I was sent a meme that sums up what it is the Catholic laity would like as well as a majority of clergy.  It says, “we’re not accepting verbal apologies this year, only changed behavior” I for one am tired of apologie after apologie and no change of action from the men who run the Church both universally and on the diocesan level.  

There was a song when I was young sung by the group Berlin titled, “No More Words”, a  song written by John Buckner Crawford.  Some of the lyrics apply. “Remember when the words were new/ they carried a meaning a feeling so new./…No more words (and no more promises)  That is all we are getting from the Church’s talking heads. ENOUGH! We need changed behavior because words and promises have been proven meaningless.

A few resignations and a slew of laicization’s do not help people who were sexually abused by priests or in anyway help the laity who have been thrust into this filth and oftentimes forced to choose sides.

If I knew the answer to this conundrum I certainly would share it.  Throwing money at victims does not work. That action neglects the laity in the pews.  Laicizing clerics does not help the laity or the abused. Theodore Cardinal McCarrick is now Mr. McCarrick…big deal.  And now because this filth has gone on for so long both the laity, who are victims of this filth, and the actual people who have been molested have not been served well by the Church.

We have a pontiff who is big on the mercy of God and on surprises of/by the Holy Spirit, so surprise us and like the meme says, “we’re not accepting verbal apologies this year, only changed behavior”