In Theory: Can the Catholic Church restore its image?

There are two mutually exclusive kinds of sorrow over sin — sorry you did it, and sorry you got caught. “For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but the sorrow of the world produces death.” (2 Corinthians 7:10). Which sorrow culpable Catholic priests and officials choose to exhibit, over the long run, will be the difference between salvation and death. And the emphasis here is “over the long run.” The offenses committed have been grievous, repeated, tolerated and even defended. They have caused deep, deep wounds and have been serious violations of trust. Any attempt at restoration will have to be even more serious, heart-felt, consistent and maybe even drastic.

John the Baptist warned the crowds to “bring forth fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matthew 3:8). In this case, I believe appropriate elements would include recompense to victims (I know, how can you fully? But you can at least try.), a full, public acknowledgment of the sins committed, a removal of perpetrators from ministry, and a demonstrated effort to screen out perpetrators.

God is serious and impartial when it comes to dealing with sin: “For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” (1 Peter 4:17).

Pastor Jon Barta
Valley Baptist Church
Burbank

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The Catholic Church should, for the sake of God, Christ, and everyone else, stop trying to restore its image.

This thing that it’s doing — trying to move forward by walking backward, unraveling even the meager advances of Vatican II and training up a new generation of bloodless, lifeless, humorless priests, all in the name of restoring an imagined image of righteousness — this isn’t a good answer. Circling the wagons tighter around denial isn’t what this moment of history is asking for.

This moment is asking for humility. For confession. For penance. These words sound familiar to us because they’ve been the lifeblood of the Catholic Church for centuries. If only this was the image they were trying to restore — the church as a community of humility, an arena for courageous truth in confession and outlandish trust in the hope of redemption — that’s a tradition worth restoring. That’s a boldness their people could be proud of.