(ESNUCC) - August 24, 2018
Glory Be to Jesus Christ!
My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Last year having started my episcopal ministry in the United States I encountered a new culture and religious situation, in particular relating to the Catholic Church in the United States. There are many new challenges and problems. Recently I learned about the scandalous and unacceptable situation about which I, as well as all of you, are equally very upset and outraged. I have in mind the information of recent weeks about the sexual scandals committed by the clergy.Even one instance of sexual abuse is inadmissible, and we have learned from reliable sources of allegations in isolated cases more than once. It seems that thereis a deep and systemic problem with sexuality among those who promised to live a chaste life. Likewise, it is a great evil to conceal scandalous situations, which wound thousands of innocent souls. The same as you, I am experiencing moments when I’m completely shocked by the thought of the prevalent nature of this problem.
The question is: how do we deal with this scandal? My advice can be found in the Gospel pages when St. Peter walked on the water towards Jesus, he was safe as long as he kept his gaze on the Lord and trusted Him completely. As soon as he turned his attention away from the Lord and looked upon the threatening wind and waves, he began to sink in the dark and turbulent waters. This is the answer for us in this time of darkness. Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, not on all of this evil that threatens us and the Church at large.
I want to assure you that our Eparchy takes any substantiated accusations of abuse by clergy most seriously. For this reason, we have invested a great amount of energy into an effective Safe Environment Program. If you have been the victim of any past or present abuse by a member of the clergy of whatever rank, please report this to the civil authorities and notify the Eparchial Office for Safe Environment. In such cases there can be no talk of any cover up, nor can any abhorrent behavior be tolerated. We can also expect various enemies of the Church to create false claims and fill the headlines with reports aimed at destroying the Church. At the same time, I want to assure our faithful that the innocent will be vigorously protected immediately to the full extent of our power.
During this time of darkness, we need to walk the path of light and we will find this path through prayer and fasting. Please utilize all the prescribed times of abstinence: Wednesdays and Fridays, the four fast periods of our liturgical year, and other prescribed days of abstinence. Prayer and fasting is our weapon against the Evil One; and make no mistake about it, the Evil One has infiltrated the Church, hoping to undermine the Church from within. Let us remember that our Risen Lord is infinitely more powerful and through prayer and fasting we permit the Lord to empower us, protect us, and render us ready to do battle with Satan and his forces. Christ is Risen, and He has defeated all the powers of Hell. We shall stand firm in our Lord Jesus Christ, and through Him, together with His Eternal Father and His All-Holy, Good and Life-giving Spirit, to Whom be glory now and forever and ever.
The blessing of the Lord be upon you
MOST REVEREND BENEDICT (ALEKSIYCHUK)
Bishop of St. Nicholas Eparchy
Thursday, August 30, 2018
St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy on current scandal
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The "Safe Environment" program, at least the version of it implemented in the RC diocese in which my children's school is located, is in my judgement a good program. I have my quibbles, such as its emphasis that pedeophilia has nothing to do with homosexuality - an emphasis that I have my doubts about in theory as it the political correctness of the Academy and "social science" is clearly biased (morally) against any evidence to the contrary. Also, when it comes to the clergy of the RC church, the statics are what they are in that there has been historically a higher rate of male victims than female because of it is an all male and homosexualist clergy doing the victimizing. At the end of the day it is a necessary and good procedural program that trains parents to recognize certain behaviors that are red flags.
ReplyDeleteThat said, this statement is evidence that the bishops of the RC church still don't get it. Good procedures (such as Safe Environment) and "prayer and fasting" are still working on the edges of the problem and not acknowledging the source problem, which is the combination of a cultural of homosexualism/pedophilism within the clerical ranks AND an "protect the institution at all costs" clericalism. Here:
"...We can also expect various enemies of the Church to create false claims and fill the headlines with reports aimed at destroying the Church... "
Nope. Very little of this has actually happened, and no part of this scandal reveals much of any motivation to "destroy the Church". On the contrary, what it has revealed is the attitude of bishops like this Benedict which puts the institution and its reputation first, second, and third. It is men like Benedict who in fact "destroying the Church", not this nonsense conspiracy theory he is prattling on about.
Benedict is part of the problem, not part of the solution.