God and Man

This was a most disturbing article, on a lot of levels. Here's the first half to read:

A woman has filed a claim that she was sexually abused more than 40 years ago by Bishop William Skylstad, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic bishops and leader of the Spokane Diocese. Skylstad issued a statement Wednesday categorically denying the accusation, saying he has not violated the vow of celibacy he took 47 years ago.

The claim was filed against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Spokane on Dec. 27 by a woman who said she was under the age of 18 when Skylstad sexually abused her at St. Patrick's Parish and at Gonzaga University from December 1961 to December 1964. Skylstad, 70, was a student at Gonzaga University from 1962-1966 and taught mathematics to students at Mater Cleri Seminary at Colbert, north of Spokane.

The diocese is one of three in the nation that filed for bankruptcy protection to deal with claims of sexual abuse by clergy. Skylstad last month offered to settle with 75 victims for $45.7 million.

Firstly, why the hell did this woman wait 40+ years to file a charge? Don't tell me it took her an entire lifetime to come to terms with it? Ok, fine, sometimes it DOES take a long time to fight your own internal demons. But 40 years is pushing it? Why look for money now?

Secondly, this diocese has acknowledged 75 victims. Holy shit. SEVENTY FIVE victims. Those are the recognised ones. What about the ones who didn't have the courage to come forward? How many more will sink down into their own private depths of despair?

My parents were initially upset when I stopped attending mass. And I was brought up the whole hog..... baptism, confirmation, sunday school, 10 years of missionary school teachings. I wondered why we had to do all these things when my fellow church goers were very VERY human.

The gossips, the sneering, the competition for favour, priests who were really caught up on their own godliness. I quit attending mass. I haven't stepped into a church for, possible, 15 years.

But I haven't forgotten about God. I have blessings aplenty. Understanding parents; true friends; a nice, comfortable home; luxuries like cable and internet on demand; a job that's like a holiday, and a man who truly loves me. You think these are trivial things to be grateful for? Wrong. Take these things away and you have two thirds of the world's population.


The Church sucks. God, however, still gives. Go God!