EDITORIAL A BISHOP ACCUSED: A Scripture passage might have crossed the minds of many Catholics over the past week: "I shall strike the shepherd," Jesus said in the Garden of Gethsemane, "and the sheep of the flock will be scattered" (Mt 26:31). It has been a painful week to be a Catholic in the Albany Diocese. After two years of coping with the news of the child abuse scandal and seeing their Diocese institute multiple mechanisms to correct that crisis, many Catholics must have thought they were reaching the end of an arduous journey. Then they were confronted with two accusations of sexual misconduct against their spiritual leader, Bishop Howard J. Hubbard. Some Catholics, hearing his resolute denials, reacted to the claims by immediately standing with the Bishop. Such people know him as a man of integrity and honesty. His unequivocal statements at last week's press conference were enough for them; and they responded with messages of support, petition campaigns and purple ribbons that denote their loyalty. But the abuse scandal has riddled other Catholics with skepticism and doubt. After all, they argue, some priests they trusted for years have admitted they abused minors. Even when such people grant that the Bishop is innocent until proven guilty, their doubts linger and probably will continue until an investigation comes to a conclusion. In the meantime, we urge such Catholics to practice the virtue of patience with more diligence than ever before. At his press conference, Bishop Hubbard asserted, "I have every confidence in God's providence, and I am sure that truth and justice will prevail." But that fulfillment may take some time. In 1993, Cardinal Joseph Bernardin of Chicago was accused of sexually abusing a seminarian some 20 years before. He immediately denied the accusation but then had to wait nearly four months before his accuser admitted that he had lied. Without such a retraction, the time would have dragged on and on. After all, how does anyone prove that he or she didn't do something a quarter of a century ago? How would you if you were accused? As time passes and the cases inexorably unfold, the patience of Catholics must hold as firm as their faith. Those virtues can buoy supporters and doubters alike. (2/12/04) |