Different Images Of The Church

Images have always been a part of human culture, from the cave paintings of primitive humans, to ancient mosaics, Renaissance paintings, to Warhol’s Campbell Soup Can paintings. Images can hold various meanings for a society, or have one meaning that unites a society.

There are images that symbolize how different factions see the Catholic Church. I discovered two of them surfing the blogosphere. One is a picture I saw on the Deacon’s Bench, of Cardinal Raymond Burke, ordaining a deacon, attired in Pre-Vatican II vestments. For me it is an image of a regal, clerical Church far removed from the lives of ordinary people. The other image I saw was from Whispers in the Loggia, is of Cardinal Sean O’Malley, OFM CAP, Archbishop of Boston. He was participating in a Liturgy of Repentance in Ireland, with the Archbishop of Dublin. Part of the ceremony was both prelates washing the feet of some of the survivors of clergy abuse. For me, this shows the Church as both Penitent and Servant. It is this image I will remember and cherish; it is this Church I want to belong to.

They Are Still Not Getting It!

When American media and commentators reference persons, or organizations being “within the Beltway,” they are referring to politicians and government bureaucrats who have an inward, insular focus on events and situations in the country; that is totally out of touch with the rest of the country.

The same can definitely be said of the Vatican. Whether it is the fiasco of issuing a statement that seem to equate the clergy sexual abuse scandal with the ordination of women, or this decision on the Irish bishop’s resignations. Now John Allen Jr. of the National Catholic Reporter has offered some insights on what the Pope’s and the Vatican Curia’s thinking may have been. But no matter what valid reasons there may have been, perception is everything. And the perception is that this Pope is willing to give bishops a pass, no matter how culpable they may have been in the cover-up.

It is ironic, that when Pope Benedict XVI was Cardinal Ratzinger, he was more than ready to either remove or reduce the authority of Archbishop Raymond Hunthausen, formerly of Seattle, WA, for his liberal views.

The Vatican needs to recognize that there is a lot of anger and disaffection among Catholics in America and Europe. And they need to do a better job in addressing, and soon.

Cardinal O'Malley Named Member of Irish Clergy Child Abuse Investigation Team

Local Boston news outlets, including the Boston Globe and Boston's TV station WCVB, have been reporting that Archbishop Sean Cardinal O'Malley, OFM CAP, has been appointed by Pope Benedict XVI, to be one of the Apostolic Visitors to the Church in Ireland. The Apostolic Visitation is charged with investigating the clergy abuse of children scandal that is ripping apart the Irish Catholic Church, and to recommend solutions to the Pope.

Once again, Cardinal O'Malley appears to be one of the Vatican's point men in dealing with this growing scandal, at least in the English speaking Church communities. While he has his critics, in my opinion, Cardinal Sean has done a lot to deal with the scandal here in Boston, and has begun the healing process. That process is no where near completion, nor has the process been perfect; but what he has begun is a lot better than all of the cover ups we in Boston suffered under previous Archbishops.

The task he and the other Visitors are undertaking will be daunting. They will be attempting to break through a wall of silence that has been built up over decades. And they will uncovering crimes, and tragedies; the dark underbelly of Irish Catholicism, that I am sure will challenge any person's faith. Hopefully, as things come to the light of day, as the painful healing process begins for the Irish Church, there will be a rebirth of the faith; as I hope there will also be in here in Boston and the rest of America.

Image from the Boston Globe