We got home in the middle of the night- didn’t even bother unpacking the car – just home sweet home and into bed 🙂
As strange as it may sound, the funeral was beautiful, and with it came the added bonus of seeing our daughter and her family whom we haven’t see since Christmas. We all parted ways yesterday with them heading on the long run to their new home in Nebrasaka, 1200 miles West, and we heading back to Ottawa, 500 miles North East. As was previously planned before the unexpected death of our son-in-law’s father, we will be heading off to Nebraska in a few weeks to both visit and lend a helping hand as they move into their new home.
So, up we got this morning to empty the car, unpack suitcases, water the thirsty plants and just generally get sorted out settled back in.
And now a chance to catch up on the site 🙂
I will start by posting articles of interest which need posting. (I had just posted one when suitcases started arriving on the landing so decided best I get on with getting squared away in the house and then get back to working on Sylvia’s Site.)
The one article I managed to get posted was the one regrading the Holy Father’s video address to the Eucharistic Congress in Ireland. I am just getting the video ready to post now and will make note when it is on the site.
I believe that it was an extremely poor choice of words for the Pope to tell those attending the International Eucharistic Congress in Ireland that it is a “mystery” why priests and those living the consecrated life sexually abuse. Those clergy who prey on others have lost their faith, or never had it to begin with. No priest who loves God, Church, and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and believes in Sacrament of Confession, and spends his life working for the salvation of souls would harm a child or any other vulnerable soul in such fashion, nor would they deem themselves fit to be called a priest. It’s an oxymoron to be both a priest and a sexual predator. The mystery to me is why those who are not predators protect and excuse and rationalize the behaviour of those who are.
And speaking of clerical sexual predators and mysteries, it’s a mystery to me that we Roman Catholics in Canada must endure the continuing cover-ups which are integral to “conciliation” deals/settlements, i.e. the one under way right now in the Archdiocese of Moncton which promises to replicate that wrought by Michel Bastarache for the Diocese of Bathurst. Such a ‘sweet’ deal for any diocese would never be allowed to see the light of day in the United States or Ireland, but, for some mysterious reasons, here in Canada we are expected to rejoice in the secrecy.
Please understand that I am not at all adverse to seeing the victims compensated, nor am I adverse to retaining a victim’s anonymity, but I am adverse to concealing the facts and the identities of both the predators and their enablers. Victims can, should and must be compensated, and everyone knows very well that there are ways to report on the abuse and cover-up in a diocese without sacrificing the desire of victims to retain their anonymity. I have often reported facts and done so in such a way that I retained the anonymity of a victim who requested such. It can be done. There is absolutely no need for the secrecy which surrounds and seems inherent in these deals. None. And it is totally inappropriate to blame sit on the victims by pretending that this secrecy is wrought through their desire for anonymity. All Catholics in Canada have a need and a right to be able to put what happened in their diocese and in this country over the past 50 or 60 years into perspective. If we had wolves in sheep’s clothing masquerading as holy men of God, we should know. If any were bishops, we should know. If any were Vicars General or Chancellors, we should know. If any were recycled within a diocese, we should know. If any were recycled to another diocese, or were brought in from another diocese, we should know. If any were teaching at universities, or seminaries, or in schools, we should know.
So, yes, it is a mystery, is it not? Why is there a cover-up of the truth underway in the Archdiocese of Moncton right now? Why was there a cover-up of the truth in the Diocese of Moncton? Why?
Anyway, I will get on with posting and catching up on emails
Enough for now
Sylvia