Pennsylvania Grand Jury reported yesterday that over 300 priests abused over 1000 individuals over the last 70 years. The priests engaged in horrible acts like assaults and rapes. One priest attacked a girl in the hospital after she had surgery; another attacked a girl in a masochistic style by tying her to a chair by a leather strap; another attacked 5 sisters in one family.
What can we learn from this?
1. Lord Jesus warned us clearly about ‘white washed tombs’ in the New Testament. In their hearts they are unconverted and full of filth, they are the children of Satan but they put on white robes to deceive people. People should stay away from these white washed tombs.
2.Don’t call anyone ‘father’. Jesus said we have only one Father in heaven. Catholic Church gave special status to bishops. This is against the scripture. We are all sinners saved by grace and go through to God the Father through God the Son. We confess our sins to God, not to a bishop in a wooden box.
3. Pope should bring these abusers within the church before the criminal justice system and these bishops should face the consequences of the their horrible deeds.
4. Remove Statutory Limitations: Most of these 300 priests will not be prosecuted because their sins were committed long time ago. Remove the statutory limitations and prosecute them.
5. Separation of church and state: the American founding fathers were wise to put separation of church and state in the constitutional frame work. This is what happens if one big church like Catholic Church wields all the power in a nation: cover up of it’s sins. The checks and balances were ordained by God because all human beings are fallen and sinful.
6. Most importantly, please pray for our Catholic victims affected by these criminal bishops. May God comfort them and their families.