Sex abuse, an internal justice problem?

Catholic New Times, June 20, 2004 by Greg O'Connor

In any organization, the highest priority is its very existence tomorrow, next month or five years from now. When an organization senses its existence is threatened, it will respond by protecting itself in whatever way it can.

In the sex abuse scandal, good and evil in the Catholic Church have been ignored as the Church has struggled with threats to its future. This is organizational/institutional evil.

Bishops and priests have denied and concealed this evil. To change this abysmal history in the Catholic Church, we need to accept that as an organization/institution, the church has chosen evil over goodness. The church needs to confront evil on our behalf. Spiritual healing is needed for all involved particularly by church leaders. There are many related issues such as celibacy and women's rights.

When will the grass roots members of the faith community be given a voice? Perhaps the Church is in need of its own miracle. Maybe this is our internal social justice problem.

Greg O'Connor,

Kitchener, Ont.