Darkness versus Light.  Even though it does seem that in our present age that darkness has not only infiltrated every corner of the world; political, religious, social but that darkness is winning.  Darkness will never win, God will not allow Darkness to win. Since God is the burning light of truth it will always be the truth, the light, that wins.

As I often tell parishioners, we may not see it in our lifetimes but God always wins. It does often seem that we are on the precipice of disaster but then we must define disaster.  Is it a disaster that currently eight states; New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Vermont, Illinois, Missouri, Michigan, Nebraska and New Mexico are calling for investigations of the Catholic Church and the cover-ups involving sex abuse? I think it is God shining light in the darkness.  Is it a disaster that a group of wealthy Catholics is bankrolling a study of the cardinals from around the world to see how involved they are in corruption and cover-ups of sexual abuse…how many have turned a blind eye to actively homosexual clergy?   I think it is God shining light in the darkness. There are myriads of examples and some of them have bishops and clergy running scared.  Is that a disaster? I don’t think so. I think it is God shining light in the darkness. 

When we, the ordained, we are  lowly deacons, (said tongue firmly in cheek), we knew that we would have to commit to being celibate for the rest of our lives.  What does that mean? It means we won’t marry.  Along with celibacy is chastity, no genital sexual expression, with anyone…ever.

It is very different for a priest to fall as he’s struggling with chastity but something completely different to disregard celibacy/chastity and live a double life both embracing some sort of sexual expression with another and projecting that you are living the single solitary life of a priest. The two cannot be reconciled.  It does not matter if it is a woman or a man, it is not allowed.  (Ignoring that sexual expression between men is disavowed by the Church, as is any sexual expression between an unmarried man and woman.) If the ‘fall’ is with someone underage then it too is a monumental problem.

Is the the next scandal, priests, their concubines along with their illegitimate spawn????  The light will win! The truth will win! God will win, God always does.