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Healing for Victims and the Church
By Christine L. Rodgers, Winsted
As the events of the past few weeks are unfolding, it would do well for all people to take a good hard look at the Roman Catholic Church. This church founded by Jesus Christ was first called catholic (universal) in the first century by the saint and martyr, Ignatious of Antioch. The early church itself was plagued by its dissenters and doubters—and, as history will verify, its persecutors and persecuted. Made up of human beings—the faithful—and led by the Magesterium (Pope, cardinals and bishops) and served daily by our priests, it is an institution which has survived many trials through the years and the scandalous behavior of a few popes who chose to serve their own carnal desires.
Through the last two millennia this Church as we know it has also produced countless saints, scholars, martyrs, and millions of people past and present who are proud to call themselves Roman Catholic. From my perspective, my family has been blessed with two wonderful men—my uncles, James and Thomas—both of whom gave their lives to serve God and His people as Jesuit priests. The former, Fr. James Hennessy, passed away almost ten years ago at the age of 79. Having received his doctorate in Philosophy, he taught at Fordham University, Canisius College, served on the island of Kwajalein, and became a marriage counselor. Fr. Tom Hennessy received his doctorate in Educational Psychology and Guidance and served for many years as a guidance counselor at Fordham University. He also was appointed as Dean of Education at Marquette University (1981-85). Though semi-retired, he chose to travel to different parishes to assist the priests by saying Mass. Now in his mid 80s, he continues his work as a devout priest in a limited capacity.
Our own parish priests, Fr. Anthony Moore and Fr. Leon Ristuccia, have served the people of St. Joseph Church in Winsted for many years. They have instilled in the parishioners such a profound respect for Our Lord, Our Blessed Mother and the Church that it is with a collective heavy heart that our parish will say farewell to them both this June.
These are just a few of the fine examples of priests whom I have come across in my life, and still there are countless others. I feel confident that every practicing Catholic will be able to cite their own three or four examples of the true priesthood. However, as wonderful as these men are and were, we are hearing about the scoundrels who have infiltrated the holy, and with them they brought an evil which has sought to harm the innocent, destroy the doubtful, and shadow all the good that has been done.
There is no excuse for any human being to destroy another, whether it be physically, morally, spiritually, or all the aforementioned. These people need to be prosecuted for their misdeeds and the betrayal of the trust that these young people had in them as representatives of the Church. But in the necessity of exposing this evil, the media must also keep in mind that an accusation is not a judgment of guilt.
It would do us all well to remember the travesty that was done to the late Cardinal Bernardin. An accusation of sexual misconduct was made against this holy man, and later the accuser recanted and said he was persuaded to lie about the events. Thankfully the Cardinal was vindicated before his death. Let us be very wary about being overly zealous, so that the need to seek purification does not injure the innocent on either side any further.
The Roman Catholic Church as we know it has consistently been the voice of the oppressed in the world. Unfortunately, these recent events have temporarily cast a dark shadow over this moral beacon. My dear fellow Catholics and good friends of other faiths, be stouthearted and take courage—for in the words of Jesus Himself to the apostle: "Thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
May these words help bring about a true and complete healing of these victims and their families and the Church.
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