The media is having a hay-day with the scandal of our bishop, now resigned. It seems to me that Catholics do not understand the right tone to take with scandals.
We hate the sin and love the sinner. I have not seen much love today, mostly self-righteousness.
I wonder if Kieran Conroy, myself and a few others charitable souls, like Michael, are the only sinners in the world?
Yes, that the man was a bishop makes the matter of sin worse, but what of parents who sin against their own children with bad example, what of children who sin against parents by ignoring them, putting them "out of the way" in homes, what of abortion, and contraception-the last the most common sin among English Catholics?
I am convinced that when God lets a person "get caught", it is a sign that God has not given up on that person. How many priests have lost salvation through hidden sins?
This man may yet become a saint. Pray for him.
And, may I add a comment I put on another, famous blog today?
I think the laity forgets where priests and bishops come from-Catholic homes and Catholic schools. If there is a crisis among the clergy, we have only ourselves to blame. It is not the case that young men are completely set on the wrong track morally or theologically all of the sudden in seminary when they are in their twenties. By that time, they are formed.
No, parents form their children first. Then teachers, and only then, college or university teachers and peers. If the lay people want holy priests and holy bishops there are several things we can do.
1) Be holy ourselves.
2) Raise holy children
3) Avoid wishy-washy Catholic schools; home school
4) Make sure the children have strong Catholic friends-go to TLMs
5) Teach the faith at home
6) Encourage leadership skills, morality and counter-cultural values in our teens.
7) Fast and pray for our clergy, bishops, seminarians
8) Give to good seminaries
9) Fast and pray some more
10) Stop being judgmental. Luke 6:37 from the mouth of Christ Himself
“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;
2) Raise holy children
3) Avoid wishy-washy Catholic schools; home school
4) Make sure the children have strong Catholic friends-go to TLMs
5) Teach the faith at home
6) Encourage leadership skills, morality and counter-cultural values in our teens.
7) Fast and pray for our clergy, bishops, seminarians
8) Give to good seminaries
9) Fast and pray some more
10) Stop being judgmental. Luke 6:37 from the mouth of Christ Himself
“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;