HEALING OUR CHURCH suffered this terror both within the Church and in the wider context of society. Years do not Friar Bob Hutmacher, ofm remove the shame, the guilt and the pain until a person bravely screams for release and clarity In 1305 Clement V of France was elected about the past. One of the best books I’ve ever pope after the death of Boniface VIII. Clement read about sexual abuse was Victims No Longer: decided to remain in Avignon, France. In 1376 The Classic Guide for Men Recovering from Pope Gregory XI moved the papal court back to Sexual Abuse by Mike Lew, now in its second Rome because the French had gained powerful edition. Lew is a psychotherapist and offers men influence over Church matters. When he died strategies for recovery from any kind of abuse. I Urban VI was elected and he was rejected by believe, though, his steps to recovery can also be most of Europe. Thus began a new line of popes helpful for women. The reason I mention it now in Avignon, France, who were in opposition to is that I want whoever reads this article to know the Roman popes. In what is now called the that this now classic book can immensely help a Western Schism, people were divided in their person heal. allegiance to either Rome or Avignon. During I believe that our Church is presently at a the Council of Pisa in 1410 Alexander V was critical point in history in which we, the Holy elected and ruled only ten months before he died. People of God, must vocally call for radical His successor was John XXIII (yes 23rd). So for changes in how the institution of Mother Church a time, the Roman Catholic Church had three is governed. It’s one thing to say that but another to effectively carry it out with charity and aplomb; I’m not saying the structure of the hierarchy must change but our Church needs to be much more inclusive in how decisions are made. The Western Schism was amplified in its horror because people had to also live with the Black Death. How do we 21st century people popes at one time. live with Church scandal when both political and At the Council of Constance in 1417 John Church leaders have seemingly abandoned us, XXIII was deposed, Gregory XII was forced to bury the truth and even opted to take part in resign in Rome, the Avignon popes were criminal behavior? Chapter 2 of Lumen declared antipopes, Martin V was chosen as the Gentium, the dogmatic constitution on the new Pope and his residence was Rome where it Church promulgated by Vatican II in 1964, states has been ever since. the key law of membership [in the Church] is The Roman Catholic Church exploded simple: to love as Christ loved. The Catholic again this summer with revelations from the Church remains the sign of unity and is a State of Pennsylvania. Further allegations of sacrament of salvation for all. God saves us not secrecy, evidence of cover-ups, sinful and as individuals but as the People of God. depraved behavior, blame, removal of a red hat, As a lifelong student of liturgy I observe scandal that touched the upper echelons of by instinct how ritual behavior expresses the ecclesial authority – all these painful things reality of the group doing the ritual. A papal flooded the airwaves and the very heart of God’s Mass, for example, for all its prayer, pomp and People. Since the Pennsylvania story broke I’ve beauty, is still a huge group of men in procession, spoken with countless people in the confessional men wearing the garb of distinction, men doing and in daily conversations about clerical sexual most of the speaking. Occasionally we hear abuse. Anger, disgust, pain, shock and women proclaim Scripture or present gifts of heartbreak are some of the things I’ve heard bread and wine but the reality of ritual behavior expressed. All of us are deeply touched. is that it does reveal the truth about a group. The I don’t care to speak about myself often Church is patriarchal in structure as it has been but I have worked and presently spend time with for centuries. victims of violence and/or sexual abuse who That patriarchal structure, then, flows into U.S. is still held to be reprehensible by nearly every aspect of Church life. Clare of fundamentalist Christians, yet that public Assisi was the first woman in Christianity to adultery is overlooked because of economic, write a rule for female religious; before her, political or even racial security. What? popes and other men told women how to live the Entertainers can be live with different standards evangelical life. The way sex is treated or not of sexual practices (read People Magazine) but dealt with in the Catholic Church is rife with because of outmoded ways of succeeding in the male imagery and power. Though Mother business we have the phenomenon of the Church is an aged image, the Church really is #MeToo movement and similar public outcries. masculine when it comes to who has clout. I With the complete collapse of the Pennsylvania believe the day Jeannette Rankin of Montana was hierarchy last month, storms in Chile, Ireland and elected to the House of the U.S. Congress in how many more countries – it’s beyond obvious 1916 things began to change; women finally got that the Church must change at its very heart. the right to vote four years later. So it is in our But these changes in sexual Church. In the past two decades women have mores have created a culture become vicars of dioceses and some hold that claims its inhabitants are positions of leadership. This is why I hope that so free, yet it cripples and decisions will soon be made with the insights, even kills the joy of being wisdom and willingness of women. Pope human. For all our touting of Francis has done this as he’s included women in sexual freedom and lack of Vatican conferences and such. A beginning. restraint, there are millions of I also believe that in all levels of Church lonely people walking around ministry and leadership that we need to our streets. Lonely and lost! incorporate ways to make people in positions of The damage done to survivors of sexual service and shepherding accountable. I’ve been abuse and other forms of violence can last for ordained nearly 40 years and find that too many years. Survivors must work through a web of of us can slide on through life without anyone trust issues, intimacy and sexual confusion in holding us responsible. It’s normal in the order to move into a healthy, self-actualized business world that heads fly frequently when adulthood. When one has been abused by a employees on all levels are given poor work cleric, a man held to high standards, pain, shame performance critiques. Why do we not do this in and internal suffering are intensified to such an the Church? Not that we want to employ the extent that victims blame themselves and bury attitudes and values of corporate America, which the pain ever more deeply. I’ve also listened to can be cutthroat. But there are pastoral ways to stories of incest and cannot say one form of correct leaders, hold them accountable in all abuse is worse than the other. I do know that the things so as to ensure that corruption and unjust, pain of all forms of abuse effect every facet of even immoral practices never enter Church daily life and can take years to heal. This is why affairs. criminal behavior is called that; it not only One of my degrees is in sociology and I breaks laws, it destroys lives. For example, have a few observations about the radical change (though some disagree) rape is not a sexual many of us over 50 have witnessed in the past crime; it is an unlawful act of violence that decades. Social mores are the codes of behavior a destroys by power. When men chosen by the society accepts as having a positive impact on a pope himself engage in any form of criminal group of people. Sexual mores are behaviors that behavior, the Church suffers. Crimes of violence are in harmony with the moral values of a and sexual abuse affect not just the victims, but particular social entity. The perfect family days spouses and extended families. Consider the of June and Ward Cleaver are long gone. Try to levels of healing needed in both the private and define what is acceptable sexually in our country public parts of life! It’s maddening to think that today and you will clearly see there are double ordained ministers and religious can see and even triple standards. What is now bypassed themselves above the law. Look what this and acceptable for the highest authority in the country so often now considers acceptable behavior. Sickening, isn’t it? I often wonder those who’ve harmed us, it is the Prince of Peace how the mighty who have fallen live with who loves him, her and even them. themselves. And yet, we have a God who We must constantly call to mind, forgives and calls us to grow in holiness. particularly at the Eucharist, that we are the This is why I believe the Church is at a Body of Christ, called to shepherd. Again, a critical juncture now. Commonweal recently little history shows that change comes through published a fine article by Massimo Faggioli, the power of the Holy Spirit and our willingness professor of theology and religious studies at to live the Gospel. We call one another to Villanova. He bravely states that these holiness and honor, and to accountability. In my scandalous developments have the real Sunday homily after the news of Pennsylvania possibility of leading to a schism in the U.S. broke, I asked people to NOT leave the Catholic Catholic Church. Reaching back to writings by Church. I am so very sorry for all victims of my own patron saint, Robert Bellarmine (+1621), abuse in all its forms and challenge each of us to he states there are three bonds of communion in be channels of reconciliation for them. Do not the Church: profession of faith, communion in leave in disgust or anger because we need one the Sacraments and a bond to ecclesiastical another for our future as Church. Though leaders authority, especially to the pope. In fact, Lumen put the institution of the Church and themselves Gentium I mentioned above uses this very above the most vulnerable among us, our definition in paragraph 14. It is the third union membership in the Body hinges on our intimate that is in peril right now in the U.S. Church and relationship with Jesus, not the institution. is observable (as a possibility) in three forms: Choose to be a disciple who encourages others to theological, political and geopolitical. But please express the truth as you know it. Choose to lead remember we’ve lived through the Avignon others to ask for healing or seek it yourself. papacy and its Schism of seventy years, the Speak bravely and walk humbly with our God. Reformation, Counter-Reformation, the Age of We need one another because we are the Enlightenment, two world wars and countless Body of Christ who died and rose that all people other conflicts, the Sexual Revolution and more. may live. We have experienced a kind of death Though things may look bleak right now, I also in the last decade in unprecedented waves and hold on to the virtue of hope. We must work the tsunami of this summer because of clerical together to bring about harmony. Read the Acts sexual abuse. Yet we cannot abandon the very of the Apostles and remember the difficulties the core of our existence – the Paschal Mystery. We very first Christians encountered! live together, we die together and are raised to I pray that those in hierarchical offices ever new forms of life together! In July we spent will soon incorporate lay people, particularly five Sundays dwelling on the Evangelist John’s women, in setting procedural norms and “Bread of Life Discourse”, gleaning a mystical decision-making processes at all levels. Read message. So people said to Jesus, “What can we Church history and see that change is a given! do to accomplish the works of God?” Jesus Have you ever considered why God made female answered and said to them, “This is the work of and male? It’s called a healthy balance! Even God, that you believe in the one he sent.” [John those of us who are vowed celibates are 6:28-29). In John ‘believe’ is a verb and it encouraged to nourish healthy relationships with implies action. Our faith in Jesus flows from both men and women. The most solid married within us through charitable deeds. We are the couples I know have friends of both genders. Body of Christ and this Body needs to be healed Healthy is the key word, and that can be said of now. We’ve done this before and we will do it every facet of our human lives. again. May God fill your hearts with peace. We are the Body of Christ and must We celebrate The Solemnity of St. forgive because when we do, it is Christ who Francis on October 3 and 4. Check our bulletin forgives. When we comfort people in pain, it is or web site for details and please join us! Thank the compassion of Jesus present. When we suffer you for loving us and caring about our ministry with someone it is the Body that suffers. And at St. Peter’s. Friar Bob Hutmacher, ofm when we genuinely love another person, even