Saturday, December 23, 2006
EMAIL FROM LEE PENN
I prepared an essay (linked below) as a reply/rebuttal to the December 15 call by the Pope's preacher, Fr. Cantalamessa, for a church-wide day of penance for the clergy abuse scandal.
In brief:
1. I agree that penance is necessary - but it should start with action by the church leadership. Without deeds by the responsible parties, the suggested words of contrition are empty.
2. Cantalamessa says that we are now "after the emergency" occasioned by the priestly predators. I strongly disagree, and explain why.
3. I propose 13 things that the Vatican and local bishops could do to resolve the scandal and provide justice to the victims and to the scandalized faithful.
4. At the end, I propose 4 things that the faithful should do ... whatever the Hierarchs do (or fail to do).
Here's the essay:
Cantalamessa Preaches Penance
http://www.mgr.org/CantalamessaPreachesPenance.html
Please feel free to quote my work, and to link to it, and to share the essay with others.
Justice is the foundation for peace ... at Christmas time and at all times.
Kyrie eleison!
Lee
