Catholic Sensibility

The Lincoln, Nebraska diocese was feeling hurt about the criticism langing its way for non-participation in the 2004 child protection audits. It sent a statement to the Catholic News Service defending itself, appealing to its "right" not to participate, and spelling out that the audit procedure was adivsory, not law. Bishop Bruskewitz has long said he runs a clean diocese. So did Law, Dupre, Daily, and a few hundred others. Crank up your WayBack Machine and visit US bishops in the 1970's, and they'll even tell you 100% of their clergy are fine upstanding citizens, beyond reproach. The Lincoln diocese is correct to say that at present, no law can compel their participation and compliance in the audit procedure. But that's beside the point. The bishops collectively are still in the doghouse, and this year's report has done little to move them back into the mansion, let alone the back stoop. The crisis remains one of credibility, not authority. Nobody argues the bishops don't have the power to manage their dioceses pretty much as they see fit. (Well, a few CTA or VOTF people would, but that's beside the point I'm trying to make here.) The audit isn't about draining away episcopal authority either up or down on the hierarchical feeding chain. The audit, if done properly and transparently, will help the bishops rehabilitate their rocky relationship with laity who just have a tough time trusting them these days.

I can say that after last week's tiff with my wife, no law compels me to apologize, especially if I was right and she was wrong. The expression of love and charity, however, compels me to repair any damage in my marriage. (Not to mention the ongoing cost of glares, stares, non-communication, and non-cooperation that would ensue from any repair delays.) The Nebraska bishop is compelled by love and charity, not by law, to repair the damage rendered by the protection of pedophiles.

Bruskewitz can continue his stubbornness. He might not cause harm to much of his own flock. Not even pedophile clergy are looked upon with total disdain by their own. I suspect Bishop B is rendering more harm to his confreres by dragging down the collective reputation of the bishops in the public eye. He lends credence to the suspicion that the bishops are only going through the motions. If they weren't faced with financial crises from lawsuits, insurance companies, and their own collections, Bishop B would have more company.

They say Lincoln is a bastion of True Catholicism, and the JPII Clergy (TM) are as pure as snow. That may be true. But they can't prove it. And lacking proof, a shadow of doubt lingers.