What the crisis is

In the beginning were good intentions. The Irish Christian Brothers were one of the religious groups who came to the shores of Canada in the late nineteenth century to teach. In Saint John's, NF, they built Mount Saint Francis Monastery, which was to function as the residence for the Brothers, and subsequently Saint Patrick's Hall, which was to accomodate the students.

Other orphanages were also constructed during the period and for more than a century, the Christian Brothers lived and worked in Newfoundland promoting charity and faith-filled dedication to the people of Saint John's and surrounding areas. In the early part of the 1980's revelations of abuse of minors by some of the Brothers caused a media frenzy and brought to light an injustice which has coloured the Church in Canada to this day. Eventually, Mount Cashel Orphanage in Saint John's, where the first incidents of abuse by clergy were reported, had become synonymous with terrible physical and sexual abuse that had been inflicted upon its residents by members of the Christian Brothers, and was closed.

Since the 1980's the Church in Canada has had to deal openly and honestly with the unfortunate effects of sexual abuse by members of the clergy. But what exactly is the crisis about. George Weigel believes that there are three parts to the problem:

Abuse of minors by clergy demonstrates a crisis of priestly identity

The Catholic priesthood ... is not just another form of 'ministry'. Ordination to the priesthood in the Catholic Church radically transforms who a man is, not just what he does. In fact, in the classic Catholic view, the things a priest does - the things a baptized lay Catholic cannot do, such as celebrate Mass or forgive sins sacramentally in confession - are entirely dependent on who he is by the grace of his ordination. (The Courage to be Catholic, p. 23).

Mr. Weigel believes that too many Catholics seem to have forgotten these basic truths about the priesthood, and the result is that the boundaries between who a priest is and what he does have become increasingly blurred.

Abuse of minors by clergy indicates a lack of Episcopal leadership

The deepest angers of Catholics ... have been reserved for bishops: for bishops who seem to have done little or nothing to address the problem of clergy sexual abuse; for bishops whose most extensive efforts have seemed directed at keeping these problems out of the public eye; and for bishops who evidently did little to heal the personal and familial wounds caused by recklessly irresponsible priests. Given strong, even adequate episcopal leadership - leadership willing to face facts and undertake essential reforms - the crisis of sexual abuse by priests need not have become the greatest crisis in the history of the (local) Church. It became that because of the bishops' failure to lead. (Courage, p. 29)

The Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) emphasized that local bishops (ie. bishops who have pastoral care of a diocese), in communion with the Bishop of Rome, the Successor of Peter, have real authority, and are not merely ecclesial branch managers. They have a consequent responsibilty to teach, sanctify and govern the local Churches that is entrusted to their pastoral care.

Abuse of minors by clergy is indicative of a crisis of discipleship

From the moment of our baptism, we are all called to be disciples of Christ - to conform our lives more and more each day to Christ. Striving each day to do this is our task as committed Christians in the world, and the ultimate end of all this is to become saints when we enjoy eternal life with God.

Every Christian fails on the road to sancity. Some of us fail often, and many of us fail greviously. In each case, the failure is one of discipleship. Men and women who have truly encountered the Risen Christ in the transforming experience of conversion - an experience that can take a lifetime - live different kinds of lives: they lead the lives of disciples.

No one expects priests and bishops to be perfect ... (but) everyone can and should expect that men have been adequately converted to Christ before they are called by the Church to be priests or bishops. Everyone can and should expect

• that men have been adquately converted to Christ before they are called by the Church to be priests or bishops;
• that priests and bishops have made a fundamental, irrevocable, and life-transforming gift of their lives to Christ, in whom they have placed all their hope; and
• that no one will be called to the priesthood or the episcopate who is not willing to bear full public witness to that commitment ... no matter what the difficulties. (Courage, pp. 34-35)