I predict The embattled Cardinal Wuerl, after meeting with the Pope forty-six more times just to talk stuff over, will make a dramatic and tearful farewell, saying he will retreat to a life of poverty and penance because of regrettable mistakes that may or may not have been made by nonspecific episcopal entities such as those other guys over there. Six weeks later, a heavily made-up newcomer, Cardinal Doubtfire, will be appointed in his stead and will have many pastoral things to say in a high, squeaky voice. Phew! So that’s all fixed.
Read the rest of my latest for The Catholic Weekly.
Pray, hope, and do not worry.
I agree with Robert. We must pray with all our furious, nauseated, heartbroken hearts.
Simcha, I am very appreciative of the way in which you hold together both a highly justified anger at the abject failure of the church hierarchy with respect to the issue of child sexual abuse and a faithful call to honest prayer. I’m think especially of a post of yours from a couple of weeks ago:
“Whatever else you do, don’t stop praying. Or if you have stopped, try to start again. At least try.
If you are enraged (and you should be), don’t stop praying. If you are heartbroken (and you should be), don’t stop praying. If you are nauseated (and you should be), don’t stop praying. …
If you can’t bring yourself to go to Mass, don’t stop praying. … If you think God must be sadistic to allow such things to happen. If you think that all these heinous sins show that the Church has no authority. … If you think maybe there is no God. If any of these things, I beg of you, don’t stop praying.
… I’m telling you to pray — really pray, with whatever is in your heart. What do you have to lose?”
Very profound. Thank you.