Pope Benedict Publishes Reflection on Abuse Crisis
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WWW.THEFLORIDACATHOLIC.ORG | April 12-25, 2019 | Volume 80, Number 11 ORLANDO DIOCESE PALM BEACH DIOCESE VENICE DIOCESE Deacon to become priest Camp for grieving kids Seminarian advances Pope Benedict publishes reflection on abuse crisis CAROL GLATZ Pope Benedict added that he In another example of how “In the general awareness of the Catholic News Service contacted Pope Francis and Cardi- Catholic tradition was being re- law, the faith no longer appears nal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary jected and a “new, modern ‘Cath- to have the rank of a good requir- VATICAN CITY | Retired Pope of state, before releasing the article. olicity’” was being introduced by ing protection. This is an alarming Benedict XVI, acknowledging his The retired pope, who turns 92 some bishops, who were “not only situation which must be considered role in helping the Catholic Church April 16, led the universal church in the United States of America,” and taken seriously by the pastors of come to terms with the clerical from 2005 to 2013 and for 23 years Pope Benedict cited instances the church,” he wrote. sexual abuse crisis, wrote an article before that headed the Congrega- of labeling seminarians “caught “What must be done?” he asked. outlining his thoughts about what tion for the Doctrine of the Faith, reading my books” as unsuitable Creating “another church” will must be done now. which is charged with handling for the priesthood. “My books not work because “that experiment Seeing the crisis as rooted in the cases of the abuse of minors by were hidden away, like bad lit- has already been undertaken and “egregious event” of the cultural priests. He also served as a theolog- erature, and only read under the has already failed.” and sexual revolution in the West- ical consultant during the Second desk,” he said. “Only obedience and love for ern world in the 1960s and a col- Vatican Council, between 1962 and The retired pope emphasized our Lord Jesus Christ can point the lapse of the existence and authority 1965. the importance of recognizing, way. So, let us first try to understand of absolute truth and God, the re- Beginning in the late 1960s, embracing and defending the most anew and from within what the tired pope said the primary task at while Western society at large was essential and foundational prin- Lord wants, and has wanted with hand is to reassert the joyful truth facing the “death” or disappearance Pope Benedict XVI ciples of faith and of protecting the us,” he wrote. of God’s existence and of the church of God and any moral compass, authority of the church, particularly The scandal of child sexual as holding the true deposit of faith. he said, the church’s own moral seminary rector and “arranged for in matters of morality. abuse reached such terrible pro- “When thinking about what ac- theology suffered “a collapse that the seminarians to be shown por- In fact, he said the original portions, both in society and the tion is required first and foremost, rendered the church defenseless nographic films, allegedly with the meaning behind the verse (Mk 9:42) church, he said, because of “the ab- it is rather obvious that we do not against these changes in society.” intention of thus making them re- in which Jesus says it would be bet- sence of God” and a refusal to hold need another church of our own A misreading of the Second Vati- sistant to behavior contrary to the ter to toss out to sea, weighed down him as the guiding principle. design. Rather, what is required can Council, he said, shifted the faith.” with a millstone, whoever causes “A paramount task, which must first and foremost is the renewal of church’s understanding of revela- In an extensive study on the “one of these little ones who believe result from the moral upheavals of the faith in the reality of Jesus Christ tion, resulting in a diluted or shape- causes and context of the abuse in me to sin,” refers to those who are our time, is that we ourselves once given to us in the Blessed Sacra- shifting morality that was no longer of minors by priests in the United intellectually arrogant and cause again begin to live by God and unto ment,” he wrote. grounded in natural law and the States from 1950 to 2010, the John the “little ones” — the common be- him. Above all, we ourselves must The pope’s remarks, presented as existence of absolute good and evil; Jay College of Criminal Justice of liever — to become confused in the learn again to recognize God as a compilation of “some notes,” were morality could only make “relative the City University of New York faith. the foundation of our life instead of to be published in Klerusblatt, a value judgments” contingent on found “the majority of abusers (70 While it is “not in itself wrong” to leaving him aside.” German-language Catholic month- the moment and circumstances, he percent) were ordained prior to the associate the verse with “pedophilic “The crisis caused by the many ly journal for clergy in Bavaria. wrote. 1970s,” and 44 percent of those ac- misconduct” as many do today, he cases of clerical abuse” must not Several news outlets released their “Indeed, in many parts of the cused entered the priesthood be- said, its original meaning must not lead to taking the church “into our translations of the text April 11. church, conciliar attitudes were fore 1960. Social factors influenced be obscured because “great goods own hands” and redesigning it. Given the February Vatican gath- understood to mean having a criti- the increase of abuse incidents dur- such as the faith are equally impor- The church is like a fishing net ering of presidents of the world’s cal or negative attitude toward the ing the 1960s and 1970s, the report tant” and Jesus protects the deposit that catches both good and bad bishops’ conferences “to discuss hitherto existing tradition, which said, finding the increase consis- of faith with a strong threat of pun- fish, like a field where good grain the current crisis of faith and of the was now to be replaced by a new, tent with “the rise of other types of ishment to those who would do it and bad weeds grow, he wrote. “The church,” and given his role as pope radically open relationship with the ‘deviant’ behavior, such as drug use harm. field is still God’s field and the net is during “the public outbreak of the world,” he wrote. and crime,” and changes in social “A balanced canon law,” he God’s fishing net. And at all times, crisis,” the retired pope felt it appro- To illustrate this radical open- behavior such as the “increase in wrote, would provide legal protec- there are not only the weeds and the priate he also help contribute “to a ness, he gave an example of an premarital sexual behavior and di- tion for the accused but also for the evil fish, but also the crops of God new beginning,” he said. unnamed bishop who had been a vorce.” “legal protection” of the faith. and the good fish.” n Embarking on the Lenten journey • Holy Week Mass schedules • • The Seven Last Words • Jubilarian Snapshots Long-Sleeve Relief — Muslim family prepares to • Jubilarian profiles • advocating for rights, dignity enter Catholic church at Vigil WWW.THEFLORIDACATHOLIC.ORG | April 12-25, 2019 FLORIDACatholic ORLANDO DIOCESE Deacon Saldanha to be ordained a priest May 25 GLENDA MEEKINS to work with youth groups (at our ing in my life. The people always of the Florida Catholic Staff parish)… and so I saw the life of a inquire about how I am doing and priest from very close,” he recalled. it’s very heartening to know that I ORLANDO | Born and raised in “But it was not until my time at have the love and the support of my India, Transitional Deacon Derek Franciscan University where I re- parish community.” It was through Saldanha, of Holy Name of Jesus ally saw the sacramental aspect of his parish that he learned of an Parish in Indialantic, will be or- the priesthood; where I realized opportunity to visit the seminary dained a priest May 25, at St. James that it is only through the hands soon after his arrival. The experi- Cathedral, Orlando. Deacon Sal- of the priest that we receive the ence connected him to the Office of danha credited St. Francis Xavier Eucharist, that we are able to be Vocations and confirmed his desire for his vocation because he evange- reconciled with God, through the to become a diocesan priest and lized the small state of Goa, where Sacrament of Reconciliation. And his parish has accompanied him Saldanha’s family finds its roots. that’s when I felt very strongly that through the entire journey. “St. Francis Xavier is my favorite this is how the Lord me wants me Deacon Saldanha had a younger saint because he is the saint who to serve him. This is how the Lord sister who died at the age of 10 from evangelized the land that I come wants me to help people, by bring- leukemia. Although the loss was from,” Saldanha said. “He was zeal- ing them back in relationship with difficult, Saldanha found strength ous for the Gospel. The moment the him through the power of the Sac- in his faith. “My favorite Scripture is Lord touched his life, when he was raments.” Philippians 4:13, ‘I can do all things studying at the University in Paris, Saldanha arrived in Central through Christ who strengthens he began boldly preaching and Florida in 2011, after completing me’, because Jesus Christ is Lord as that’s why I am here; that’s why my his master degree in educational I’ve seen in my own life.