Be the Fire – September 26, 2018

We gathered Tuesday evening for a Parish Conversation about the clergy sex abuse crisis.  It was a small group: a couple dozen parishioners, Father Steve, the parish staff and our two moderators, Jim Caccamo and Jenifer Valenti.

Jim is an educator and advocate for children and a former member of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph Independent Review Board .  Jenifer Valenti is a former prosecutor and the current Independent Ombudsman for the Diocese.  In her role she receives and investigates all allegations of sexual abuse of a minor or a vulnerable adult perpetrated by an employee, volunteer, priest or deacon in the Diocese.

They described for us what-is-supposed-to-happen when a priest is accused of abusing (or violating an appropriate, healthy boundary with) a child, teen or vulnerable adult. And they spoke honestly about the church’s failure – in our diocese, in the US and worldwide – to protect children.

They asked us questions:  What are you feeling? How does the current situation impact your identity as a Catholic? What would you like to say to the hierarchy – Local and National? What would you need to hear them say/see them do? Why stay Catholic?

And they gave us a charge:  Be the Fire.  Demand change.  Prophesy.  We as Catholics may disagree about many things, but the tragic abuse of children, teens and vulnerable adults and the systematic and criminal cover-up by bishops, archbishops and cardinals is a unifying moral issue.  We must speak the truth with love to power.  The church must change.

One suggestions:  write to Bishop Johnston and Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.  They need to hear from us – what we’re thinking, what we’re feeling, and the changes we believe are necessary.

Most Rev. James V. Johnston, Jr., Bishop
Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph
The Catholic Center
PO Box 419037
KCMO  64141
bishopsoffice@diocesekcsj.org

His Eminence Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo
Archbishop of Galveston-Houston
President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
USCCB
3211 Fourth Street NE
Washington, DC  20017

And let us keep praying:
Lord Jesus, stir up within me the fullness of your Holy Spirit.  Help me to grow in a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit so I can live in Your power and use Your gifts to make this world a better place.