“God Bless America.” These words began and ended the too-short
visit of the true man from Hope, Pope Benedict XVI.
Before his arrival, many pundits predicted that his Holiness
would rain down torrents of recrimination upon our country and its
president on topics like the Iraq War, capital punishment or our
failure to heed the hounds of global warming. They of course were
wrong in thinking that the German Shepherd would bite the hand that
feeds the world’s poor or chastise the most pro-life leader our
country has ever seen. But what else is new?
The press in this country constantly exhibits disdain for our
homegrown spiritual leaders, so it was no surprise that they would
distort the Pope’s message and the motivation behind his visit.
Rare was the media outlet that failed to note that the Pope was
received by cheering crowds “like a rock star”; that most depraved
symbol of all that is unworthy of worship in America. Contrary to
the soul-stealing allures of sex, drugs, and rock and roll, the
Holy Father consistently spoke of faith, love, and hope.
But the hope among our mostly secular media was that most
Americans would see the Holy Father and instantly be reminded of
the grave sins committed by a small percentage of Catholic clergy.
And indeed, on the lips of most commentators and right next to the
spinning papal graphics, were usually the words, “sexual abuse
scandal.”
And his Holiness did indeed address the issue of priests
disdaining their vows, acknowledging their “gravely immoral
behavior” and saying: “[I]t is more important to have good priests
than to have many priests. We hope that we can do, and we have done
and will do in the future, all that is possible to heal this
wound.”
He later met with victims and reportedly prayed with them, and
later asked all Catholics “to do what you can to foster healing and
reconciliation, and to assist those who have been hurt.”
OF COURSE, NO MATTER what apologies the Church makes, no matter how
much money she pays, and no matter how many innocent and holy
priests suffer because of the actions of a few, it will never be
enough. In this country, there are some sins which are never to be
forgiven; especially those that advance certain agendas.
But, much to the dismay of the media (and mostly ignored by
them), the Pope went further in his address to American bishops, on how
to protect our children from sexual abuse:
What does it mean to speak of child protection when
pornography and violence can be viewed in so many homes through
media widely available today? We need to reassess urgently the
values underpinning society, so that a sound moral formation can be
offered to young people and adults alike. All have a part to play
in this task — not only parents, religious leaders, teachers and
catechists, but the media and entertainment industries as well.
Indeed, every member of society can contribute to this moral
renewal and benefit from it. Truly caring about young people and
the future of our civilization means recognizing our responsibility
to promote and live by the authentic moral values which alone
enable the human person to flourish. It falls to you, as pastors
modeled upon Christ, the Good Shepherd, to proclaim this message
loud and clear, and thus to address the sin of abuse within the
wider context of sexual mores. Moreover, by acknowledging and
confronting the problem when it occurs in an ecclesial setting, you
can give a lead to others, since this scourge is found not only
within your Dioceses, but in every sector of society. It calls for
a determined, collective response.
Also ignored by the media was that Senate Democrats
blocked a resolution welcoming the Pope until
“pro-life” language was removed from it. Yet several notorious,
pro-abortion politicians brazenly received communion during the
papal visit, though not directly from the Holy Father. One can only
hope that they were paying attention at Yankee Stadium where
he
said:
Praying fervently for the coming of the Kingdom also
means…overcoming every separation between faith and life, and
countering false gospels of freedom and happiness. It also means
rejecting a false dichotomy between faith and political life,
since, as the Second Vatican Council put it, “there is no human
activity — even in secular affairs — which can be withdrawn from
God’s dominion”
Unlike his predecessor, John Paul II, who was a trained actor and a
brilliant speaker, Pope Benedict’s innate sweetness and humility
sometimes betray his deep intellectualism and the beauty of words
like, “The spires of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral are dwarfed by the
skyscrapers of the Manhattan skyline, yet in the heart of this busy
metropolis, they are a vivid reminder of the constant yearning of
the human spirit to rise to God.”
But like John Paul the Great, he also uttered the words that the
American media dread like the plague. For, far from bashing George
W. Bush, he echoed to thunderous applause the president’s belief
that all life is sacred:
May you find the courage to proclaim Christ, “the same,
yesterday, and today and for ever” and the unchanging truths which
have their foundation in him. These are the truths that set us
free! They are the truths which alone can guarantee respect for the
inalienable dignity and rights of each man, woman and child in our
world, including the most defenseless of all human beings, the
unborn child in the mother’s womb.
Lisa
Fabrizio is a columnist who hails from Connecticut. You may
write her at mailbox@lisafab.com.
