irishtimes.com
24 August 2011
Bishop Philip Boyce of Raphoe. Photograph: David Sleator
STEVEN CARROLL
The Catholic Church is enduring a difficult time having been rocked by the barbs of a secular culture on the outside and the “sins and crimes of priests” within, Bishop Philip Boyce of Raphoe has said.
Dr Boyce, who has promised to soon publish a report into clerical abuse in the diocese, urged Catholics not to lose confidence in their faith and to act with hope and patience during difficult times for the church.
“The moment of history we live through in Ireland at present is certainly a testing one for the Church and for all of us,” Dr Boyce said.
“Attacked from the outside by the arrows of a secular and godless culture, rocked from the inside by the sins and crimes of priests and consecrated people, we all feel the temptation to lose confidence.”
Dr Boyce said the troubles seemed to be the worst ever for the church but that this was “simply because they are the ones we struggle through at present”.
Dr Boyce made the comments, which were not released to journalists until last night, during the Novena at Knock in Co Mayo at the weekend.
The review of the Raphoe diocese by the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic investigated all complaints or allegations of clerical child sex abuse made to the diocese from 1975 up to this year. It is expected to be published next month.
The diocese was previously accused of covering up abuse perpetrated by convicted paedophile Fr Eugene Greene, who served as a priest in Raphoe in the 1980s and early 1990s.
I read this from a world away the day after it was posted…so close and yet so far away! Is it just “moi” or does anyone else feel just a bit annoyed at the Bishop’s views on these “testing times for the church”…
the “barbs of a secular culture”…”secular and godless culture”…
and then “MOMENT in history we live THROUGH”… “the worst for the church…SIMPLY because they are the ones we struggle through at present”…
Sounds like the church has a tooth ache to get rid of!! Not a sound, not a whisper of regret, of contrition…a moment in HISTORY to get through and everything will be fine again.
I think I will take the secular culture and leave them with the godless culture, if this type of comment is representative of the church’s view on the matter.
We keep expecting more but I am starting to believe they are incapable of understanding. It is “a moment in HISTORY” for them, everything else is irrelevant.
I don’t believe the “testing” should end as long as this type disconnect can still be heard every time one of “them” comments or pretends to make amends.
They are a class apart and the rest of us are expendable. That is my understanding of this type of approach. …and it is all of OUR faults! Blame society, blame the victims, blame the times, blame the greed, blame the media, …did I forget any ??Feel free to add to the list, as there are probably more or more to come. They have all learned from the same “Book of excuses”…and don’t expect to find it in the Bible, yet!…
JG