The safety of our Parish Family has been a consistent topic here, especially given just how much it keeps me awake at night. I briefly introduced the new doors that we will be instituting around campus on our Capital Campaign page, which will allow us to manage access while continuing to keep our church open and welcoming. This is only one of the many ways we are improving our facilities, our procedures, and our priorities to ensure we can all feel the warmth of our faith like a blanket protecting us from the world.
Last week, Our Holy Father saw fit to take another step in actively combating potential abusive situations in the church. He appointed Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston to the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Cardinal O’Malley is also the president of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. What happens when you put the oldest congregation of the leadership of the church, dedicated to the promotion of the doctrine of faith and morals with the organization dedicated to ensuring there is no longer any abuse in our Church? Hopefully, a continuation of the vision Pope Francis communicated when establishing this Commission:
The Commission’s specific task is to propose to me the most opportune initiatives for protecting minors and vulnerable adults, in order that we may do everything possible to ensure that crimes such as those which have occurred are no longer repeated in the Church. The Commission is to promote local responsibility in the particular Churches, uniting their efforts to those of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, for the protection of all children and vulnerable adults.
– Pope Francis 3/22/2014 (http://www.protectionofminors.va/content/tuteladeiminori/en/the-commission_section/our-mission_page.html)
What I love about this mission is that it is clear that Pope Francis is illustrating that it is us, the local Church, that is ultimately responsible for the safety of our Parish Family. So many ministries and members have taken this call to heart, actively ensuring our safe environment with background checks, following our “if you see something, say something” policy, and getting involved with those most in need both within our church and in our community.
Cardinal O’Malley became a Bishop of Palm Beach in 2002, immediately after his predecessor admitted to abusing minors, sending that Diocese into a tailspin. After actively combatting and cleaning up that Church, he was called to serve in an even more devastated area, taking over for Cardinal Bernard Law, who was removed from Boston due to the massive abuse scandal that rocked that city and our country. Cardinal O’Malley continued to showcase his ability to resolve such deep divisions and pain caused by the church with his passionate and engaging steadfastness.
The story of this scandal in Boston is the subject of our next Movie Night for Adults, Spotlight. The priority Pope Francis has placed on this subject requires every adult member of our Parish Family to experience this movie. Father Paul was directly impacted by this scandal as he was in Boston during the time that Spotlight takes place. He will join Father John and Father Bob for our screening on February 19, at 6:00 PM (immediately after the 5 PM Mass is completed). We will also have a discussion session the following week with the priests for those that would like to discuss the topic further. I can tell you that it would be too raw to talk about the movie immediately after watching it; I cannot imagine not being deeply and emotionally impacted by the movie, and I would not want to have that raw emotion spill out without the opportunity prayerful reflection.
I hope you will join us.