Our day of darkness

     Since the last post, the Grand Jury Report on the sexual abuse of children in Pennsylvania over the last seventy years was released.  It is a time of darkness for the Church, a day of sorrow, scandal and disgust.  For those who are the victims of abuse through these priests, it hopefully is a time of vindication and a moment of healing grace.  The Diocese of Greensburg had twenty priests listed as abusers.  Reading what they did, in some cases a few times to multiple sins and crimes, was devastating and disgusting.  I am embarrassed for the Church and filled with concern for my brothers who through the grace of God have remained faithful to our call.  But most of all, my heart goes out to those who were harmed by these priests.

     As I mentioned in the beginning of this series of posts "A Sign of Hope", this is the scandal of the Cross that Jesus was preparing him followers for when he took them to the mountain top and was transfigured before them, giving them a glimpse of his glory which would see them through their dark hour.   The report of "Higher Standards" of our diocese that I am sharing allows us to see the Church of the Grand Jury Report as not being today's Catholic Church.  We have made strides over the last thirty years that help us to better protect God's children and be vigilant in our effort to correct the failures of the past.

     All of our priests, employees and volunteers who work with children in the Diocese for the past fifteen years, more than 15,000, must go through these procedures.  They must have background checks: a PA Criminal Background check ... a PA Child Abuse History clearance ... a FBI Fingerprint check ... they must read and sign the Pastoral Code of Conduct for the Diocese of Greensburg ... they attend the PA Mandated Reporter Training Course ... they must take part in VIRTUS (the National Catholic online training program to combat child abuse).  A Bishop's Delegate is available to hear and accept reports of abuse and Childline is also available for reporting.  Their numbers and the encouragement to report abuse are regularly publicized in the diocesan paper and in all of the parish bulletins.

     We do more than any other organization for Child Abuse Survivors by offering counseling no matter when, where or by whom it occurred.

     Can this make up for the crimes of the past?  Obviously not.  Is this enough for the moment?  No, but it is a beginning that has been in place for years and continues to be evaluated and updated.  Will this solve the problem?  Probably not completely, but we hope and pray so.  The last reported incident occurred  twenty-five years ago.  May there never be another in the future of this Diocese.

     As Bishop Malesic says in his introduction to the Diocesan Report on Higher Standards: "We believe that we will get through this time of suffering if we remain in Jesus and allow him to remain in us.  Apart from Him, we can do nothing.  With Him, even the impossible becomes doable."