During times of great sin in the world, God always raises up holy priests & religious to call the world to faith in Christ. During times of corruption & degeneracy in the clergy, God raises up holy lay women & men to call the church back to holiness. 1/7
We need the laity to help lead the way. Today’s statement by Cardinal DiNardo and the USCCB is a start towards the reforms we need to ensure that sin and degeneracy cannot flourish in the clergy, nor corruption in the episcopal leadership. bit.ly/2MRF7UO 2/7
The Pennsylvania Grand Jury report is nauseating; the immoral acts of Archbishop McCarrick are despicable. The abuses wounded vulnerable persons in profoundly devastating ways, and the cover-up has harmed every Catholic by betraying the trust that they had in us bishops. 3/7
Words are not enough, we need concrete action to restore trust. For myself & my fellow bishops, I apologize for the failures of bishops in diocese after diocese. I look forward to working with my fellow bishops to establish a lay-led investigation into the abuses & cover-up. 4/7
Transparency is needed; what is needed even more are priests, bishops, and laity who live holy lives with integrity so that transparency is not an imposition but a welcome opportunity to witness to the love of Christ and His saving work in our lives. 5/7
I pray that no one would let this terrible crisis separate them from Jesus, He is the divine healer & the Good Shepherd. Let us beg Mary, Queen of the Clergy to pray for her priests & guide them to her son Jesus. That they may always seek to be a shepherd after His own heart. 6/7
Most importantly we pray for every victim of abuse and for every Catholic who feels betrayed by the Church. Our Blessed Mother weeps when her children are hurt by the Church. Let us turn to her in confidence and implore her intercession for the healing of God’s children. 7/7
