the world with justi ce” betrayal that I know is only in the Church in the United States, the pope The pope also emphasized that he thinks a (Psalm 9:9). a fracti on of what the abuse invited “the enti re holy faithful People of God conversion of the Church is “impossible” if it Bring all to prayer – our Loving victi ms and their families must to a penitenti al exercise of prayer and fasti ng, does not include the “acti ve parti cipati on” of all Lord is with you; He loves you so have felt for so long. following the Lord’s command.” the members of the Church, and he criti cized the much. Conti nued on Page 4 “This can awaken our conscience and arouse Conti nued on Page 12 + Bishop John DO ADS LIST Page 2 September 2, 2018 The Southwest Kansas Catholic Sister Mary Grace that Reigns Bitter waters Immaculate Renewing your nd so again, it comes. is wrong with us, sense of wonder This howling injustice, this and not strong Healy, CSJ, dies Atowering sin of sexual abuse, enough to fix it if ishop Ronald M. Gilmore, spiritual this Church-shaking storm, this uncut we did know. director of Grace that Reigns USA, served Evil: it comes again, and yet again. We need Bas Bishop of Dodge City, Kansas from July We thought we had fixed it, and were something … 1998 to February 2011. on the way to recovery. But here it Someone … Jacqueline Loh is from Vancouver, Canada and is, this ugly thing, and it is even worse beyond us. We founder of Grace that Reigns. Together, they form than we could have imagined. need a Savior the Grace that Reigns Society. It goes so deep. Its roots are so to help us tangled. It resists the sharpest axe through this AVAILABLE FOR + Most Rev. Ronald 2018/19 RETREATS swung by clumsy hands. These are the new Way of the chief shepherds this time. Who then Cross. This new M. Gilmore Through retreat experiences, they help can we trust? Where then can we look? purification. This Bishop Emeritus of Catholics to renew a Sense of Wonder, encourage Will we ever really fix it? new conversion. Dodge City Catholics to establish their own personal Not by relying on our own powers: Only his power relationship with God, help them to share their that should be clear by now. Not by our can help us see our sins, for what they stories of faith with one another and pray for consultant-driven management finesse, really are, and free us from them. ister Mary Immaculate (Mary God’s healing grace to help people to overcome not by our cultivated “best practices,” I am with you always, he promised, Teresa) Healy, 90, died Aug. 4, barriers in their understanding of God’s love for not by our careful lawyer-talk. These even to the end of the world. Hold on S2018 in Kansas City, Kan. She them. Everything that Grace that Reigns does do nothing to stop the flow of blood, to to that. Hold tight, as the waves of served in Dodge City in the business is about helping people to see how unique and bind up and heal the wounds this deep. revulsion sweep over you, and threaten office at Saint Mary of the Plains loved they are through God’s eyes. Grace that We Bishops, Archbishops, and to drown you. College from 1961 to 1965, and Reigns begins with wonder. Cardinals need to fix ourselves first. Let him teach you, Peter, how to walk 1988 to 1989, and as administrator For more information about Grace that But left to ourselves, we cannot do that. on such bitter waters. of Saint Anthony Hospital from 1966 Reigns, including upcoming retreats, visit www. We are not smart enough to know what to 1971. Mass of Christian Burial was gracethatreigns.com. celebrated in Resurrection Chapel in Wichita, followed by interment in the convent cemetery. Sister Mary Immaculate was born Oct. 13, 1927 in Brooklyn, N.Y., to Peter and Mary (Flanagan) Healy.

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