Winnipeg Free Press
By: Colin Perkel, THE CANADIAN PRESS
18/04/2010 12:36 PM | Comments: 12
Archbishop Thomas Collins starts communion at St. Michael’s Cathedral in Toronto on Jan. 30, 2007. (RENE JOHNSTON / THE CANADIAN PRESS)
TORONTO – Sexual-abuse scandals rocking the Roman Catholic church are “dramatic exceptions” to the good work done by most priests, the archbishop of Canada’s largest archdiocese said Sunday.
In a pastoral message delivered to churchgoers across the archdiocese, Thomas Collins said the clergy and lay people should not be discouraged by the seemingly endless stream of victims.
“These scandals are dramatic exceptions to the fundamental reality of priestly goodness, for almost all priests serve faithfully,” Collins said.
“But just one priest gone wrong causes great suffering, and as we hear of evil done by some clergy in our own communities and around the world, we are all filled with dismay.”
The pastoral message was given to priests to deliver as the homily at Sunday mass in all 225 parishes of the Toronto archdiocese, which is home to 1.9 million Catholics.
Mary Lozowsky, of Brampton, Ont., said she was encouraged by what she heard, particularly Collins’ admission the church had “failed.”
He didn’t try to blame the victims, she said.
“There was no counter-attack in this – it was not a defensive response,” Lozowsky said.
“I thought it was honest.”
Also Sunday, Pope Benedict met a group of clerical sex-abuse victims in Malta.
The pontiff promised them the church would do everything in its power to bring justice to victims and protect young people in the future.
Benedict also expressed shame and sorrow at the pain the men suffered, the Vatican said.
Among allegations that have emerged in recent weeks was that the diocese of Pembroke in eastern Ontario conspired with the Vatican to cover up sex-abuse accusations.
In that case, a letter from the bishop of the diocese written in 1993 indicated a church official – later jailed in Ontario – was promoted to a top Vatican post despite knowing about several complaints about his conduct.
Collins called the situation “painful” as he acknowledged the impact of the scandals on the church.
“It seems that not a day has gone by in recent weeks without hearing of Catholic priests who have sexually abused those entrusted to their care, or of the failure of their superiors to deal rightly with that,” he said.
“In the face of this constant criticism, Catholic clergy and lay people alike can feel discouraged, angry, confused, and ashamed.”
However, he noted that much of the abuse happened many years ago, and said measures have been put in place to make the church safer.
At the same time, he said, his archdiocese is looking to update its protocols – first introduced in 1989 – to deal with accusations of misconduct.
He said he would be asking a group of lay people experienced in youth, psychology, legal issues and ethics to recommend changes to make the protocol more effective.
In addition, he said, priests and others involved in pastoral service in the archdiocese will gather this fall to discuss more fully about how to best respond to sexual abuse in the Church and in society.
Lozowsky said she was pleased the church is talking about ways to prevent future abuse and cover-ups of complaints.
The Toronto archdiocese put a video of Collins’ message on its website along with text copies translated in five languages so it would be as accessible as possible, a spokesman said.
12 Comments
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Posted by: vue
April 19, 2010 at 10:18 AM
Dsaint, first off you wrote “we can’t rewrite god’s laws” not “we can’t rewrite god’s will”. Two very different things.
And second, yes I know you admitted to sinning because of your dirty thoughts, so how do you get Christ to forgive you? How do homosexuals get Christ’s forgiveness? Doesn’t the church say he will forgive all those who repent? In other words only those feel guilty or “bad” can truly repent and receive forgiveness from Jesus. Or is my flouride riddled brain missing something?
Posted by: dsaint
April 19, 2010 at 1:39 AM
@Vue
Way to twist what I said. [edited] I never said “all gay people should feel bad about being gay.” You took my view and twisted to your anti-god pro-gay agenda. Where does it say that? Where? Scroll down and look again. “In other words.” If i wanted to use the words you did, I would have. I made it pretty clear in my post the heterosexuals are sinners too! I have dirty thought all the time, so I’m a big sinner! You happy now! Let him who is without sin cast the first stone…
Just because a government rewrites it’s stance on marriage does not mean God’s will has been rewritten.
Your post is just wow. Your not suppose to ingest the fluoride.
Posted by: vue
April 18, 2010 at 11:05 PM
I do agree that the child abusing priests are the exception to the rule, however the cover-up is what is most alarming. How many more “exceptions” are currently being covered up? How many children are being abused right now? How many others know about current abusers yet will not turn them in?<br><br>There is evidence that Toyota knew about their throttle problem well before they recalled any vehicles, and the government and consumers are demanding fines, and investigating criminal charges. The Pope himself covered up abuse, and he is denouncing the media for revealing the story. Where are his criminal charges?<br><br>dsaint, you say priests should be allowed to be married, but just not to same sex partners. [edited]<br>Also, you say “all sins can be forgiven through Christ”, but to be forgiven, you need to ask for forgiveness, you need to repent your sins. In other words all gays should feel bad for being gay. Being gay is only wrong to the religious bigots. <br>One more also, god’s laws have been rewritten many times, for example, it used to be illegal for gays to marry here in Canada because god said so. It was rewritten. Gays can now marry.
Posted by: Rover
April 18, 2010 at 9:16 PM
Never mind the letters to be read on Sunday morning with the kind words.
I have yet to see a Cardinal or Bishop defrocked or turned over to the police for criminal charges where they covered up or facilitated the continuing abuse. The Cardinal in Boston became such a “problem” that he was transferred to a nice job in the Vatican. He should have been taken away in handcuffs.
Posted by: eman
April 18, 2010 at 8:23 PM
until priests can come out gay or straight and no longer celibate, little boys will grow up hating themselves because they have bodily urges. There is something seriously wrong when a celibate profession attracts pedophiles and in the year 2010 they are not even close to a solution or earning the forgiveness for millions. Forgiveness? Not until the perpetrator and the enablers do some serious time in prison and that rarely happens. The pope must resign,, but finding a replacement with clean hands and has the guts to really clean up in impossible.
Posted by: Intangible
April 18, 2010 at 7:21 PM
“However, he noted that much of the abuse happened many years ago, and said measures have been put in place to make the church safer.” Oh really. Not safe enough, apparently. Those measures were implemented in ’89 yet in ’93 they ignored a report about an abusive priest who had been “promoted to a top Vatican post.” Great, reward the pedophiles. That’s some protocol.
Posted by: null
April 18, 2010 at 4:09 PM
.
“These scandals are dramatic exceptions to the fundamental reality of priestly goodness…”
……….Most everyone believes that.
“But just one priest gone wrong causes great suffering, and as we hear of evil done by some clergy in our own communities and around the world, we are all filled with dismay.”
……….Dismay… that’s a strange thing to feel. I would exoect they’d be filled with disgust and anger and absolute horror when they found out that the penalty was a mere relocation to another city….
.
Posted by: dsaint
April 18, 2010 at 4:04 PM
I was born and raised Catholic but now just consider myself Christian. It’s about the relationship not the religion.
@eman I don’t know if the church condemns all gays to hell. In fact I doubt that. Can you provide a source? Scripture says all sins can be forgiven through Christ. It’s kind of the point.
Sin you say. Your probably thinking I’m a Christian bigot. Well as a heterosexual, even when I THINK about a woman in the wrong way I am sinning. So chill.
I do think priests should be allowed to marry but not to other men. Their should also be women priests and GAY priests in civil unions.
We can’t rewrite God’s laws for men’s wants.
If you think I’m a fool for believing in God, three words…Near death experience. You won’t shake my faith.
Look for the movie “Shadow Governmet” where the pirates roam. Great movie about this surveilance beast grid we are setting up and how it relates to bible prophecy.
Posted by: macboy
April 18, 2010 at 4:03 PM
“dramatic exceptions”, huh? There seems to be a new country coming forward every week!
Posted by: null
April 18, 2010 at 3:45 PM
So the Catholic Church should change its doctrine so that it would regain the respect of Eman. With such stupid Ideas you can keep your respect. I have known and asosiated in my seventy one years with more priest and Religous persons then most people. I have never met one who would take advantage of a young child or indeed any other person. I know a few that was pursued by women in the parish but to my knowledge always remained faithfull to there vocation. So the Bishop is right these men who abuse there calling are the exception not the rule.
Posted by: eman
April 18, 2010 at 2:38 PM
The only things that regain my respect for the CC would be if the church ordained gay marriage and the pope presided over the union of two priests in the Sistine Chapel followed by a gay parade through Vatican City instead of condemning all gays to hell.
Posted by: kapjam
April 18, 2010 at 1:42 PM
Sure, just one priest .. and what do you call the others who knew about it and enabled it to continue?
The only “exception” to the norm here is when a priest gets caught.