IS THE CATHOLIC CHURCH REALLY IN CRISIS?

What makes a crisis? The hype created by the media or the facts on the ground?

To judge from media reports the Catholic Church is suffering “its greatest scandal in centuries” (Carmel Rickard in Natal, Mercury 8th April 2010). The Catholic Church has lost all credibility (Archbishop Rowan Williams). “The Pope has said nothing!” “He has not apologised!”

To answer the question whether the Church is really in crisis we must start at the beginning, namely the structures of the Catholic Church, and how authority devolves from the Pope, through the Bishop to the local parish priest.

What is the reality?
The diocese, which is the basic unit of the Church, is headed by a bishop, who in terms of Canon Law has full charge of all that goes on in his diocese.

Should a major breakdown in governance of the Diocese occur, then, and only then, does Canon Law authorise the Metropolitan Archbishop to intervene. He will investigate, and, if necessary, refer the matter to the Holy See. At the Vatican the matter is taken up by the relevant Department not the Holy Father.

So, is the Church really in crisis? Or is it the media that is making a crisis by the way it is ignoring the facts and playing on people's emotions?

Here are the facts supplied by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF):

1. There are roughly 400 000 Catholic priests worldwide.
2. Between 1975 and 1985 no cases of delicta graviora were reported to the Holy See.  The term delicta graviora refers to more serious offences involving the abuse of the Eucharist or the abuse of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, or sexual offences against persons under 18 years of age.
3. During the years immediately following the promulgation of the Code of Canon Law in 1983 there was uncertainty as to which delicta graviora were reserved to the Holy See, and which could be dealt with locally.
4. In 2001 Pope John Paul II issued a Motu proprio called Sacramentorum Sanctitatis Tutelam, which made it clear that all paedophilia cases were reserved to the CDF.
5. Nevertheless, the Bishop of the Diocese had to investigate whether there is a case to answer or not. If there was a case he has to determine the nature and the gravity of the offence.
6. Once it is established that there is a case, the matter must be referred to the Holy See.
7. Consequently between 2003 and 2004 there was a flood of cases, mainly from the USA, and by far the majority referred to offences that took place 10, 20 or 30 years before.
8. From 2001 to 2003 CDF considered three thousand (3000) accusations.
9. Of those 3000 cases:
10. Sixty percent (60%) involved sexual attraction towards adolescents of the same sex i.e. 1800 cases;
11. Thirty percent (30%) involved heterosexual relations, i.e. 900 cases;
12. Ten percent (10%) were cases of paedophilia in the true sense of the term, namely attraction towards prepubescent children, i.e. 300 cases.

Outcome of the Process
In 60% of cases there was no Church trial, mostly because of the advanced age of the accused, but administrative and disciplinary measures were implemented against them. The measures included the prohibition to celebrate Mass with the faithful or to hear confessions. They were also ordered to live a retired life of prayer.

In 10% of cases where proof was overwhelming, the Holy Father issued a decree of dismissal from the clerical state.
In another 10% of cases the accused priests themselves requested dispensation from the obligations deriving from the priesthood. Those involved in these cases were priests found in possession of paedophile pornographic material, and for this reason they were in addition condemned by the civil authorities.

From 2007 to 2009 there were about 250 cases from a variety of countries. Most countries reported one or two cases to the Holy See in those years.

Given the above facts, and without in any way minimising the gravity of even one case of abuse  – can one reasonably speak of a crisis in the Catholic Church?

Pope Benedict has been singled out for the most inhumane treatment, once again his attackers ignore the following facts completely.

What is the reality?

1. As Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, he vigorously implemented the motu proprio Saramentorum sanctitatis tutela which instituted the new regime for handling cases of abuse.
2. He facilitated the processing of cases referred to the Holy See.
3. He oversaw the cases by case revocation of the statute of limitation in response to reasoned requests from bishops.
4. He issued an unprecedented Pastoral Letter to the Catholics of Ireland, in which he apologised for the abuse, as well as the mishandling or even failure to handle cases according to Canon Law or the Protocol approved by the Holy See. He literally castigated the Irish Bishops for bringing the Church into disrepute.

It is therefore, right and proper to ask whether there are indeed reasonable grounds for saying that the Catholic Church faces a crisis of confidence and trust worldwide, especially when the Easter ceremonies here in Durban had record crowds participating in them.

+ Cardinal Wilfrid Napier OFM
Archbishop of Durban