Cardinal O’Malley calls for
consequences for Church leadership
 |
| Pope Francis with Cardinal Sean Patrick O'Malley. |
Cardinal O’Malley posts a video message on the website of
the Archdiocese of Boston in response to the Pennsylvania Grand Jury report
calling for “accountability and consequences” for Church leadership.
By Sr. Bernadette Mary Reis, fsp
Cardinal Sean O’Malley, Archbishop of Boston and head
of the Vatican Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors,
posted a video
message on the website of the Archdiocese of Boston in response to the
Pennsylvania Grand Jury report. The video was posted on Saturday just days
before Pope Francis released a letter to the People of God in response to the
ongoing clerical abuse crisis.
Words fail
Cardinal O’Malley said that “words fail” for the situation
the Church in the US is facing. He said that hearts are “wrenched” as we yet
again hear of the “devastating pain experienced by survivors”, and
we remain shamed by these egregious failures to protect
children and those who are vulnerable and affirm our commitment that these
failures will never be repeated.
Accountability of Church leaders
Cardinal O’Malley acknowledges that many perpetrators have
been made accountable for their crimes. However, he also admits that the Church
has yet “to establish clear and transparent systems of accountability and
consequence for Church leadership whose failures have allowed these crimes to
occur”. He also said that all who participate in the Church’s
mission must “embrace spiritual conversion” and that “legal transparency and
pastoral accountability” must be demanded of them.
Clock ticking
“Immediate action” must be taken, the Cardinal continues,
because “the clock is ticking”. He then states that both Catholics and civil
society have lost patience and confidence in “Church leadership”, but adds that
he is hopeful that the failures of the past can be corrected. He calls on the
Church “to help people not to lose hope”, and said that it is often “survivors
and victims who courageously teach us that we cannot lose hope”.
Earning back trust
The Cardinal acknowledges that “the crisis we face is a
product of clerical sins and clerical failures” and can only be addressed with
the “involvement and leadership of lay men and women in our Church, individuals
who can bring their competence, experience and skills to the task we face”.
Cardinal O'Mally concluded saying that only by recognizing the reality it
faces, can the Church
earn back trust, confidence and support from the
community of Catholics in our society. We must proceed quickly and with
purpose. There is no time to waste.
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