Catholic scandals cast shadow over Church
By Colleen Snyder
What a time to be Catholic. For the first time in my life, I feel under attack because of my religion. In the last few weeks, I have been questioned and criticized by close friends, mere acquaintances, and even complete strangers. I realize that people are persecuted for their religion everyday, and I am not necessarily calling this persecution, but I definitely felt a tinge of inferiority and even a bit of that good old Catholic guilt as a result of these curious interrogations.
I don't think anyone would argue against the fact that the Catholic Church is in a terrible state of distress. It seems that everyday a new priest is accused of molesting someone, and now it has hit home. Santa Clara students are updated weekly with e-mails from Fr. Locatelli regarding an accused priest who was transferred to the Santa Clara campus after allegedly molesting a mentally-handicapped man at Sacred Heart Jesuit Center in Los Gatos. Another priest from that same center was sent to Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose, after superiors at the center were notified that he allegedly molested another mentally-challenged man at the facility. To date, the Church has paid over one billion dollars in settlements and lawsuits regarding molestation cases. This is a big deal and it is only getting bigger.
I think it is fitting that the Catholic community is under scrutiny. I am not blaming anyone for asking me questions about my faith. When such horrible and tragic secrets are revealed about the leaders of a faith, leaders who are supposed to be trustworthy, people wonder. Yet, I stand behind the Church. I am not an exceptionally religious or Catholic person. At this point in my life, I find myself questioning my Catholic upbringing every day, but these recently revealed scandals have nothing to do with my questioning of faith.
On Easter Sunday, I attended mass in the small town of Cayucos, Calif., with my family. I hadn't really been paying much attention to the issues in the Church as of late, but I was definitely aware of the horrible state of affairs. The last place I expected to get an update on the issue was in a Catholic Church on Easter Sunday. However, this is just what happened, and for that, I respect the Church even more.
As the Pope and many priests have been doing recently, this pastor brought up the issue during the homily, and made it clear that no one in the Church is happy about what is going on. The Church is not trying to hide from the scandal; it is saddened and disgraced at these blatant abuses of trust and power. I personally cannot wait for all the cases to be made public and the priests who are guilty of such crimes to bear the consequences.
However, the Church is a place of hope, and this was the main point of the homily in Cayucos. If members of the Catholic Church can stand together for anything, they must stand together now in hope and faith for the future. This is not a problem specific to the Catholic Church, it is a problem in schools, places of business and private homes; in short, it is a problem with our society. And the answer lies in hoping and working constructively for a better tomorrow, not in criticizing Catholicism.
Because a small percentage of priests have been accused of molestation, all priests should not be automatically questioned. As the Pope described it, there is now "a dark shadow of suspicion over all the other fine priests who perform their ministry with honesty." A priest whom I have known all my life and who baptized my siblings and myself, recently was reluctant to hug me because of the scandal. This is understandable, but also tragic.
Now, perhaps more than ever, Catholics nationwide must stand strong behind their religious ideals. Sexual molestation is a problem, particularly when it occurs within a relationship based on trust and respect. However, this is not a problem inherent to priests or the Catholic Church. This is a problem with our society, and it must be attacked accordingly.