VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Catholics need to know that their leaders “mean business” when it comes to protecting minors from abuse, the Vatican’s top abuse investigator told representatives of the world’s bishops and religious orders.

“They should come to know us as friends of their safety and that of their children and youth. We will engage them with candor and humility. We will protect them at all cost. We will lay down our lives for the flocks entrusted to us,” said Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna of Malta.

The archbishop, who is adjunct secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and a member of the organizing committee for the Feb. 21-24 Vatican meeting on the protection of minors in the church, spoke on the first day of the proceedings about “taking responsibility for processing cases” of alleged abuse and for preventing abuse.

In the presence of Pope Francis, the archbishop told the almost 190 church leaders that “one of the fundamental tests of our stewardship and, indeed, of our fidelity,” is the way in which bishops and religious superiors exercise their ministry at the service of justice.

“It is our sacred duty to protect our people and to ensure justice when they have been abused,” he said.

Archbishop Scicluna, a canon lawyer who worked at the doctrinal congregation for 10 years dealing with cases of alleged clerical sexual abuse, used his talk to outline what canon law says about how allegations of sexual misconduct should be handled and investigated, and what additional best practices are “advisable.”

Underlining the importance of getting expert advice and maintaining a “collegial” atmosphere throughout the process of abuse investigations, he also called on bishops and religious superiors to remember they are a “shepherd of the Lord’s flock” and need to understand “the deep wounds inflicted on victims of sex abuse by members of the clergy.”

After meeting so many victims around the world, he said he realized that sitting down with a survivor is “sacred ground, where we meet Jesus on the cross.”

“This is a Via Crucis we bishops and other church leaders cannot miss. We need to be Simon of Cyrene helping victims, with whom Jesus identifies himself, carry their heavy cross” with adequate and appropriate care, he said.

In fact, he urged leaders to make up for the gaps or areas not covered by canon law and current procedures by exercising greater pastoral stewardship and recognizing the abuse of children “is also a crime in all civil jurisdictions.”

Archbishop Scicluna said the “stewardship of prevention” also includes helping the pope in the selection of candidates for bishop appointments.

“Many demand that the process be more open to the input of laypeople in the community,” he said. But it is a bishop’s and religious superior’s “sacred duty” to assist the pope as he considers possible leaders.

“It is a grave sin against the integrity of the episcopal ministry to hide or underestimate facts that may indicate deficits in the lifestyle or spiritual fatherhood of priests subject to a pontifical investigation into their suitability for the office of bishop,” he said.

A bishop’s or religious superior’s stewardship also should include preventing “sexual misconduct in general,” in addition to the sexual abuse of minors, he said. This requires screening candidates, being vigilant, being a holy and fatherly role model and providing in-depth and ongoing formation in areas that include understanding “the demands of priestly celibacy and chastity.”

“Prevention is better served when protocols are clear and codes of conduct well known,” Archbishop Scicluna said. “Response to misconduct should be just and even-handed. Outcomes should be clear from the outset.”

He said the “valid and positive” practice in some countries of offering church members specific training in abuse prevention needs to “grow in accessibility” and be spread around the world.

And, he added, a “culture of disclosure” is aided when there is a “ready availability of user-friendly access to reporting mechanisms.”

“The faith community under our care should know that we mean business,” he said.

— Carol Glatz, Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — “Every time I refused to have sex with him, he would beat me,” an abuse survivor from Africa told Pope Francis and bishops attending the Vatican summit on child protection and the abuse crisis.

The meeting began Feb. 21 with the harrowing stories of survivors of sexual abuse, cover-up and rejection by church officials.

The pre-recorded testimonies of five survivors were broadcast in the synod hall; the Vatican did not disclose their names, but only whether they were male or female and their country of origin.

In the first testimony, a man from Chile expressed the pain he felt when, after reporting his abuse to the church, he was treated “as a liar” and told that “I and others were enemies of the church.”

“You are physicians of the soul and yet, with rare exceptions, you have been transformed — in some cases — into murderers of the soul, into murderers of the faith,” he said.

Comparing the abuse crisis to a cancer in the church, the survivor said that “it is not enough to remove the tumor and that’s it,” but there must be measures to “treat the whole cancer.”

He said he prayed that those who “want to continue to cover up” would leave the church, giving greater space “to those who want to a create a new church, a renewed church and a church absolutely free from sexual abuse.”

A woman from Africa recalled the humiliation and suffering she endured when she was sexually and physically abused by a priest beginning when she was 15; he made her pregnant three times and each time forced her to have an abortion.

“At first, I trusted him so much that I did not know he could abuse me. I was afraid of him and every time I refused to have sex with him, he would beat me,” she said. “And since I was completely dependent on him economically, I suffered all the humiliations he inflicted on me.”

“It must be said that priests and religious have a way of helping and at the same time also destroying,” she said. “They have to behave like leaders, wise people.”

Another testimony was offered by a 53-year-old priest from Eastern Europe who, although grateful to God for his vocation, continues to bear not only the wounds of the abuse he suffered as teenager but also the wounds of the rejection he experienced after reporting it to his bishop.

Initially, the bishop did not respond at all, so, the priest said, he reported the abuse to the nuncio.

When he finally did meet the bishop, he recalled, “he attacked me without trying to understand me, and this hurt me.”

“What would I like to say to the bishops?” the priest asked. “That they listen to these people, that they learn to listen to the people who speak. I wanted someone to listen to me, to know who that man is, that priest, and what he does.”

A U.S. survivor told the bishops that what wounded him the most “was the total loss of the innocence of my youth and how that has affected me today.”

“There’s still pain in my family relationships,” he said. “There’s still pain with my siblings. I still carry pain. My parents still carry pain at the dysfunction, the betrayal, the manipulation that this bad man, who was our Catholic priest at the time, wrought upon my family and myself.”

The church, he added, needs leadership, vision and courage from bishops to fight the scourge of abuse and “to work for resolution, and work for healing and work for a better church.”

The final testimony was delivered by man from Asia who said he was “abused over 100 times” and continues to endure “traumas and flashbacks” that have caused him difficulty in living his life and connecting with other people.

Bishops and heads of religious orders, he said, must take concrete action to ensure that clergy members who abused are punished.

“I ask the bishops that they be clear on this matter because this is one of the time bombs occurring in the church in Asia. If they want to save the church, we have to work together and make the perpetrators give themselves up,” he said.

“As Jesus always said, we need to ‘be like children,’ not sexual abusers of children.”

— Junno Arocho Esteves, Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Opening the Vatican summit on child protection and the clerical sexual abuse crisis, Pope Francis said, “The holy people of God are watching and are awaiting from us not simple, predictable condemnations, but concrete and effective measures” to stop abuse.

The summit meeting Feb. 21-24 brought together almost 190 church leaders: the presidents of national bishops’ conferences, the heads of the Eastern Catholic churches, superiors of some men’s and women’s religious orders and top Vatican officials.

In his brief opening remarks, the pope prayed that with “docility” to the Holy Spirit, the bishops at the summit would “listen to the cry of the little ones who ask for justice.”

The pope’s main address to the assembly was scheduled for Feb. 24 after the discussions, a penitential liturgy and a concluding Mass.

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila, Philippines, gave the first formal talk of the gathering, acknowledging how church leaders for so long ignored the suffering of the victims of clerical sexual abuse and covered up the evil crimes of the priest-perpetrators.

Sometimes, he said, bishops were simply afraid to look at the wounds caused by their priests, but he insisted that one cannot profess faith in Christ while ignoring the wounds inflicted on the people Jesus loves.

Using the Gospel stories of Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances to the disciples, especially the story of Jesus inviting St. Thomas to put his hands into the wounds on Jesus’ hands and side, Cardinal Tagle told the bishops, “Those who are sent to proclaim the core of our Christian faith — the dying and rising of Christ — can only do so with authenticity if they are constantly in touch with the wounds of humanity.”

The Christian faith itself and the ability of the Catholic Church to proclaim the Gospel is “what is at stake in this moment of crisis brought about by the abuse of children and our poor handling of these crimes,” the cardinal said.

But, he asked, “how do we as bishops, who have been part of the wounding, now promote healing?”

First, the cardinal said, the bishops must “draw close to their wounds and acknowledge our faults” and then take concrete steps to ensure all children and vulnerable adults are safe in the church’s care.

Justice for the victims is an absolute necessity, he said, but justice by itself “does not heal the broken human heart.”

The church can never ask victims to forgive and move on — “no, far from it,” the cardinal said.

But, knowing that forgiveness often aids healing, he said, church leaders must “continue to walk with those profoundly wounded by abuse, building trust, providing unconditional love and repeatedly asking forgiveness in the full recognition that we do not deserve that forgiveness in the order of justice, but can only receive it when it is bestowed as a gift and grace.”

— Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service.

By Joyce Duriga
Catholic News Service

Servant of God
Fr. Augustus Tolton

Born: April 1, 1854
Ordained: April 24, 1886 at St. John Lateran Basilica for the Diocese of Alton (now Springfield)
Assigned to the Archdiocese of Chicago: Dec. 19, 1889
Died: July 9, 1897
Declared Servant of God: Feb. 13, 2012

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CAUSE FOR CANONIZATION

ARTICLES FROM
‘CHICAGO CATHOLIC’

‘TOLTON: FROM SLAVE TO PRIEST’ PLAY

CHICAGO (CNS) — The canonization cause for Fr. Augustus Tolton is just one step away from going to Pope Francis for the priest to be declared “venerable.”

On Feb. 5, the feast of St. Agatha, a nine-member Vatican theological commission unanimously voted that Fr. Tolton’s cause be moved forward to the cardinals and archbishops in the Congregation for Saints’ Causes for a final vote to send a decree of the priest’s “heroic virtues” to Pope Francis for his approval.

Upon the promulgation of that decree, Fr. Tolton would receive the title “venerable,” which indicates he lived the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity and the cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance at a heroic level.

The next steps would be beatification and canonization. In general, one miracle attributed to the sainthood candidate’s intercession is needed for beatification, and a second such miracle is needed for canonization.

Fr. Tolton, the first recognized African-American to be ordained a Catholic priest for the United States, was born into slavery, ordained in 1886 in Rome because no U.S. seminary would take him and died serving in Chicago in 1897. His story was recently shared with the faithful of the Diocese of Phoenix with several showings of the play “Tolton: From Slave to Priest” throughout the diocese.

Fr. James Healy (1830-1900) is considered by some to be the first black U.S. Catholic priest in the U.S. He was biracial; his father was Irish. Born in Georgia, he was ordained in 1854 in Paris for ministry in the U.S. He later became a bishop, heading the Diocese of Portland, Maine.

If canonized, Fr. Tolton would be the nation’s first African-American saint.

“Fr. Tolton’s story represents the long and rich history of African-American Catholics, who have lived through troubling chapters and setbacks in our American history,” said Chicago Auxiliary Bishop Joseph N. Perry, archdiocesan postulator for the cause.

“Lessons from his early life as a slave and the prejudice he endured in becoming a priest still apply today with our current problems of racial and social injustices and inequities that divide neighborhoods, churches and communities by race, class and ethnicity. His work isn’t done. We will continue to honor his life and legacy of goodness, inclusivity, empathy and resolve in how we treat one another.”

Bishop Perry said unexplained physical healings have been reported to the cause and are under investigation.

The Archdiocese of Chicago formally opened Fr. Tolton’s cause for canonization in 2010.

Norbertine Father Gerard Jordan holds the canonical title “promoter of the cause” and travels the country sharing the message of Fr. Tolton and the canonization efforts on behalf of Bishop Perry.

He said Fr. Tolton’s story transcends the lines of race, gender and priesthood.

“If we start with the black part, then it’s just a nice Black History Month story. If we start from the priesthood part you only include the ordained,” Fr. Jordan told the Chicago Catholic, the archdiocesan newspaper. “First off, he didn’t start off as a black man or an ordained priest. The first thing that Tolton was was a created child of God. You gotta start there.”

“The first experience Tolton would have recognized, and it would have had a physical and spiritual effect on him, was his Baptism,” Fr. Jordan said. “If we connect with his Baptism, then everybody is included and can relate to his story.”

All the baptized are connected, he said.

“The Baptism of Tolton tells the real story that we’re supposed to be paying attention to and that’s the story of the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” Fr. Jordan said. “Everything that Tolton experienced in life is the Gospel story.”

Fr. Tolton had great love for the Church, the people of God.

“He saw himself connected to the Church who loved him. His mother, Martha Jane, was his physical mother but his spiritual mother was very real to him,” Fr. Jordan said. “He said himself that the Catholic Church was the only thing that would help him to beat the double slavery of his mind and his body.”

In his lifetime, Fr. Tolton also talked about how his mother the Church took him as a poor slave to become fully who he was in the eyes of God.

“Everybody has to realize that the greatest inheritance we will ever receive is our Baptism,” Fr. Jordan said. “It is your decision whether or not you’re going to keep that inheritance and invest in it or whether you’re going to squander it or give it away or abandon it. Tolton never abandoned his inheritance.”

His story begins and ends there, the priest said.

“Once people relate to Tolton’s Baptism they will find pieces of their life that they can relate too.”

Joyce Duriga is editor of Chicago Catholic, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Chicago.

NEW YORK (CNS) — In a robust demonstration that actions speak louder than words, New York Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan Feb. 18 introduced representatives of six church-related organizations that help pregnant women in need.

Standing in the modest living room of a convent that Sisters of Life share with expectant and new mothers and their children, the cardinal reaffirmed the commitment first made in 1984 by his predecessor, Cardinal John J. O’Connor.

“Any pregnant woman can come to the Archdiocese of New York, to its parishes and facilities, and we will do all in our power to assist you, so that you never feel that you have no alternative except an abortion,” Cardinal Dolan said. “It does not matter what your marital status, your religion, or your immigration status might be. None of that matters, folks.”

Cardinal Dolan acknowledged that the timing of his reaffirmation of the church’s outreach coincided with the attention given to the Reproductive Health Act of 2019, which effectively removed restrictions on abortion in New York, and the current “almost pro-abortion atmosphere out there.”

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the measure into law Jan. 22, the anniversary of U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v Wade ruling legalizing abortion nationwide.

“Every once in a while we need to trumpet and put a spotlight on the good work that we do,” the cardinal said. “Most of us bristle when the church is criticized for speaking all the time but not offering action. Nothing could be further from the truth.”

Cardinal Dolan said he was worried that poor women especially were getting the impression that abortion is their only choice. “This is a very teachable time for us to stand up and say, ‘We’re here. We love you. We welcome you. There is an alternative here and we’d be honored to serve you.'”

Mother Agnes Mary Donovan, superior general of the Sisters of Life, said her group has provided assistance to more than 9,000 women since the religious community was established in 1991, and they have shared their convents with pregnant women since 1996.

“We are standing in radical solidarity with women during an unexpected or difficult pregnancy. The sisters and the woman together find a pathway through fear, a pathway defined by realistic and ongoing emotional and practical support that she may respond with courage and dignity to one of life’s most difficult moments,” she said.

Mother Agnes Mary said the Sisters of Life serve 600 to 1,000 women each year. She said their message to vulnerable pregnant women is: “Know you are not alone. We believe in you. This pregnancy does not mean your life and your dreams are over. We stand ready to help you realize the deepest desires of your heart.”

She said approximately 85 percent of the women who contact the Sisters of Life for counsel “will choose to bring life to their child. We provide critical and strategic support that is timely and important to her life,” she said.

While her impossibly cute toddler captured all the attention in the room, an Ethiopian professional runner named Brhane described meeting the Sisters of Life in New York. It was when she was pregnant, alone, far from home and feeling pressure to abort her baby, she said.

“They helped me to find a home for me and my baby. They were with me the whole way and are still with me. They helped me with my immigration, to find a job, to find baby-sitting. They helped me with everything.”

Brhane named the little girl Sena Love, which translates, “I love my history.”

The Sisters of Life helped Brhane to run the New York Marathon and she is training to run professionally again, she said. “I love my daughter. She changed my life. I am so happy. Thank you God.”

Dr. Anne Nolte, director of the Gianna Center for Women’s Health and Fertility, said her medical practice provides primary care and reproductive health care to women and teenagers that aligns with church teachings. The center offers service to patients of all backgrounds and has “a particular commitment to helping women whose babies have an adverse diagnosis in the womb,” Nolte said.

Chris Bell is a co-founder with the late Father Benedict Groeschel, a Franciscan Friar of the Renewal, of five Good Counsel residences in New York and New Jersey for homeless single pregnant women and their children. He said his group provides “concrete help and real hope” to women in crisis.

Since 1985, Good Counsel has served more than 7,800 mothers and children with more than 755,000 nights of shelter as well as material aid, counseling, parenting and education programs.

The Good Counsel homes have a 100 percent occupancy rate, and women are invited to stay for up to a year to reap the maximum benefits of the program, Bell said.

Msgr. Kevin Sullivan, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York, described a network of 90 affiliated agencies that provide dignified, compassionate care to people in all stages of life. “Our door is open,” he said.

Among the agencies is the Catholic Guardian Society. Dolores Ortiz, assistant executive director, said each year more than 300 “at-risk pregnant and parenting women” receive support, case management services, parenting resources and referrals from Catholic Guardian Society.

Teresa Georgeo, a director of Archcare, the continuing care program of the Archdiocese of New York, said her group’s maternal child health program provides prenatal care for women with high-risk pregnancies, and helps new mothers and infants.

The speakers said their services are free or low-cost and available to all women regardless of race, religion, background or ability to pay.

Cardinal Dolan acknowledged the hurt, frustration and anger people in the archdiocese might feel at the new abortion law. “We should not respond with bitterness and divisiveness, but put our faith and trust in the Lord and reach out with love to troubled moms and their babies,” he said.

He said it would be a good time for people on both sides of the abortion debate to come together to discuss providing “life-giving alternatives to the horror of abortion.”

— Beth Griffin, Catholic News Service.