“What a great time to be a Catholic!” said my friend, jauntily but clearly using words laced with irony. She was referring to the crisis of confidence that many members of her church are feeling now.  

Revelations about widespread sexual abuse of children by priests in the Archdiocese of Boston have shaken the trust long placed in the leadership of the church. As many as 70 members of the clergy have been accused of these crimes and the cardinal archbishop, by his own admission, has been guilty of placing some of these priests in positions where they could continue doing grievous harm.

Outrage has been the response of many church members. Parents, especially, have felt betrayed by the priests’ criminal actions that have damaged their children. But those not directly affected also feel deeply resentful about the crimes and confess a chagrin and embarrassment at events that have so shockingly come to light.

Among the most deeply discomfited are those priests who have remained faithful shepherds of their parishes. These members of the clergy, the great majority, have suffered pain at what has been done by their fellow priests. They feel that the good name of the priesthood has been dragged through mud and that the harm done to their profession is incalculable. One told friends recently: “Anyone would have to be crazy to enter the seminary now.”

How can members of the church respond spiritually in this time of severe crisis? What spiritual guidelines exist to help Catholics and others to deal with the mix of emotions they are experiencing?

First, righteous anger is surely justified in response to the terrible sins committed against defenseless children. Jesus himself, in the Gospel of St. Matthew, spoke angrily about such crimes, suggesting that their perpetrators would face dire punishment.

Secondly, church members have a right to hold their religious leaders accountable for failures to protect them against such crimes. By their protest against such negligence they affirm the ideals of a church committed to the teachings of Jesus.

Third, the crisis can be recognized as a time for important changes in the church. In fact, the archbishop has already announced some changes but others, not originating with him, may be needed. Many Americans other than Catholic clergy have shamefully abused children, but the history of this kind of abuse by ordained members of the church raises basic questions about recruitment, admission policies, and the exclusively male identity of those responsible for ministry.

As for the spirituality of church members, some truths need to be reemphasized. One must be wary of hypocrisy, not only in others who hold positions of sacred trust, but also in oneself. To maintain spiritual balance, we must be ready to expect others to be always less than perfect and sometimes much less. At their best, spiritual people will recognize their own temptations to betray the precious ideals of the faith they espouse.

It is spiritually important also not to place ultimate faith and trust in human beings, but in God. Jesus recommends this, in St. Mark’s Gospel, when he says to a young man, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.”

Catholics, like those of other traditions, belong to a community of faith made up of people whose conduct is exemplary, and of others who behave very badly. In one of his parables about a sower, Jesus indicates that among the good seeds in the field, weeds will be found as well.

The current crisis also calls for maintaining peace of soul. For people who have been violated, that will be very difficult, if not impossible, while they suffer the effects of betrayal. However, even for them it is spiritually important to pray for interior peace and gifts of divine consolation. In time, they may also ask God for the gift of being able to forgive those who have done them grievous harm.

Evil remains a mystery even to the most profound thinkers. In those who have aspired to the noblest ideals of service to God and the community, evil is especially baffling. In the face of such betrayal it may help to remember that God alone deserves absolute trust and that we must continually search our own hearts and pray for the strength to live honestly with fidelity to other people.

Richard Griffin