After the previous post about the prophetic voice of the church, it was quite timely to see Pope Benedict’s comments on his first American journey. He spoke out very strongly against the sin the church had suffered at the hands of her priests. He spoke out against the mishandling of these cases by many bishops and cardinals throughout America (See CNN’s coverage). He is attempting to rebuild the moral foundation for the prophetic voice of the Catholic Church. He then goes on to state very prophetically, “What does it mean to speak of child protection when pornography and violence can be viewed in so many homes through media widely available today?” What a statement! This is what I love about the Catholic Church, they are clear on their positions (not all of which I agree with). The Pope’s speech is clear when asks how we can fret over molestation and abuse when we celebrate it in our media! He speaks in the tradition of the prophets, against culture and gives a way of life to those who are seeking. He serves as the moral compass and the voice in the wilderness calling people to God. There has been great sin at the hands of many priests, it has been a disgrace to Catholics - to all Christians. This honesty, humility, repentance, and perseverance to rise above will carry this message and this pope a long way in being a minister of God in the prophetic tradition.
April 16, 2008
