This is one of the many pics flooding my social media feed from the Australian Catholic Bishops currently in Rome. They are on what is called the Ad Limina Apostolorum, reporting on the state and condition of the Australian Church to the Pope.
There have been Masses celebrated in the great Basilicas with homilies about history, religion and grandiose calls to humility. Bishops have also posted comments about the intentions and people for which Masses are being offered.
So far, and the visit is almost over, there has been no mention in my reading of prayers of lament or sorrow for the victims of clergy sexual abuse and the crime of concealing evidence and protecting offenders by their peers in a sordid history of our Church.
As I hear so often "these guys don't get it". It 's not just about signing off on a National Redress Scheme for the most affordable outcome.Nor is it about scoring brownie points for good protocols from the head prefects in Rome. It is about restorative justice where relationships need to be healed and forgiveness needs to be sought.
The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference really needs to do an Ad Limina Apostolorum with the people of the Church in Australia before it gets too excited about the Plenary Council 2020
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