If you care about something don’t you make it a priority in your life?  If you care about your relationship with God don’t you prioritize your time and actions to pray daily and follow God’s teachings especially in a world that teaches that what is clearly wrong, and against God, is right? The Church, from Pope Francis on down, seem to not give a hoot about the victims of sexual abuse.  Why do I say that? How do I say that?

A new article sent to me, from God-Know-Where, highlights that the pope is quietly lessoning sanctions for sex abusers, both sanctions already levied and new sanctions imposed.  The article states that it is the spirit of mercy.  What?  That is insane. Mercy has nothing to do with sanctions imposed on someone who both broke the law and went against God’s teachings.

For instance; what if I took a rubber hose with me to a penance service and started beating the pennatents with that hose. Would I be removed from my priestly duties by my bishop? Probably. Would I be accused of being unfit for the priesthood. Yes, and rightfully so.  Would those consequences be removed out of some misplaced sense of mercy? The people that I struck and physically injured not to mention psychologically and spiritually injured would be incensed that what happened to them was dismissed and they had no say in what happened to me after the rampage. Yes get me help because I need it, that is merciful, but don’t put me back in a position where I could injure people once again, that is not mercy  it is insanity.

Where is the mercy for the victims of sexual abuse at the hands of clergy? Yes get the abusers help because they truly need it, but to not do anything and then have the gall to call it mercy.  It is far from mercy it is cowardess. Worse than cowardess, it is re-traumatizing to victims…and not even the pope cares.  But if you are a young cleric in traditional clerical clothing you are excoriated in a homily. The application seems like a demonic application of mercy. It certainly isn’t a consistent one.