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Priest challenges Church to heal 'serious, scandalous' wound of abuse In one of three major talks at a March 29 symposium on the clergy sex abuse scandal, Rev. Donald Cozzens called on the Catholic Church to examine the "true nature, depth and scope" of the crisis. Doing so, he said, will demand a commitment by Church leadership to transparency, accountability and fostering lay involvement. The symposium was held at Siena College in Loudonville. Father Cozzens is a professor of religious studies at John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio, and author of "Sacred Silence: Denial and the Crisis in the Catholic Church." Information needed Calling the abuse crisis "a serious, scandalous wound," Father Cozzens said that healing will begin when bishops seek more data about abusive priests. "We Catholics still do not know the scope of clergy abuse of minors and children," he said. "I am not talking about names; I'm talking about numbers. We still don't know what percentage of priests are abusers" or how that number compares with society in general. He observed that the lack of information may come from a deep-seated denial by bishops, which prevents them from delving into the scandal. "We seem to have failed to learn," he noted, "that the scope of the scandal will eventually come out. The sooner the true extent of the abuse becomes generally known, the better off all parties will be." Money The priest also asked Church authorities to be open about the financial cost of the scandal. Many Catholics, he noted, "are coming to see that the resources of a diocese are their resources. Since it is their money, they want to know where it goes and how decisions are made to allocate it. These Catholic men and women believe they have a right to such information." That information, he continued, should include not only the amount of money paid to victims for counseling or as settlements, but also the amount spent to counsel priests, pay lawyers and hire public relations firms. Laity's role Noting that Catholic laity are "well educated and quite articulate," Father Cozzens said that they must be "treated as adults," which includes allowing them to take their rightful place as baptized members of the Church. "Catholics understand that through the Sacrament of Baptism, they are full and equal members of the Church," he said. "The anger, even rage, expressed by Catholics of many different ideological stripes over [the scandal] has signaled a most significant change in the attitude of Catholics vis-a-vis Church authority. The day has passed when it is assumed that 'Father knows best.'" Father Cozzens predicted that one sign of lay involvement will be watchful Catholics who will follow how bishops deal with the scandal and who will demand accountability from the hierarchy. "The laity may well step up and assume their birthright as full, adult members of their respective churches," he said. "Here lies the hope of the future. They deserve to be heard, respected and encouraged. They are God's gift to our troubled Church." Systemic problem? The priest concluded by asking if the crisis is the result of individual priests who committed crimes or of something more systemic that must be rooted out of the Church. "We need to examine how ministers of the Word of God can rationalize, often without remorse, their sexually abusive behavior with our young," he noted. "Church authorities have yet to study carefully the rationalizations of abusers and their understanding of chastity and celibacy. The results of such studies would be disturbing, perhaps profoundly disturbing, yet essential to any long-term resolution to the present scandal." (4/3/2003) |