I haven't been blogging lately, just don't seem to be able to find the time. However, with everything going on in the world lately...I see it as a good opportunity to make a comeback!
Today's Topic: The Vatican and the Pope
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In the spirit of full disclosure, I am a non-practicing Irish Roman Catholic. I was brought up in the church until I made my Confirmation, and then was allowed to make my own decisions. I am thankful to my parents for raising me that way, and I truly do believe in a higher power, if not the God that I worshiped as a child. My life experiences have molded my beliefs and I came to the conclusion that my God would not "require" me to worship Him in a church, that my God would not condone religious zealots, murdering abortion doctors or the meticulously amassed wealth of the Catholic Church.
That all being said, I have always maintained a distant loyalty to the church and a healthy respect for the pontiff. However, as the shame of the worldwide child molestation plague infests even the Pope, I have finally come to a point where I may wash my hands of the Catholic Church. It is one thing to systematically attempt to cover things up all these years (lest we forget that "Cardinal" Law is treated like a king at the Vatican these days), but when the holiest of the holy, the leader of our faith and the voice of God himself is implicated in the cover-up...well, it's just time to do the right thing.
The pedophile epidemic is nothing new to us here in the U.S., it is a permanent mark of shame on our country. But the rest of the world blamed our society for that shame. Now, the real truth comes out...Europe, Ireland and now Germany have shown that the infection was indeed worldwide. What is even worse is that the man responsible for allowing some of the molestations was then Cardinal Joseph Ratzniger...or as we know him now, Pope Benedict XVI. In 1980, he presided over a meeting of a priest accused of molesting children in Germany. He transferred the priest to another parish with no punishment. Six years later that priest was finally convicted of further molestations in his new parish. The Pope is responsible for those children being abused. I am ashamed to be a Catholic today. I am ashamed that my spiritual "leader" would accept the post knowing that he is complicit the rape and molestation of kids.
It is time that the Catholic Church itself is held responsible for these crimes. The Pope must do the right thing and step down. The victims must be compensated using the billions of dollars the church has in assets. I know this will never happen, but it is the right thing to do.
I feel for the thousands, if not tens of thousands of children that were abused. As for me, I am now more conflicted than ever. My faith has always existed on the edge of my existence, and now I don't even have that to count on. I have always, and continue to believe in a merciful higher power; but I also hope He is a vengeful God. If there is a God, I beg of you...damn these pedophiles and their protectors to an eternity of pain and suffering...and let it begin soon.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
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I hear ya Tim....I come from same kind of upbringing.....but as I have grown older, have found that religion and faith are completely
ReplyDeleteseparate things...and blind faith in anything leads in totally different issues....while I believe there is some omnipotent, omniscient being that has a plan or at least some answers to questions I have...I believe the higher power needs to start within each self or being....if not found there , won't be found anywhere....and while I find the tenets of the religion in which I was raised interesting from a historical perspective, I most times see them as a written version of the whisper game....and the beginnings of patriarchal society of secrets and abuses of power over the weaker
similar upbringing, similar beliefs, and equally confused as to how to belong to something that I did once belong to but now want really nothing to do with because of how children of many generations were treated.
ReplyDeleteI also find it tough when the older generations in my family continue to drop guilt here & there that I am not affiliated with a church anymore (especially with children, married, etc) and yet I find it curious that some relatives are no longer active church members and wonder if they too were 'hurt' along the way.
In raising my own family, I hope to expose them to MANY different religions, gods, and beliefs so that they can also chose at some point in their lives...safely.
I do believe that someone watches over me at times and helps me through good times & tough times, if its spirits, gods, old-souls, I'm not sure what. And mostly, that higher power is within me when I find the strength.
Two comments about Catholicism stick out in my mind often...one came from an ex-boyfriend I brought to a Catholic Wedding (who was brought up Atheist) and said...this place is like a CULT. Repeating, chanting, repeating. And the other was from a relative, who is 101 years old and a serious devout Catholic, she said...don't worry about going to church to pray, that's what old people do for the young.
I can't believe I just rambled on your blog on a Sunday morning, the new church in our house is a diner for breakfast.
thanks for the thought ramble~