Sex-Abuse Scandal and Shaken Faith

Another excellent post at the blog Dappled Things by Father Jim Tucker.


"I got a nice email from a fellow today who described an experience that I know is not uncommon. In the wake of the clerical sex-abuse scandal's breaking into the news, many previously devout Catholics either became less involved in the Church or drifted away altogether. I guess a lot has been written already about how the Church should deal both with the abuse problem and with restoring people's trust. Less frequent, I think, have been the discussions of how the individual Catholic (whether cleric or layman) should deal with this in his own spiritual life.

"A few years back, I wrote three articles in an exchange with Peter Nixon (whose blog we all miss so much). These pieces are linked in my Blog Index, but let me highlight them again for anyone who's interested. The first was an initial homily on the importance of fixing our faith on Jesus Christ, and not on anything else. The follow-up looked at the role that other people and their credibility play in one's initial acceptance of faith and in supporting one's faith. The final, summing-up post, which deals a bit more with sinfulness and holiness in the Church, is here."


Although I have had not had the honor of meeting him, I think Father Tucker is a great example of a priest in many ways, not the least of which is his taking the time (out of the very busy schedule of a parish priest) to extend his ministry into the blogosphere).

Firmum sit cor suum ...semper