So, “a growing number of the faithful” are responsible for the “demoralizing of priests” in the aftermath of the sexual abuse of minors in the church (CR, June 21)?
I’m sorry, but the problem stems directly from priests that sexually abused minors and the manner in which bishops botched the handling of the problem. Blaming those who have good reason to be incensed shamefully shifts the blame away from the guilty, further obstructing the healing of all who were deceived and offended. From the report, it sounds like a lot more is going on to demoralize priests then the abuse-of-minors scandal. Why else would priests need to have a place to go “without fear of reprisal”?
Personally, I think priests have one of the loneliest and toughest jobs around with or without scandals. Maybe the offered hotline for priests will help, but what they need and generally do not have in a parish are a few peers, close friends, or family members they can confide in and rely on to speak truthfully instead of nothing but parishioners that call them father with corresponding expectations 24/7.