Once Again, Diarmuid Martin Gets It
Over the past number of weeks, we have seen a number of enraged comments from Church officials relating to the role of the media in the sex abuse crisis. And sure, much of the reporting is motivated by anti-Catholicism, and much of it is simply unfair and inaccurate. But the venom directed against the media will surely backfire, and give the impression that the Church can get more passionate defending its institutional structure than the victims of abuse. But in his Easter Vigil homily (which I heard in person), archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin struck exactly the right note:
“In our days there is so much scrutiny and examination of the Church here in Ireland. There are exposés of the failings of the Church; there is questioning of the role of the Church in Irish society in the past and in whatever our future may be. The role of the Church in Ireland is being examined under a microscope and from every possible direction. The spotlight of media and public opinion is focused on the failures and the betrayals of Church leaders and a damaging culture which has grown up in the Church.
I am not criticising the media for that. That is their job. In doing their job some will feel the media have been unfriendly to the Church, even unfair; others will welcome and recognise valid criticism, from whatever angle it comes, even if it comes from people patently unfavourable to the Church. We have to remember that the truth will set the Church free, even if the truth is hard to digest.
Identifying the failures of the Church may however be the easier task. There will be some who will hope that such exposure will mortally would an organization which they consider has gone irreparably astray. But what of those who love the Church? How do we overcome our disgust and shame for the sins of Christians?
The sins of the Church can well be exposed by the spotlight of the media; but the Church will be converted, renewed and reformed only when it allows the light of Christ to inspire it and guide it. It is the light of Christ which will show the real significance of the darkness that has slipped into our lives. The light of Christ will expose the sins of Christians but the light of Christ does not abandon us naked and alone in the exposure of our shame and sin. The light of Christ heals, it leads; there is no way we can switch off or dim that part of the light that exposes the sad realities of the past; there is no way we should switch off or dim the light that can open the path to a new future. No generation is too sophisticated not to need the light of Christ; no generation is too sophisticated not to be able to comprehend that light and what it can bring to society.”
MM, Thank you for posting this! Once again, thanks to your Mother for loving you so you know what is Love.
Upon reading this I got the immediate impression that it is the Light of Christ that motivates everyone to seek the truth when harm has been committed against the innocent children. I believe that the media have been influenced by Light of Christ to shine a spotlight on those in the hierarchy and their supporters to reveal to each of them and us how fail to love as Christ Loves.
His Love and Mary’s Love have no limits. The media is not attacking the Church. I now firmly believe that the media is being used by Christ to reveal our sins.
I hear so many times on Catholic radio and tv that we have the fullness of the Truth, but, the truth is we “…can’t handle the Truth.”
Thank you, Ronald.
papabile?
Very good. Thanks.
I had the same thought, Brett, but he needs to become a cardinal first!
“And sure, much of the reporting is motivated by anti-Catholicism, and much of it is simply unfair and inaccurate. But the venom directed against the media will surely backfire, and give the impression that the Church can get more passionate defending its institutional structure than the victims of abuse.”
I agree. The defensiveness–admittedly reported through the media- coming out of Rome is sadly disturbing. Yes, the media can be biased; yes there are those who want the Church to be weakened (mortally wounded)…yes to all of this.
But all of that will be with us and the Church until the end of time. The reality today is that far too many bishops failed in their duties thus causing great harm directly to thousands and thousands of children and their families.
Our leaders need to apologize and apologize and apologize for this. The victims of this abuse need to be at the forefront of our prayers.
Interestingly instead of feeling discouraged, I find myself more in love with the Church now and more in love with the Eucharist. This is an opportunity for us to learn and lead in regards to redemption, and for the Church to strengthen its voice in speaking out against oppression and for the rights of the poor.
I pray our leaders can step back from their defensiveness (I can understand that reaction, but…) and truly guide and teach us about the love of God. In turn, we can do the same for them.
Unlike his predecessor, Cardinal Connell, Diarmuid Martin is very capable at PR, but his handling of the abuse crisis leaves a lot to be desired, particularly his “lay down and die” deference to the media monotone. Communicating with the auxiliary bishops firstly through the media was grossly impertinent and I fully understand their dismay.
Bishop O’Mahony strongly criticized Martin for this in his Letter to Members of the Council of Priests: “You were out of the Diocese for 31 years and had no idea how traumatic it was for those of us who had to deal with allegations without protocols or guidelines or experience in the matter of child sex abuse.”
Bishop O’Mahony is also annoyed by media and diocesan acceptance of a “cover up,” and points to a police investigation, in 2003, which found no sign of interference with evidence and no attempt to obstruct the course of justice.
He dislikes the way in which Martin did nothing to challenge certain conclusions of the Report, such as the Report’s allowing a ‘learning curve’ for other professsions, but not for clergy. He also criticizes Martin for doing “nothing to counteract the statement of the Murphy Report, widely circulated in the media that ‘the majority of clergy knew and did nothing’.
The majority of clergy in Dublin did in fact know nothing.
This was also echoed by Bishop Eamonn Walsh in his Letter to Dublin Priests of 3 Deaneries:
“
As a psychotherapist, and, more importantly, as a man, husband and father, there is within me a passionate connection to those I love in my immediate family and my family of friends. I have crossed fabricated boundries to help and defend those who I know have been harmed.
Bishops O’Mahony and Walsh failed at being men.