The following are quotes from replies by Archbishop Charles Scicluna in response to questions put by students of Notre Dame University, the US, at its forum ‘Rebuild My Church’: Crisis and Response, held on November 13:
Dealing with the anger, frustration and shame
“I tell you from experience, it is not easy reading… and we have to help each other manage the anger, the frustration, the shame one feels on two levels: when we realise how innocent people have been hurt and the effect on the families and communities; but also, at times, the dysfunctional way in which we, the leaders of the Church, have reacted to cases.”
Meeting the abused
“I’m now quite convinced that in order to understand the egregious nature of the abuse by clergy, you have to meet with survivors. My experience of meeting victims is what I call ‘sacred ground’. We will never get it right until we learn to listen to victim survivors. If we think we’re going to solve this without them, we’ll get it wrong. The abused are not our enemies. They are brothers and sisters who are very hurt. They are part of us, and we are part of them.”
Not about celibacy
“What we’re facing here is not only a deficit in the understanding of celibacy, but it’s also a betrayal of the commitment done before the people of God. There’s no nexus between misconduct and the law of celibacy. In order to live chastely and celibately, you need to be in love with Jesus and the people of God. We will be chaste once we are truly in love. When you are truly in love, you take care of the people you love. You don’t abuse them.”
Not about me
“I think that we leaders, we ministers, you and me, Father, need to be humble enough to tell our people: ‘It is not about me; it is about Jesus Christ. Don’t believe in me; believe in Jesus Christ. Don’t follow me; follow Jesus Christ.’
“The Church leadership needs to bring people to this maturity in the faith or else there will be cult figures who will abuse and hurt the community.
“People who walk away from the Church because they are scandalised... have invested all their emotional loyalty, almost faith, in a human being, [but] Jesus has to be the centre of faith.”
(Compiled by Fr Joe Borg)