It is clear that a great many people are feeling heartbroken
because of the news about how bishops
and other leaders of the Roman Catholic Church in Pennsylvania covered up child
sexual abuse of more than 1000 victims by 300 priests over a period of 70 years.
Heartbreak is an inescapable response
to this situation. As noted by the poet David Whyte, “Heartbreak is an indication of our
sincerity…and is [an] essence and emblem of care…. Heartbreak may be the very essence of being human, of being
on the journey from here to there, and of coming to care deeply for what we
find along the way.”
What we find along the way of
following Christ is that we belong to one another. Consequently, we will
reverence, protect, and nurture each other, with special care given to those
who are most vulnerable and powerless—children, elderly persons, the poor, and
refugees.
Maria Popova notes that being
heartbroken is a sign of maturity, a “psycho-emotional growth-spurt.” In the
context of belonging to the Catholic church, this means that the laity will hold
church leaders accountable for their actions and decisions instead of deferring
to them and believing they will do no wrong. It means that the laity will take
responsibility for being leaders in the church instead of relinquishing that
role to priests, bishops, and archbishops. It means that we will do the nuts
and bolts work of putting policies and practices in place to ensure that the
vulnerable are protected and their needs are met.
Heartbreak, although difficult to
experience, strengthens our determination to take care of each other. We must
grieve over the shattered lives of victims and their families and the betrayal
we have all experienced. Then we must act to create a church that is true to
the teachings of Christ.
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