May 18, 2002

Father Owen's Homilies

Homily for the Solemnity of Pentecost May 18, 2002

In our Missalettes, page 42, the selection begins with these words; “Today the Church remembers the moment when the very breath of God rushed from the mouth of the Risen Jesus, filling the disciples with the Holy Spirit.” I like that a lot. God breathed on the first creation and gave it life! God’s breath gives life to the creation the Second Adam, Jesus, has begun.

We are included in that New Creation but this New Creation is in a time of grave crisis. It is not a crisis of beginnings but perhaps we can call it a mid-life crisis. The credibility of our Church is being questioned. The cardinals of the Church to say nothing of bishops and priests seem not to be trusted. People accuse the bishops of engaging in a cover up, of paying off accusers, buying their silence. Catholic people are calling for the resignation of bishops some of whom are cardinals. Priests are dismissed from their parishes. The workload increases for those who remain. If the world is not the same after the catastrophe of Sept. 11, 2002 then it appears that our Church will have to change drastically as a result of the current scandal and crisis.

This is not a time to “circle the wagons” and fight off the news media as though the media is to blame for the crisis itself. As Shakespeare once said, “The fault lies not in the stars but in ourselves.” Some elements of the media have certainly aggravated the situation with unfair and inaccurate reporting. Some of the comments of talk show hosts, particularly in my experience on WIBW, have approached slander. But despite all the media offenses, the media smells blood and goes after it. The problem is that some men who are priests are looking for human intimacy in inappropriate ways. Children and others have been harmed. The Church, often with the best of intentions but acting with inadequate knowledge, has attempted to cover up the situation. Therein lies the crisis.

The American Catholic Bishops meet in Dallas June 13-15, 2002. Archbishop Keleher is asking all of us to give him our opinions on what we feel about this crisis. As a parishioner at Corning remarked last evening, “This is the first time I can remember that he as asked our opinion.” You can send your opinions to me signed or unsigned and I will bundle them up and get them to him. You may send your thoughts to him directly. The address is in the Leaven. We will have it in the bulletin next week.

What does he want to know? He wants you to tell him what you think he ought to say in Dallas. He wants your opinions on: Optional celibacy for the diocesan priest. How best to screen candidates for the priesthood. Your opinion on the Church adopting a Zero Tolerance policy to be put into effect immediately. Not adopting such a policy because many falsely accused could be harmed by it. How best to protect our children in the face of this apparent danger? Should homosexually oriented persons be accepted to study for the priesthood? Should you have some voice in the selection of your bishop, of your pastor? Should you have some voice in their dismissal? Would it help to have deacons in this Archdiocese to alleviate the burdens of already overworked pastors? Should there be much more adequate study of human sexuality in the seminaries? There are other questions you will have, things you will want to say. Say them. Now is your chance. The Archbishop needs help if our future will be as full of the hope that we need to carry on. We want to be members of a loving, just, compassionate, and honest Church. I hope that all of you will be a part of it.

The Archbishop wants us to pray especially this day for the Church, for those priests whose offenses have been proven, for those who are accused, for the victims of clergy abuse, for forgiveness. You can pray in church, at this Mass, in your home, walking where you like to walk. In addition I suggest fasting a day this week for these intentions. Perhaps the little pain and deprivation we feel will help us be in solidarity with those who have offended and those who have been offended.