Yesterday was a day for questions.
As it turns out, there were stories of two Catholic bishops in the news. The first concerned the former Bishop of Antigonish, who has been in the news across Canada in recent months, ever since he was stopped by Border Control officials at the Ottawa airport for posession of child pornography. Two years and some months later, he was officially sentenced yesterday, but the judge freed him from prison because he has already served his time.
Although his time in court is now complete, he still has to wait for the Vatican's decision to be rendered. Archbishop Martin Currie (Saint John's, NF) explained to CBC News that There are three possibilities. First would be dismissal from the clerical state altogether. Secondly, he could be sentenced to a life of prayer and penance in a monastery, which in a sense would be house arrest. A third would be that he may be able to celebrate eucharist privately, but he would not be able to identify himself as a cleric by title, by address or by association.
Meanwhile, the Vatican accepted a resignation from pastoral governance presented by one of the Auxiliary Bishops of Los Angeles yesterday, following his own admission that he has fathered two children who are now teenagers. Although the Eastern rites of the Church do permit their clergy to be married, Roman Catholic clergy have taken vows or promises to live celebate lives, at least since the seventh century.
Many modern-day Catholics have been disillusioned by the human frailty among the Church's leadership which has been brought to the light of public scrutiny over the past number of years. The Church in Canada, and in other parts of the world has put into place a number of protocols and measures to deal with cases of sexual abuse. In and of itself, no protocols will repair the damage done to the trust of those who have watched this reality unfold, but every measure of protection is worth the effort because every human being is created in the image and likeness of God.
This morning, the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued an explanatory note in which it announced the forthcoming publication (due on Saturday of this week) of guidelines and recommendations for the observance of a special Year of Faith which will take place from October 11, 2012 to November 24, 2013.
Faced with the doubts which are resident in so many hearts, especially in light of the evidence of human frailty, it is perhaps a sign of hope that the Church is being invited to a special time of grace and deepening of our faith. We can only hope and pray that this will also be a time of healing and of renewal for disheartened and wounded souls.
As it turns out, there were stories of two Catholic bishops in the news. The first concerned the former Bishop of Antigonish, who has been in the news across Canada in recent months, ever since he was stopped by Border Control officials at the Ottawa airport for posession of child pornography. Two years and some months later, he was officially sentenced yesterday, but the judge freed him from prison because he has already served his time.
Although his time in court is now complete, he still has to wait for the Vatican's decision to be rendered. Archbishop Martin Currie (Saint John's, NF) explained to CBC News that There are three possibilities. First would be dismissal from the clerical state altogether. Secondly, he could be sentenced to a life of prayer and penance in a monastery, which in a sense would be house arrest. A third would be that he may be able to celebrate eucharist privately, but he would not be able to identify himself as a cleric by title, by address or by association.
Meanwhile, the Vatican accepted a resignation from pastoral governance presented by one of the Auxiliary Bishops of Los Angeles yesterday, following his own admission that he has fathered two children who are now teenagers. Although the Eastern rites of the Church do permit their clergy to be married, Roman Catholic clergy have taken vows or promises to live celebate lives, at least since the seventh century.
Many modern-day Catholics have been disillusioned by the human frailty among the Church's leadership which has been brought to the light of public scrutiny over the past number of years. The Church in Canada, and in other parts of the world has put into place a number of protocols and measures to deal with cases of sexual abuse. In and of itself, no protocols will repair the damage done to the trust of those who have watched this reality unfold, but every measure of protection is worth the effort because every human being is created in the image and likeness of God.
This morning, the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued an explanatory note in which it announced the forthcoming publication (due on Saturday of this week) of guidelines and recommendations for the observance of a special Year of Faith which will take place from October 11, 2012 to November 24, 2013.
Faced with the doubts which are resident in so many hearts, especially in light of the evidence of human frailty, it is perhaps a sign of hope that the Church is being invited to a special time of grace and deepening of our faith. We can only hope and pray that this will also be a time of healing and of renewal for disheartened and wounded souls.
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