Introduction
Catholic Church is currently facing an allegation of sexual abuse. the moral issues are raised in the allegation. What is the reaction of the clergy? What is the reaction of the faithful?
In general, people believe that time changed and catholic needs to change. New customs have evolved. Standards of morality have changed. Society accepts behavior today that it would not tolerate yesterday. Yet, society does not determine acceptable behavior, God does! “O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps”(Jeremiah 10:23). Although the moral standards drastically changed sex remains a sin among Christian teachings. According to the bible Exodus 20:14, it says, “Do not commit adultery” although short and in the Old Testament it carries weight. In the New Testament James4:4 says “you adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the word is hatred towards God? Anyone who chooses to a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God” there are many other phrases from the bible about the same issues. They include Leviticus 19:18, Deut 5:18. In the 1Corinthians, 6: 13 talks about sexual immorality while the same in 7:1-19 talks about celibacy. This chapter is very crucial to the catholic faithful. As it states that it is good for a man not to marry for service to God but Paul talks of too much immorality and therefore a need for them to marry.
As we have seen Sex is a sin but of late we are seeing in national media about sexual abuse among Roman Catholic priests. This has begun receiving Unprecedented attention worldwide that is from Latin America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Africa. Then how are the Catholics reacting to such revelations? From the research they are affected by revelations of clergy sexual abuse and by revelations about Church, leaders’ handling of the problem has been a matter of intense debate since that time (Gray M. M. and Perl P.M, 2006).
For one to understand, the reactions of the church towards the allegations we need to examine the human behavioral response to the crisis. it is human to see people react towards the crisis in form of trying to cover up. Therefore, responses from people about the allegations of priesthood sexual misconduct should be expected to be cover-up since all of them are human.
This because human beings in response to shock or change, display signs of stress and adjustment — such things as anger, anxiety, sleeplessness, depression, frustration, loss of appetite, and lack of energy (Reynolds L. R, 2006). Much in the same way that parents sometimes have difficulty when their last child leaves home, people need time to react and adjust to changes. The adage that “time heals” often holds. However, in the case of scandal in the Church, people have not had a chance to heal and adjust due to the continual waves of new allegations (Reynolds L. R, 2006).
As an immediate response, some people have chosen to leave the Church. Doubt and distrust give them the impetus to discontinue their involvement in the formal Church. We need to hear from the neglected voices of those at the forefront, those who live the priesthood experience every day, who know the stresses, frustrations, and pressures inherent in clergy life. (Reynolds L. R, 2006).
What is the reaction of the public?
When people hear that some priests have sexually abused children, they may feel shocked and confused. Depending on their age and circumstances, they may focus on one or another aspect of the allegations. Here are a few of the things children may ask and talk about how someone
holy could do something so wrong sexual abuse of children, sexual behavior with people of one sex or the other, why adults break laws, what authorities should do when people do wrong things, why celibacy rules exist, why priests might commit sins and what happens when they do. For adolescents, there is a clear risk of cynicism and loss of confidence in adults they look up to, such as teachers, priests, counselors, coaches, and youth ministers. Individual children and adolescents will respond in particular ways, shaped by their developmental stage, their parents’ reactions, and the comments of their peers.
Catholic reactions
In his book Goodbye, Good Men, Michael Rose writes: The trouble starts in the seminary, and gross sexual immorality and the protective network formed around that immorality, is only one of the major issues that need to be forthrightly addressed by the Shepherds of the Catholic Church. All of this has sparked a great deal of questioning within the structures of the Church and among active laity as to what extent, if any, there is a connection between the rising numbers of homosexual priests and the clerical molestation of young male children and teens. The Vatican itself begs the question in statements made by its high officials declaring that homosexuals are not fit for the priesthood (Bascio P, 2004).
The confusion and amazement among the clergy at the formal Church’s disturbing lack of attention to its pedophilia and ephebophilia problems, while the present Pontiff was still strong and vigorous, is baffling at the least and deeply disturbing at worst. This ongoing drama of a Church too slow to respond to its clerics’ crimes against children makes me think the Church’s structure needs some modernizing.
Once a priest Bascio P (2004) wrote “I find it ironic that the Church has suffered the greatest credibility problem in its storied history under a Pope who proclaims extreme certainty in his theological views. The consternation is, of course, reflected in the priesthood, making this book a one-of-a-kind in the growing genre of literature on child molestation in the priesthood. What does the “man in the trenches” think about all of this? How does he feel in the public eye when so much suspicion is cast on his brother-priests? What does he think is the future of the Catholic priesthood? These and many other questions are addressed and answered in this treasure trove of clerical reflections”.
The above quote written by a priest shows that even some of the catholic insiders are not happy with what is happening within the church. From an article written by one of the church critiques Smith A. B. ( 2002) wrote “By stepping into the credibility gap created by Egan and his hierarchy’s complicity in sexual abuse crimes, the league’s lay Catholics have taken a piece of the hierarchy’s power. They’ve also grabbed a good chunk of its moral authority, too”
Perceptions from members of the church.
The Catholic Church research institute (CARA) carried out research and find out that
- Eighty-four percent of Catholics say they have paid at least “some attention” to the issue of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church (49 percent say they have paid “a great deal of attention”).
- Eighty-two percent of Catholics say they would be at least “somewhat interested” in a story about sexual abuse and the Catholic Church in the news on television, in print, or on the Internet (35 percent “strongly interested”).
- Yet fewer than one in five Catholics (18 percent) say they have looked specifically for recent news about the issue of sexual abuse within the last 30 days.
The minority of Catholics who admitted having little interest in media coverage of the sexual abuse issue were asked about possible reasons for the disinterest. The most common responses are lack of trust in the fairness and accuracy of the media (64 percent), already knowing the necessary details about the issue (58 percent), and feeling that the Church has dealt with the issue and that it is time to move on (58 percent).”
Conclusion
From researches, there is some evidence of expression of discontent among Catholic insiders and outsiders on how the church is reacting to sexual allegations within the church. Church members have become are critical of Church leaders and their handling of the issue of sex abuse in the Catholic Church. This has been seen through the formation of groups within the church. Secondly the emergence of priests like father Milano of Zimbabwe and the formation of a breakaway Catholic Church. However, the proportion of Catholics involved is relatively small. Some Catholics may be indirectly sending messages by stopping or reducing their giving to diocesan appeals. However, some of this reduction may be related to economic concerns as well.
Although most Catholics have expressed dissatisfaction with some aspects of the. The church is handling the issue of sexual abuse; most are also loyal to their faith in that they have not changed their patterns of Mass attendance or parish giving. Among the most positive Catholics are those who attend Mass often and those who say they have heard about steps Church leaders have taken to prevent abuse and to audit compliance with these new rules.
References
Bascio P (2004); A Crime of Innocence, the UN Was My Parish and The Failure of White Theology: A Black Theological Perspective
Gray M. M. and Perl P.M,( 2006). Catholic Reactions to the News of Sexual Abuse Cases Involving Catholic Clergy, Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) Georgetown University
John Jay College of Criminal Justice. 2006. 2006 Supplementary Report: The Nature and Scope of the Problem of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests and Deacons in the United States. Washington DC: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Lyons, Linda. 2005. “Protestants vs. Catholics: Who’s Got Religion?”. Gallup Poll News Service.
Reynolds L.R. (2006); Coming out & covering up: Catholic Priest talk about sex scandals in the church available at www.deadendstreet.com
Smith A. B. ( 2002) Sex in the (Catholic) City: Religion in the News Sexual abuse and the church: how parents teachers can help. The catholic is in the midst of a national tragedy and crisis.