THEN after he was put on “administrative leave” lo, and behold! Someone came forward and “remembered” that Father had sexually abused them 30 or 40 years before. So then, voila, the case became a sex abuse case. It never went to trial because it smelled so bad to the judge.

But the weak-kneed bishop left him out to dry rather than try to get justice for him.There were protestants outrage because they knew he was a righteous man. He was set up, then exiled. There is no evidence against him any more than there was evidence against Cardinal Bernardin.

That will be a horrible, horrible day for him.

Please be assured that repentant sinners do not think of their transgressions as “fun”.

Bitter regret and deep sorrow plus a sense of shame and humiliation are actually more common.

Submitting to “ablatio” requires the sculptor’s tools; it is painful. The “refiner’s fire” purifies as fire does.

“The world must construe according to its wits.
This court must construe according to the law.” – Robert Bolt’s A Man for All Seasons.

A credible accusation may still fail to find proof under the law. The standards for conviction under the human law, at least in the US, are high. Although one is not proved to be guilty under the human law, it does not follow that prudential judgment should be foreclosed determine whether one should continue to be employed in a public ministry. Such accusations may have been credible, whether proven, and as such the one who has care for the ministry of the diocese must exercise prudence.

Thankfully, Catholics are not bound merely by man’s laws to inform their judgment. We are free to be “wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”

It’s how I feel about a lot of post-abortive women who become pro-lifers after they marry and get on with their lives. Oh, I see, you got the corrective you needed to have the life you have now, but now you want to keep others from getting that.

Do we all feel better now?

This is a ridiculous analogy and a ridiculous moral calculus that deserves outright condemnation, “anomic horror,” and not “mild exasperation.” There are a number of reasons the analogy is ridiculous. One, seminarians are not mere grad students. Two, seminarians are men, whereas the grad students in the analogous situations involve women being pressured into sex by male superiors (also worthy of “anomic horror” and swift retribution). Three, this situation is directly destructive of the faith, whereas the grad student scenario is not likely the case (often a state U problem for non-religious subjects).

There are a number of reasons the moral calculus is ridiculous. Begining with the anthropology of the normal person, we would expect that person to be upset and rightfully angry to find out that professors or Cardinals were abusing their authorities to elicit sex from their inferiors. If it’s against our daughters or against our sons in seminary, swift retribution and condemnation are necessary, and perhaps it’s time for a return of certain public penitential acts reserved for wicked, abusive authorities.

As for the Lord Himself, although he is forgiving, he has shown us a glimpse of his righteous anger, especially against the “brood of vipers” and “wolves” who watch over His sheep. Let’s not forget that the command to forgive does not eliminate righteous anger, nor does the Lamb consume the Lion.