Dear Pope: I Was Worried

While I was on vacation, the Vatican came out with a significant doctrinal statement condemning the sexual abuse of children and the ordination of women. One could not help but conclude that these were somehow related.

So I was worried that you intended to send the message that the crime of sexual abuse of a child was equivalent to the doctrinal violation of ordaining women. Hence my relief in mid-July when the Vatican issued a statement clarifying that you do not see them as equivalent: “‘They are in the same document but this does not put them on the same level or assign them the same gravity,’ said [Monsignor Charles] Scicluna, who helped formulate the revisions.”

How silly of me to erroneously conclude that these two statements might be related. Now I see that you were probably just trying to save paper (i.e. trees) by combining the two. Good job.

But here’s the thing. You have codified the process to de-frock priests who abuse children. That’s good. And you have clarified that anyone including a Bishop who ordains a woman priest will be excommunicated. Not so good. But what happens to Bishops who have covered for pedophile priests and allowed them to continue abusing children all these years? It seems to me that that might be more of a worry than Bishops who ordain women who have been called by God to serve their Church.

But then I’m just an ordained Protestant woman, called by God to serve my church. I realize there are many mysteries in religious matters that I will never understand.

Call me. I think we still need a chat.

Rev. Dr. Marie M. Fortune
FaithTrust Institute
www.faithtrustinstitute.org