The sex scandal makes it really hard to be Catholic. I feel like just by being Catholic I could be perceived as in some way endorsing the actions of these priests. It’s as if there’s this silently screaming question: Why wouldn’t any decent person immediately get as far away as possible?
And yet, here I am, IN it.
I would like to offer this: During my entire life as a Catholic child, sexual abuse was not part of my experience. If it had been, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be back at the church now. Knowing what I know about the far-reaching damage caused by child molestation, I don’t know if I could be evolved enough to forgive something that big.
But because my experience was mostly good and did not include that kind of evil, the church to me is not wearing the face of a child molester. I don’t want to leave the church to this tiny minority of the priests.
And yet, here I am, IN it.
I would like to offer this: During my entire life as a Catholic child, sexual abuse was not part of my experience. If it had been, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be back at the church now. Knowing what I know about the far-reaching damage caused by child molestation, I don’t know if I could be evolved enough to forgive something that big.
But because my experience was mostly good and did not include that kind of evil, the church to me is not wearing the face of a child molester. I don’t want to leave the church to this tiny minority of the priests.
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