Since there are some people in the Church who constantly fall back on, “I’m offended”, or some variation of that statement let me now state for the record; I’m offended too.

• I’m offended that when victims of clergy sexual abuse came forward with their complaints and allegations that nothing positive was done.
• I’m offended that Vicars for Priests, bishops and their minions failed to live the gospel values set forth by Christ.
• I’m offended that victims needed to get attorneys in order to finally be acknowledged and heard.
• I’m offended that when the shit hit the fan the reaction of Catholic hierarchy around the world was to go on the attack.
• I’m offended that as part of their attack those same men blamed the media.
• I’m offended that as part of their attack those same men blamed the victims.
• I’m offended that as part of their attack those same men blamed the victims attorneys.
• I’m offended that the Church I love was betrayed by a desire to build up earthly treasures as opposed to heavenly ones.
• I’m offended that dioceses played their, ‘blame everyone else’, game for eight years.  (That deserves to be emphatically repeated…8 years!)
• I’m offended that so many of “the faithful” bought into that blame game and now also blame the media, victims and victims lawyers.
• I’m offended that after Pope Benedict ordered the Church to stop blaming others and to take responsibility for the problem that diocese everywhere did not propagate that to the faithful as vigorously as they did the blaming of the problem on others.
• I’m offended that my diocese acted in such a slimy way, declaring bankruptcy rather than to face what they have done head on.  There is bankruptcy all right but it has nothing to do with money.
• I’m Offended that so many people do not grasp or even comprehend that this is a Church made scandal.
• I’m offended that so many of the so-called faithful do not see that rectifying this scandal and the abuse of power and resources that were brought to light is indeed dictated by the Gospel of Jesus  Christ.
• I’m offended that the words of Jesus Christ in Mt 23:33, “You serpents, you brood of vipers…”, still apply to our modern Church.
• I’m offended that I even had to write this stuff down. 

So save me any declarations of outrage and offense at people like me, (and I’m a priest), who are trying to get substantial healing for victims because we know unfocused monetary payoffs will not work.  I am offended by you.