The Malefactors Are Squirming

During this past year, Theodore McCarrick has been living in a small Capuchin friary in Victoria KS.  He has remained silent - until now.  A few weeks ago, he granted an interview. The reporter, Ruth Graham, asked him point-blank if he "did it".  Here is his reply: “I’m not as bad as they paint me. I do not believe that I did the things that they accused me of.”

The italics are mine, for obvious reasons.  Dear readers, if someone were to state that you committed a crime, say of sexual abuse (like the ex-cardinal) or even something else like bank robbery or murder.  If you're anything like me, you'd be denying those accusations with all the vehemence that you could muster and would even demand that the accusations be retracted under pain of legal action.  His statements have both guilt and arrogance screaming all over them.

During the conversation he spoke of the former seminarians who accused him of abuse in his summer beach house, implying that they were put up to it.  He also had vitriol to hurl at Archbishop Vigano, who helped blow the cover off of McCarrick.  He said that Vigano was "talking as a representative of the far right".

McCarrick is not the only one to have a bone to pick with "the far right".  Yes, I'm afraid the pope gave another plane interview during which he inserted both feet into the papal speech apparatus.  He was presented with a book written by Nicolas Seneze entitled "How America Wants to Change the Pope".  Sadly the author is mistaken for there are plenty of progressives who just adore the pope as he is.  In many ways, the title of that book has things precisely ass-backwards.  Upon receiving the book the pope let out with this blooper: "For me, it's an honor that Americans attack me".  Of course his press handlers scurried into damage control mode, but too late. I thought the pope and other clergy were to be honored when they suffer for doing God's will; even then, they weren't expected to thump their chests over it.  Praying for fish, promoting LBGT supporters to the College of Cardinals, etc, is NOT "doing God's will".

Two prelates aren't quite as cheeky as they are facing the music for their misdeeds.  Recall that in Seattle, Archbishop Sartain approved a public Catholic funeral for a flaming gay who announced his planned suicide well in advance.  Years before, Sartain approved a Catholic funeral for a priest who had abused several boys.  Just days after his approval of Fuller's funeral was made public, Sartain resigned his position.

In Buffalo, NY, Bishop Richard Malone is under intense scrutiny owing to his own sexual misdeeds.  He knows it.  He has been recorded as saying, "this could be the end for me as bishop".  I hope he takes it further and realizes that if he doesn't repent and make a good confession, that the end could be hell - literally.

There are those good Catholics who state that only by prayer and fasting can these evils be purged from our Church.  I agree, except for that "only" part.  Prayer, fasting, sacraments are crucial, but by themselves they are insufficient.  The reactions related above have occurred because of intense scrutiny and protest as well as prayer.  We need both - from every single faithful Catholic.