I have been sitting on this for a day. I am upset.
Look at these:
02 July 2010: Forgiveness but no comeback for Mixa: Pope
01 July 2010: Pope lays out terms for accused German bishop
Is this a heads up of Pope Benedict’s charitable tolerance for episcopal sexual predators?
Lest we forget, it is less than two weeks since we got word that Bishop Walter Mixa (Augsburg, Germany) is a sexual predator, allegedly preying on young seminarians:
21 June 2010: Walter Mixa, German bishop and ally of the Pope, faces new child abuse allegations
Is the above account in error? If not, then clearly Mix has been on the sexual prowl for years.
But now we learn that the Holy Father is prepared to unleash this man on the faithful – after a wee spell of prayer, treatment and reconciliation?
True enough Mixa has lost his “seat” in Augsburg. But the Pope is actually prepared to allow this man to return to patoral duties. That would include saying Mass, hearing confessions and in general publicly misrepresenting himself yet again as a holy man of God?
“Great is the dignity of priests; but also, when they sin, great is their ruin.”
Those are the words from the 5th century – spoken by St. Jerome, a great Saint and Doctor of the Church.
Mixa wrought his own ruin. He is not fit to function as a priest, never mind as a bishop.
A thought….
Why does Mixa so desperately want to back?
Why is he not overwhelmed by his sins? Why is not reduced to tears over the scandal he has caused? Why is he not begging forgiveness of those who faith has been shattered because of his sins?
No. There’s none of that. He wants back!
For me, that alone speaks volumes.
And the Holy Father wants the German faithful to find “open ears and hearts”? to allow this man to masquerade as a holy man of God?
I am disgusted.
What a sacrilege!
What an insult to the God!
What an insult to the faithful!
“Above all, the Supreme Pontiff asks his [Mixa’s] confreres in the episcopal ministry to offer Bishop Mixa, more than in the past, their friendship and closeness, their understanding, and their help to find the right path,”
Is it all the fault of the other bishops? is that it? are we to presume that Mixa sinned because his confreres weren’t nice to him? are we to presume that it is the task of bishop’s to keep a fellow bishop from sexually harassing seminarians?
This is ridiculous. If a bishop of the Church is incapable of finding the “right path” how did he ever make it to bishop?
Another thing: I think common sense says and it goes without saying that if Mixa was busily propositioning young seminarians he may have been up to other things?
I can say no more.
Sorry, one more thought. I hope and pray that the Roman Catholics of Germany protest loudly and clearly
Enough for now,
Sylvia
P.S.
“Whoever leads people on the road of virtue must himself be blameless” (St. Isidore)
“By bad priests who are His ministers Jesus Christ is covered with shame” (St. Augustine)
“There is not in the whole world a monster to be compared with a priest in a state of sin, for the unfortunate man will not bear with correction.” (St. Jerome)
“When laypersons sin, they ealsy amend. As for priests, once bad they are incorrigible” (St. John Chrysostom)