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Letter to a Suffering Church: A Bishop Speaks on the Sexual Abuse Crisis
The sexual abuse scandal has gripped the Catholic Church for the past thirty years, and continues to wreak havoc even today.
It's been a diabolical masterpiece, one that has compromised the work of the Church in every way and has left countless lives in ruin.
Many Catholics are understandably asking, “Why should I stay? Why not abandon this sinking ship before it drags me or my children under?"
In this stirring manifesto, Bishop Robert Barron, founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, explains why this is not the time to leave, but the time to stay and fight.
Reading the current crisis through the lenses of Scripture and Church history, Bishop Barron shows that we have faced such egregious scandals before; that the spiritual treasures of the Church were preserved by holy men and women who recommitted themselves to fighting evil; and that there is a clear path forward for us today.
For Catholics questioning their faith, searching desperately for encouragement and hope, this book will offer reasons to stay and fight for the Body of Christ.
It's been a diabolical masterpiece, one that has compromised the work of the Church in every way and has left countless lives in ruin.
Many Catholics are understandably asking, “Why should I stay? Why not abandon this sinking ship before it drags me or my children under?"
In this stirring manifesto, Bishop Robert Barron, founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, explains why this is not the time to leave, but the time to stay and fight.
Reading the current crisis through the lenses of Scripture and Church history, Bishop Barron shows that we have faced such egregious scandals before; that the spiritual treasures of the Church were preserved by holy men and women who recommitted themselves to fighting evil; and that there is a clear path forward for us today.
For Catholics questioning their faith, searching desperately for encouragement and hope, this book will offer reasons to stay and fight for the Body of Christ.
47 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 22, 2019
460 people are currently reading
1093 people want to read
About the author
Robert Barron
217 books839 followersBishop Robert Emmet Barron is an acclaimed author, speaker, and theologian. He is the former Francis Cardinal George Professor of Faith and Culture at Mundelein Seminary near Chicago and also is the founder of Word On Fire (www.WordOnFire.org).
Bishop Barron is the creator and host of CATHOLICISM, a groundbreaking ten-part documentary series and study program about the Catholic faith. He is a passionate student of art, architecture, music and history, which he calls upon throughout his global travels in the making of the documentary.
Word On Fire programs are broadcast regularly on WGN America, Relevant Radio, CatholicTV, EWTN, the popular Word on Fire YouTube Channel, and the Word on Fire website, which offers daily blogs, articles, commentaries, and over ten years of weekly sermon podcasts. In 2010, Father Barron was the first priest to have a national show on a secular television network since the 1950s.
Fr. Barron received his Masters Degree in Philosophy from the Catholic University of America in Washington DC in 1982 and his doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Institut Catholique in 1992. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1986 and has been a professor of systematic theology at the nation's largest Catholic seminary, the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary since 1992. He was visiting professor at the University of Notre Dame in 2002 and at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in 2007. He was also twice scholar in residence at the Pontifical North American College at the Vatican.
In addition, Fr. Barron lectures extensively in the United States and abroad. Cardinal Francis George calls Fr. Barron “one of the Church’s best messengers.
Fr. Barron was baptized at Queen of All Saints Basilica in Chicago and grew up at St. John of the Cross parish in Western Springs, Illinois.
WordOnFire.org - Fr. Barron's website launched in 1999 and currently draws over 1 million visitors a year from every continent. Fr. Barron posts weekly video clips, commentaries and radio sermons and offers an audio archive of over 500 homilies. Podcasts of his sermons are widely used by tens of thousands of visitors each month.
TV - EWTN (The Eternal Word Television Network) and CatholicTV broadcasts Fr. Barron's DVDs to a worldwide audience of over 150 million people.
Radio - Since 1999, Fr. Barron's weekly Word on Fire program has been broadcast in Chicago (WGN) and throughout the country (Relevant Radio - 950 AM Chicago) to 28 million listeners in 17 states. Fr. Barron also is a regular commentator on the "Busted Halo Show" on the Sirius satellite radio network based in New York.
DVDs - Fr. Barron's DVDs are used as powerful faith formation tools in universities, schools, churches and homes around the country. The series includes Seven Deadly Sins, Seven Lively Virtues; Faith Clips; Conversion: Following the Call of Christ; and Untold Blessing: Three Paths to Holiness.
YouTube - With over 180 online video commentaries by Fr. Barron, over 1 million viewers worldwide have made him the most popular of any evangelist on YouTube. These frequent, high-quality productions include brief and lively theological reviews of contemporary culture, including movies such as No Country for Old Men, Apocalypto, and The Departed, a three-part critical review of Christopher Hitchen's book God is Not Great, The Discovery Channel's The Jesus Tomb, the HBO series "The Sopranos", "Rome" and more.
Missions - MISSION CHICAGO features evangelization lectures by Fr. Barron at the behest of Cardinal George. These special missions and presentations throughout the Archdiocese are centered in downtown Chicago and attract business, civic, and cultural leaders.
Books - His numerous books and essays serve as critical educational and inspirational tools for seminarians, priests, parishioners and young people worldwide. His published works are also central to the numerous retreats, workshop and talks that h
Bishop Barron is the creator and host of CATHOLICISM, a groundbreaking ten-part documentary series and study program about the Catholic faith. He is a passionate student of art, architecture, music and history, which he calls upon throughout his global travels in the making of the documentary.
Word On Fire programs are broadcast regularly on WGN America, Relevant Radio, CatholicTV, EWTN, the popular Word on Fire YouTube Channel, and the Word on Fire website, which offers daily blogs, articles, commentaries, and over ten years of weekly sermon podcasts. In 2010, Father Barron was the first priest to have a national show on a secular television network since the 1950s.
Fr. Barron received his Masters Degree in Philosophy from the Catholic University of America in Washington DC in 1982 and his doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Institut Catholique in 1992. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1986 and has been a professor of systematic theology at the nation's largest Catholic seminary, the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary since 1992. He was visiting professor at the University of Notre Dame in 2002 and at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in 2007. He was also twice scholar in residence at the Pontifical North American College at the Vatican.
In addition, Fr. Barron lectures extensively in the United States and abroad. Cardinal Francis George calls Fr. Barron “one of the Church’s best messengers.
Fr. Barron was baptized at Queen of All Saints Basilica in Chicago and grew up at St. John of the Cross parish in Western Springs, Illinois.
WordOnFire.org - Fr. Barron's website launched in 1999 and currently draws over 1 million visitors a year from every continent. Fr. Barron posts weekly video clips, commentaries and radio sermons and offers an audio archive of over 500 homilies. Podcasts of his sermons are widely used by tens of thousands of visitors each month.
TV - EWTN (The Eternal Word Television Network) and CatholicTV broadcasts Fr. Barron's DVDs to a worldwide audience of over 150 million people.
Radio - Since 1999, Fr. Barron's weekly Word on Fire program has been broadcast in Chicago (WGN) and throughout the country (Relevant Radio - 950 AM Chicago) to 28 million listeners in 17 states. Fr. Barron also is a regular commentator on the "Busted Halo Show" on the Sirius satellite radio network based in New York.
DVDs - Fr. Barron's DVDs are used as powerful faith formation tools in universities, schools, churches and homes around the country. The series includes Seven Deadly Sins, Seven Lively Virtues; Faith Clips; Conversion: Following the Call of Christ; and Untold Blessing: Three Paths to Holiness.
YouTube - With over 180 online video commentaries by Fr. Barron, over 1 million viewers worldwide have made him the most popular of any evangelist on YouTube. These frequent, high-quality productions include brief and lively theological reviews of contemporary culture, including movies such as No Country for Old Men, Apocalypto, and The Departed, a three-part critical review of Christopher Hitchen's book God is Not Great, The Discovery Channel's The Jesus Tomb, the HBO series "The Sopranos", "Rome" and more.
Missions - MISSION CHICAGO features evangelization lectures by Fr. Barron at the behest of Cardinal George. These special missions and presentations throughout the Archdiocese are centered in downtown Chicago and attract business, civic, and cultural leaders.
Books - His numerous books and essays serve as critical educational and inspirational tools for seminarians, priests, parishioners and young people worldwide. His published works are also central to the numerous retreats, workshop and talks that h
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 299 reviews
August 15, 2019
I was not planning to read this, but a friend bought 100 copies and was passing them out. Many Catholics are hurt by the abuse scandals and this book helped her.
My husband defends the Church almost every day at his workplace, so we read this together in a couple of evenings. It is a quick read.
Bishop Barron puts the crisis in perspective, not minimizing the present catastrophic devastation across the globe in terms of lives destroyed, yet taking the long historical view which includes descriptions of past eras when the Church also seemed on the brink of destruction. Through it all though, his motto is that this is not the time to cut and run, but to stay and fight.
No arguments here. I cannot say his book convinced me as that was my going-in view. My husband, a convert, found a few things which he believes will help him in his desk-side ministry to fallen-away Catholics and skeptics. If you, or someone you know, is thinking about leaving the Church as a result of the recent epidemic of scandals, this book might preclude bailing out, or at least allow reasons to rethink any immediate rash action.
My husband defends the Church almost every day at his workplace, so we read this together in a couple of evenings. It is a quick read.
Bishop Barron puts the crisis in perspective, not minimizing the present catastrophic devastation across the globe in terms of lives destroyed, yet taking the long historical view which includes descriptions of past eras when the Church also seemed on the brink of destruction. Through it all though, his motto is that this is not the time to cut and run, but to stay and fight.
No arguments here. I cannot say his book convinced me as that was my going-in view. My husband, a convert, found a few things which he believes will help him in his desk-side ministry to fallen-away Catholics and skeptics. If you, or someone you know, is thinking about leaving the Church as a result of the recent epidemic of scandals, this book might preclude bailing out, or at least allow reasons to rethink any immediate rash action.
July 21, 2019
The first part made me angry, the middle part gave me prospective, and the last part was encouraging. In this fight, there is something for everyone to do to cleanse and restore order within the Church.
June 25, 2019
PrefaceThe Vatican, USCCB, and other bishops should be so lucky as to have Bishop Barron's book speaking for them. If they are wise they will embrace it and get copies into the hands of their congregations. Robert Barron gives not only a cry from the heart but perspective and counsel which both inspire and console.
This book is a cri de coeur, a cry from the heart. I am a lifelong Catholic, and I've been a priest for thirty-three years and a bishop for four years. I have dedicated my life to the Church. The sexual abuse scandal has been for me, for millions of other Catholics, and especially for the victim-survivors, lacerating. I have written this book for my fellow Catholics who feel, understandably, demoralized, scandalized, angry beyond words, and ready to quit. What I finally urge my brothers and sisters in the Church to do is to stay and fight — and to do so on behalf of themselves and their families, but especially on behalf of those who have suffered so grievously at the hands of wicked men. Of course, I’m also happy if those outside the Church find some illumination in these chapters as well.
I want to be clear about something from the outset: I am not speaking in the name of my brother bishops, or of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, or of the Vatican. I have no authority whatsoever to do so. I am speaking in my own name, as a Catholic, a priest, and a bishop. My prayer is that these reflections might encourage Catholics who are attempting to navigate today in very choppy waters.
This little book doesn't take long to read but it's packed with food for thought and gives historical and scriptural perspective. That may make it sound a bit detached or trite. Letter to a Suffering Church is anything but.
Barron condemns the wicked — it's been too long since I heard that word applied to the priests who violated the souls and bodies of their victims. He offers understanding and consolation to those victims. He reminds us that the Church has been dragged through the dregs of corruption by the clergy before and of the fight it took to cleanse it.
Above all Barron offers inspiration and a fighting spirit as he encourages Catholics to stay and fight for the Church to be what Christ calls her to be — a pure source of Truth for a world crying out for God and love. Even though the world may laugh at that idea right now.
I'll be rereading this book for my own future inspiration moving forward. I strongly recommend it for all of you too.
This book is only a dollar a copy so it can become widely accessible, with all proceeds going to organizations that support sexual abuse victims. Order it here. It will be available on Kindle in about a month for 99 cents. Parish resources are here.
January 28, 2023
Glad to finally have a Bishop openly share his disgust with the situation. But, I do wish there was more about how clergy plans to move forward outside of Dallas- including how we plan to recover our incredible losses. And to his point that the church has survived this kind of scandal before, I wasn’t really comforted by that. It made me feel like we haven’t figured out a way to fundamentally change. It’s like we’re in this pattern or cycle we can’t do anything about, and I don’t know if I accept that.
If we’re asked as Catholics to keep bettering ourselves, why can’t I ask that of the church and the way it’s established? Does it really have to have the same hierarchy? Don’t we have better ways to reconstruct it to promote accountability? I may be missing a big piece of tradition, but outside of the papacy, why does the church have to be a bureaucracy with bishops and archbishops, etc.? Just seems like a lot of room for the power hungry, but that’s based on my narrow understanding of how the system was created to begin with.
Though the ‘02 and after stats seem better, many of the kids from that era are in their late 20s or younger. It takes decades to deal publicly with something like abuse. Many people close to me don’t know about some of the instances. My point is, I think it’s too early for the stats to tell us anything, so we shouldn’t act as if it’s fixed.
I’ve also recently attended the lay training aimed at curbing sex abuse, which he mentions. The training could use some work, as it’s embarrassingly outdated.
From a PR standpoint, the church would do well to update the material so it at least looks like we are investing in solving the worst crisis in the modern church today. If I recall correctly, I heard the “it’s this bad everywhere” stat, and pardon me, but that’s bullshit. We stand for something better, so we better stop being the worst hypocrites out there. I did appreciate how Barron said we are setting the bar way too low if that’s the best we can do.
I wish Bishop Barron (whom I respect and love dearly), would’ve told the lay people what he plans to do personally to fight for us and our children. I sense the current hierarchy is not giving him the voice he deserves. As a leader, when you ask something so big of the laity, it would have a lot more merit if he told us what stake he had in the game.
That said, I did like his point on how change in the church depends on the laity - it’s time for us to show up and work on our own personal hypocrisy. I know I have a lot of changing to do to even be recognized as a Christian in this culture.
As a young practicing Catholic, I already feel the bare, broken sadness of a suffering church. Everyone really is fleeing, everyone left is mocked for being a Christian in the first place or judged by some other Catholic faction for not thinking the same way (politically or otherwise).
I really wonder how I’m going to convince my kids that Christ’s grace is worth it when the aid of the Church’s beauty is diminishing rapidly. For now, I rely on the saints and their stories.
I do hold onto the fact that a new, fresh chapter is around the corner, and I will stay to help write it.
If we’re asked as Catholics to keep bettering ourselves, why can’t I ask that of the church and the way it’s established? Does it really have to have the same hierarchy? Don’t we have better ways to reconstruct it to promote accountability? I may be missing a big piece of tradition, but outside of the papacy, why does the church have to be a bureaucracy with bishops and archbishops, etc.? Just seems like a lot of room for the power hungry, but that’s based on my narrow understanding of how the system was created to begin with.
Though the ‘02 and after stats seem better, many of the kids from that era are in their late 20s or younger. It takes decades to deal publicly with something like abuse. Many people close to me don’t know about some of the instances. My point is, I think it’s too early for the stats to tell us anything, so we shouldn’t act as if it’s fixed.
I’ve also recently attended the lay training aimed at curbing sex abuse, which he mentions. The training could use some work, as it’s embarrassingly outdated.
From a PR standpoint, the church would do well to update the material so it at least looks like we are investing in solving the worst crisis in the modern church today. If I recall correctly, I heard the “it’s this bad everywhere” stat, and pardon me, but that’s bullshit. We stand for something better, so we better stop being the worst hypocrites out there. I did appreciate how Barron said we are setting the bar way too low if that’s the best we can do.
I wish Bishop Barron (whom I respect and love dearly), would’ve told the lay people what he plans to do personally to fight for us and our children. I sense the current hierarchy is not giving him the voice he deserves. As a leader, when you ask something so big of the laity, it would have a lot more merit if he told us what stake he had in the game.
That said, I did like his point on how change in the church depends on the laity - it’s time for us to show up and work on our own personal hypocrisy. I know I have a lot of changing to do to even be recognized as a Christian in this culture.
As a young practicing Catholic, I already feel the bare, broken sadness of a suffering church. Everyone really is fleeing, everyone left is mocked for being a Christian in the first place or judged by some other Catholic faction for not thinking the same way (politically or otherwise).
I really wonder how I’m going to convince my kids that Christ’s grace is worth it when the aid of the Church’s beauty is diminishing rapidly. For now, I rely on the saints and their stories.
I do hold onto the fact that a new, fresh chapter is around the corner, and I will stay to help write it.
July 21, 2019
SADLY,
This book is nothing but "Self Serving."
example:
- bishop says he's invested his life to the church.
Unfortunately, that church is crumbling before his own eyes because it refuses to be Christlike & do the ONE thing the bishop also left out of his book...that is..."To Reach out to those who were Raped(Physically, Emotionally, Psychologically & let's not forget SPIRITUALLY) by self ascribed men of God when they were just innocent children." And when I came foward and spoke of being Raped by my pastor & how I saw the church Coverup those Crimes against Humanities most Vulnerable, the church "circled the wagons, battened down the hatches & Lawyered Up."
...as we ALL realized, "these men of God couldn't walk one foot of anything they preached."
How sad is that?
This book is nothing but "Self Serving."
example:
- bishop says he's invested his life to the church.
Unfortunately, that church is crumbling before his own eyes because it refuses to be Christlike & do the ONE thing the bishop also left out of his book...that is..."To Reach out to those who were Raped(Physically, Emotionally, Psychologically & let's not forget SPIRITUALLY) by self ascribed men of God when they were just innocent children." And when I came foward and spoke of being Raped by my pastor & how I saw the church Coverup those Crimes against Humanities most Vulnerable, the church "circled the wagons, battened down the hatches & Lawyered Up."
...as we ALL realized, "these men of God couldn't walk one foot of anything they preached."
How sad is that?
August 3, 2019
I have been a fan of Bishop Robert Barron ever since he came out with his Catholicism DVD series. I find his ability to explain difficult topics in ways I never would have thought of extremely edifying and insightful. This man has a powerful gift for teaching and evangelizing.
Letter to A Suffering Church was a huge breath of fresh air. As a devout Catholic, an employee of my diocese, and an online facilitator of courses in Catholic studies, I am deeply immersed in the life of the Church. This also means that I am profoundly aware of the tremendous pain in which so many Catholics find ourselves due to the sexual abuse crisis. The reprehensible, heinous acts of certain men who should never have become priests and the cover ups by some bishops are beyond horrfic and have done immeasurable damage to their victims and to the integrity and reputation of the Catholic Church. The victims of these awful crimes deserve justice, compassion, and all of our prayers for their healing.
The evil of the abusers reaches well beyond those upon whom they preyed. Good, holy, dedicated priests, bishops, and men and women religious have also borne the shame and the brunt of being treated as if they are automatically pedophiles, abusive in some way, or co-conspirators, even though they would never dream of doing such things and find the whole idea thoroughly repellant. Many lay Catholics are ashamed to admit to their faith to the point where they have left the Church. It is a crisis in more ways than one.
Bishop Barron's book is typical of his style. It tackles the problem head-on, pulls no punches, offers no excuses, places blame squarely on the shoulders of the perpetrators and the bishops who covered for them. In no way does it attempt to make excuses or rationalizations. What it does do is condemn the horrible and criminal behavior of abusers. But it also goes on to state clearly and precisely what is good and beautiful about the Catholic faith. Bishop Barron relates incidences of corruption and evil behavior within the Church at various times in its history. At the same time he relates how faithful Catholics responded to those issues - how they remained in the Church and dedicated to the Catholic faith while at the same time fighting tooth and nail to rid the Church of whatever corruption and evil had invaded it because it is a faith worth saving.
Some of the people he reminds us of include Saint Benedict, Saint Francis of Assisi, and Saint Ingatius of Loyola. He reminds us that in every instance, God raised up people who could and would fight to purify and heal a wounded church and they succeeded. Bishop Barron calls on us to do this once again. He challenges Catholics to remember what is important in the Church -that which cannot be found anywhere else, namely the Eucharist. The church isn't about priests or bishops. It's about Jesus Christ. That is who we worship. That is where our focus should remain. Our faith is worth the hard and unpopular work of rooting out the evil, cleansing the church, rebuilding it, and making it so such things can never happen again. It is a challenge he offers to all Catholics: Don't leave the Church. Stay and fight for it. Be the Saints Benedict, Francis, Ignatius, Theresa of Avila, Catherine of Sienna and others who did just that and succeeded.
I love Pope Francis, but he will not be pope forever and I sincerely hope that some day Bishop Barron becomes the pope. I can't help but see him as one of those people God has raised up in our time to do the work that needs to be done. Letter to A Suffering Church offers the best argument I've heard yet to join him in that work.
Letter to A Suffering Church was a huge breath of fresh air. As a devout Catholic, an employee of my diocese, and an online facilitator of courses in Catholic studies, I am deeply immersed in the life of the Church. This also means that I am profoundly aware of the tremendous pain in which so many Catholics find ourselves due to the sexual abuse crisis. The reprehensible, heinous acts of certain men who should never have become priests and the cover ups by some bishops are beyond horrfic and have done immeasurable damage to their victims and to the integrity and reputation of the Catholic Church. The victims of these awful crimes deserve justice, compassion, and all of our prayers for their healing.
The evil of the abusers reaches well beyond those upon whom they preyed. Good, holy, dedicated priests, bishops, and men and women religious have also borne the shame and the brunt of being treated as if they are automatically pedophiles, abusive in some way, or co-conspirators, even though they would never dream of doing such things and find the whole idea thoroughly repellant. Many lay Catholics are ashamed to admit to their faith to the point where they have left the Church. It is a crisis in more ways than one.
Bishop Barron's book is typical of his style. It tackles the problem head-on, pulls no punches, offers no excuses, places blame squarely on the shoulders of the perpetrators and the bishops who covered for them. In no way does it attempt to make excuses or rationalizations. What it does do is condemn the horrible and criminal behavior of abusers. But it also goes on to state clearly and precisely what is good and beautiful about the Catholic faith. Bishop Barron relates incidences of corruption and evil behavior within the Church at various times in its history. At the same time he relates how faithful Catholics responded to those issues - how they remained in the Church and dedicated to the Catholic faith while at the same time fighting tooth and nail to rid the Church of whatever corruption and evil had invaded it because it is a faith worth saving.
Some of the people he reminds us of include Saint Benedict, Saint Francis of Assisi, and Saint Ingatius of Loyola. He reminds us that in every instance, God raised up people who could and would fight to purify and heal a wounded church and they succeeded. Bishop Barron calls on us to do this once again. He challenges Catholics to remember what is important in the Church -that which cannot be found anywhere else, namely the Eucharist. The church isn't about priests or bishops. It's about Jesus Christ. That is who we worship. That is where our focus should remain. Our faith is worth the hard and unpopular work of rooting out the evil, cleansing the church, rebuilding it, and making it so such things can never happen again. It is a challenge he offers to all Catholics: Don't leave the Church. Stay and fight for it. Be the Saints Benedict, Francis, Ignatius, Theresa of Avila, Catherine of Sienna and others who did just that and succeeded.
I love Pope Francis, but he will not be pope forever and I sincerely hope that some day Bishop Barron becomes the pope. I can't help but see him as one of those people God has raised up in our time to do the work that needs to be done. Letter to A Suffering Church offers the best argument I've heard yet to join him in that work.
June 6, 2019
I got a free copy of this in the mail with perfect timing right as I was finished up some bigger reading projects. It is small-sized, large-print, and only 100 pages, so really more of a thick pamphlet than a book (it only took about 45 minutes to read). But Bishop Barron is always an interesting and concise writer, so this slim volume nonetheless packs a punch.
The book is broken into 5 parts. Part 1 discusses the gravity of the sexual abuse crises, characterizing it as "the devil's masterpiece." Part 2 looks to Biblical examples of sexual misconduct in both the Old and New Testament and focuses on teachings about how to respond. Part 3 turns to Church history, including a description of the many scandalous incidents over the past 2000 years, as well as lesson to be learned from them. In Part 4, Bishop Barron argues that even though Catholics should rightly be disgusted by the present situation, they should not let it cause them to turn away from the Church. And finally, Part 5 closes with suggestions for the way forward.
I am a huge fan of Bishop Barron's writing, and this is no exception. It is clear that this comes straight from his heart and is born of his experience with the suffering of his congregation. This is not an apologia that attempts to downplay the seriousness of the problem or dodge responsibility. But at the same time, it tries to seek perspective and guidance from the fact that the Church has been here before—going all the way back to Paul's letter to the Corinthians. Part 4, which he characterizes as "a hymn, a poem, a celebration," is a particularly nice little summary of the saint and other treasures of the Church that must be kept in human vessels.
There's nothing here earth shaking, nor can any single book pretend to solve the world's problems. But as an effort to chastise the wicked, console the afflicted, and rally the faithful, this was well-worth writing and well-worth reading.
(Bishop Barron is giving this book away for only a dollar a copy, with all proceeds going to organizations that support sexual abuse victims.)
The book is broken into 5 parts. Part 1 discusses the gravity of the sexual abuse crises, characterizing it as "the devil's masterpiece." Part 2 looks to Biblical examples of sexual misconduct in both the Old and New Testament and focuses on teachings about how to respond. Part 3 turns to Church history, including a description of the many scandalous incidents over the past 2000 years, as well as lesson to be learned from them. In Part 4, Bishop Barron argues that even though Catholics should rightly be disgusted by the present situation, they should not let it cause them to turn away from the Church. And finally, Part 5 closes with suggestions for the way forward.
I am a huge fan of Bishop Barron's writing, and this is no exception. It is clear that this comes straight from his heart and is born of his experience with the suffering of his congregation. This is not an apologia that attempts to downplay the seriousness of the problem or dodge responsibility. But at the same time, it tries to seek perspective and guidance from the fact that the Church has been here before—going all the way back to Paul's letter to the Corinthians. Part 4, which he characterizes as "a hymn, a poem, a celebration," is a particularly nice little summary of the saint and other treasures of the Church that must be kept in human vessels.
There's nothing here earth shaking, nor can any single book pretend to solve the world's problems. But as an effort to chastise the wicked, console the afflicted, and rally the faithful, this was well-worth writing and well-worth reading.
(Bishop Barron is giving this book away for only a dollar a copy, with all proceeds going to organizations that support sexual abuse victims.)
September 16, 2019
Dead on. 100% agree
August 15, 2019
Personally I did not need to be reminded why I should remain Catholic, but there are many people out there who believe they should leave the church over the sexual abuse crisis. This little book may not change their minds, but at least it should give them food for thought and maybe some insight as to why they are Catholic in the first place. Bishop Barron definitely does not defend anyone, but does a lot of revealing and puts some things into perspective.
This quote struck a chord with me, "In the end, we are not Catholics because our leaders are flawless, but because we find the claims of Catholicism both compelling and beautiful." The rest of the paragraph discusses the Trinitarian God, the sacraments, and saints and ends with, "This is the treasure; this is why we stay." And I for one will stay and fight for my faith.
This quote struck a chord with me, "In the end, we are not Catholics because our leaders are flawless, but because we find the claims of Catholicism both compelling and beautiful." The rest of the paragraph discusses the Trinitarian God, the sacraments, and saints and ends with, "This is the treasure; this is why we stay." And I for one will stay and fight for my faith.
February 17, 2020
lip service, all words no action, we will probably find out in five years when the next scandal comes out that Bishop Barron knew about it. Until the church purges herself of her sodomite problem she will never find peace, until the priests and the lay people make reparations for all the insults made against Christ we are only pushing ourselves closer to the great chastisement.
December 30, 2019
If you are Catholic this is Required Reading. If you have left the Church and don’t read this then, we’ll just remember God still loves you and maybe you should read it.
January 31, 2023
“FIGHT by raising your voice in protest; fight by writing a letter of complaint; fight by insisting that protocols be followed; fight by reporting offenders; fight by pursuing the guilty until they are punished; fight by refusing to be mollified by pathetic excuses. But above all, FIGHT by your very holiness in life… God is love, and he has won the victory through the cross and resurrection of Jesus… Perhaps the very best way to be a disciple of Jesus right now is to stay and FIGHT for his church.”
December 30, 2020
This book is written for Catholics only. And I find the case that he makes rather weak and unconvincing. The fundamental argument is that the reason to stay in the church is because of Jesus and the Eucharist. He makes an interesting analogy to Saint Augustine and the Donatists, which while interesting is a fairly thin 1200 year old logical reed upon which to base an argument. The argument is essentially that the sacraments are good even though those that practice them are flawed. He seems to be arguing strictly on matters of faith, which is not surprising given that he's a bishop and the former rector of a seminary. What is missing is rather fundamental. As Catholics we believe that salvation is derived not only from Faith but also from good works. This book gives short shrift to the good work that is done through the church and its organs like Catholic charities. We can't stop feeding the hungry and helping immigrants. Nor should we. We are the hands and feet of Christ and this work needs to be continued. This is why we need to keep the Church going. Neverthess this is a mildly interesting meditation on the state of the church at the present moment, and it is a useful starting point for considering the future of the church.
August 4, 2019
Recommended for suffering Catholics during this difficult time in history. A call for new saints to fight and rise up!
July 9, 2025
finally got around to reading this. 4 stars cause I can't say I *love* the subject matter but it's a really important topic and I think Bishop Barron did a great job of rebuking all the evils which have taken place in Church history while offering consoling and encouraging points of how we've improved and what we can do to continue to ensure that the beauties of our faith aren't shrouded by the evil one.
July 14, 2019
How is a devoted Catholic to respond to the horrendous sex abuse scandal ricocheting through the Church?
That is the question Bishop Barron is addressing. He isn’t presenting an exhaustive argument, rather he is joining the ranks of the hurt and suffering Catholics who are lost in response to this horrific scandal. He stands in solidarity with us, and explains why he believes we should have hope and stand with the Catholic faith even amidst this corruption.
We do not serve or follow a fallible, human institution. Rather, we come together as members of the Holy Body of Jesus Christ to serve those around us. Bishop Barron emphasizes why we should stay and fight for righteousness, for justice in the Church. We cannot abandon Jesus, God, the Holy Spirit. We cannot leave the Eucharist. We cannot abandon those who have suffered at the hands of those we have trusted with our spiritual welfare. We need to stand firm with the Church and call for reform and accountability from the Church institution.
If you are like me, and have struggled with how to handle these scandals, then read this letter from Bishop Barron. It will provide you with hope and direction.
That is the question Bishop Barron is addressing. He isn’t presenting an exhaustive argument, rather he is joining the ranks of the hurt and suffering Catholics who are lost in response to this horrific scandal. He stands in solidarity with us, and explains why he believes we should have hope and stand with the Catholic faith even amidst this corruption.
We do not serve or follow a fallible, human institution. Rather, we come together as members of the Holy Body of Jesus Christ to serve those around us. Bishop Barron emphasizes why we should stay and fight for righteousness, for justice in the Church. We cannot abandon Jesus, God, the Holy Spirit. We cannot leave the Eucharist. We cannot abandon those who have suffered at the hands of those we have trusted with our spiritual welfare. We need to stand firm with the Church and call for reform and accountability from the Church institution.
If you are like me, and have struggled with how to handle these scandals, then read this letter from Bishop Barron. It will provide you with hope and direction.
August 8, 2019
I can't help but think that Bishop Barron basically says to Catholics, "Where else you gonna go? The Catholic Church is all there is! Who else has the Eucharist?" ... In the face of scandal, I don't think he makes a very compelling argument against non-Catholic forms of Christianity. He basically says the Catholic Church needs a new priesthood, and maybe this is your time to shine, which kinda felt like a bribe - if you can forgive the church, then maybe there's a spot near the top for you. My take away is that the Catholic Church has a long history of pretty heinous sexual sin among even its highest ranks, but they're not sure why and they really hope it will stop soon... In the meantime, hang in there. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to see how the Church does damage control.
August 5, 2019
This book is a must-read for Catholics and really anyone who has issues with the Catholic Church. As someone who has personally struggled with all of the scandals, this short book was so helpful in not only owning up to the faults of some within the Church but also gave so many tangible ways to overcome the conflictions that so many Catholics feel. It also reminds the readers that when you love someone, you cannot give up on them, the Church included. This was a powerful read and continued to reassure me that while the Church is going through a very rough patch, it has gone through rough patches before and has bounced back. Through time and healing, I know that it will bounce back again.
October 7, 2019
An unfortunately shallow piece of propaganda that does nothing but offer what people want to hear. Many of Barron's fallacious claims are easily disproven by a simple reading of news such as an increasing number of seminarians and priests coming forward to continue to speak of a culture of silence and of being intimidated and silenced into not reporting the abuse they've suffered.
April 26, 2020
I was hoping for more, but in the end, my view is that this is exactly what I thought a man of the faith would say. This is a very quick read, and Barron does make some valid points. Overall, however, I feel that his argument is rather simplistic. He says he is outraged, but does not really elaborate.
February 2, 2020
Well written discourse on the sex abuse scandal in the Catholic Church and the corruption and failure of the priests and bishops. The end of the book is a call for the laity to stand and fight for the Church.
July 24, 2023
Wow, this hurt. In the very first chapter of this book, entitled The Devil's Masterpiece, Barron explains how the corruption of the Catholic church is simply too toxic and has caused too much damage to not be intentional. So of course, silly us, how did we not realize the devil had been plotting this whole time to make us look bad? Don't worry everyone, we solved the problem! It was that mean old devil playing tricks on us again. But we can't get rid of the devil, so this will happen again, but you should still trust us anyway.
For those who want to read this amazing argument for yourselves, here's the quote:
“The storm of wickedness that has compromised the work of the Church in every way and that has left countless lives in ruins is just too ingenious to have been the result of impersonal forces alone or merely human contrivance. It seems so thoroughly thought through, so comprehensively intentional. Certainly, in the ordinary run of history, bad things happen, but this scandal is just too exquisitely designed. It has corroded Catholic credibility so completely that the Church’s work in evangelization, catechesis, preaching, outreach to the poor, recruitment of vocations, and education has been crippled. And most terribly, members of the Church, especially its most vulnerable, have been forced to live through a nightmare from which it seems impossible to wake. If the Church had a personal enemy—and indeed the devil is known as the enemy of the human race—it is hard to imagine that he could have come up with a better plan.” (p. 3-4)
Big oof. It gets worse though. The next few dozen pages are filled with thought-stopping-cliches, appeals to purity, misdirection, and all around the most eloquent examples I've yet seen of cognitive dissonance. I applaud you for your mental gymnastics, sir. A few more quotes just for fun:
"Has this explosion of wickedness been the devil’s masterpiece? Yes. But Jesus said that the gates of hell would not prevail against his Church. Do the powers of darkness seem triumphant? Perhaps. But the Lord promised us he would never leave us, even until the end of the age. So we are forbidden to give up hope.” (p.16)
“No matter how difficult things become, and no matter how many of your fellows might drift away, you must stay” (p. 58)
“Let me make one more rather blunt remark: there is simply never a good reason to leave the Church. Never. Good reasons to criticize Church people? Plenty. Legitimate reasons to be angry with corruption, stupidity, careerism, cruelty, greed, and sexual misconduct on the part of leaders of the Church? You bet. But grounds for turning away from the grace of Christ in which eternal life is found? No. Never, under any circumstances.” (p. 59-60)
“St. Augustine reminded us long ago—our hearts are wired for God and therefore will remain restless until they rest in God. The best proof of this is that nothing in this world—no amount of money, sex, pleasure, power, or esteem—perfectly quiets the longing of the soul.” (p. 60-61).
This last one is of special interest to me after interacting with St. John of the Cross and Mother Teresa. It seems that there is always this antagonism towards seeking meaning outside the church. This is perpetuated through messages about the lack of fulfillment people get when doing so. However, Christian literature is permeated with authors claiming to not feel god, to feel lonely in the church, and so on. The very restlessness of the author Barron mentions (St. Augustine) is evidence that reliance on the church or the construct of the divine is not satisfactory either. So really, this is just manipulative double speak, even though I would argue it comes from a place of deep sincerity. In fact, I would argue this is what is most insidious about this work. Barron believes in the Church, and his love therefore compels him to unconsciously employ manipulative tactics to keep people in. This dependency on his in-group is what leaves him burred in cognitive dissonance and accidentally coercing those he loves into doing the same. My heart breaks for this man.
For those who want to read this amazing argument for yourselves, here's the quote:
“The storm of wickedness that has compromised the work of the Church in every way and that has left countless lives in ruins is just too ingenious to have been the result of impersonal forces alone or merely human contrivance. It seems so thoroughly thought through, so comprehensively intentional. Certainly, in the ordinary run of history, bad things happen, but this scandal is just too exquisitely designed. It has corroded Catholic credibility so completely that the Church’s work in evangelization, catechesis, preaching, outreach to the poor, recruitment of vocations, and education has been crippled. And most terribly, members of the Church, especially its most vulnerable, have been forced to live through a nightmare from which it seems impossible to wake. If the Church had a personal enemy—and indeed the devil is known as the enemy of the human race—it is hard to imagine that he could have come up with a better plan.” (p. 3-4)
Big oof. It gets worse though. The next few dozen pages are filled with thought-stopping-cliches, appeals to purity, misdirection, and all around the most eloquent examples I've yet seen of cognitive dissonance. I applaud you for your mental gymnastics, sir. A few more quotes just for fun:
"Has this explosion of wickedness been the devil’s masterpiece? Yes. But Jesus said that the gates of hell would not prevail against his Church. Do the powers of darkness seem triumphant? Perhaps. But the Lord promised us he would never leave us, even until the end of the age. So we are forbidden to give up hope.” (p.16)
“No matter how difficult things become, and no matter how many of your fellows might drift away, you must stay” (p. 58)
“Let me make one more rather blunt remark: there is simply never a good reason to leave the Church. Never. Good reasons to criticize Church people? Plenty. Legitimate reasons to be angry with corruption, stupidity, careerism, cruelty, greed, and sexual misconduct on the part of leaders of the Church? You bet. But grounds for turning away from the grace of Christ in which eternal life is found? No. Never, under any circumstances.” (p. 59-60)
“St. Augustine reminded us long ago—our hearts are wired for God and therefore will remain restless until they rest in God. The best proof of this is that nothing in this world—no amount of money, sex, pleasure, power, or esteem—perfectly quiets the longing of the soul.” (p. 60-61).
This last one is of special interest to me after interacting with St. John of the Cross and Mother Teresa. It seems that there is always this antagonism towards seeking meaning outside the church. This is perpetuated through messages about the lack of fulfillment people get when doing so. However, Christian literature is permeated with authors claiming to not feel god, to feel lonely in the church, and so on. The very restlessness of the author Barron mentions (St. Augustine) is evidence that reliance on the church or the construct of the divine is not satisfactory either. So really, this is just manipulative double speak, even though I would argue it comes from a place of deep sincerity. In fact, I would argue this is what is most insidious about this work. Barron believes in the Church, and his love therefore compels him to unconsciously employ manipulative tactics to keep people in. This dependency on his in-group is what leaves him burred in cognitive dissonance and accidentally coercing those he loves into doing the same. My heart breaks for this man.
October 23, 2019
When I heard about the sexual abuse revelations of then Cardinal McCarrick and the Pennsylvania Grand Jury report last summer, I was more than disappointed with the state of the Catholic Church in many areas of the world. I was also asked by a non-Catholic friend if these sexual abuse revelations were true and I embarrassingly admitted so. For that reason, I wrote a column last October for The Catholic Register, titled, Staying Faithful Amidst Crisis in which I reflected on the events of that summer.
Today, a year since the summer of revelations, I am blessed to have the chance to review a short book published by Word on Fire Catholic Ministries written by Bishop Robert Barron titled, Letter to a Suffering Church: A bishop speaks on the sexual abuse crisis. I only received an advance copy on July 31st, but I put aside all the books I have been reading to read this new book that has been the top of the Catholicism category of books on Amazon for a few weeks now.
I think I was right to start reading Letter to a Suffering Church as soon as I got it. After reading it, I have to say that it is a book published at the right time. So much has happened within a year, from the McCarrick revelations, the Grand Jury report, Archbishop Vigano’s letters, Cardinal Wuerl’s resignation – that is just in the United States alone. There have also been other cases revolving around sexual abuse in which people are still trying to discover the truth to. I remember on my Europe trip, we made a stop at the Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris and I went to the free newspaper stands. All I saw that day were pictures of French Cardinal Barbarin on the front, accused of mishandling sexual abuse cases. In Australia, people all over the world have been closely following Cardinal Pell’s case. Just yesterday, I read headline, on The Catholic Register’s website, Jesuits publish inquiry results, confirm abuses by famed priest. The list seems endless and therefore, it is very reasonable for Catholics to be frustrated.
Bishop Barron writes this very short book in response to this crisis that is going on in the Church. He spoke about the sexual abuse crises through various perspectives. By now, you can read over 900 reviews on this book on Amazon.com and most of them are positive reviews. However, I would like to touch upon some interesting points that I think are worth noting.
First, I found the approach that Bishop Barron took on this book to be very similar to that of The Mentor’s Handbook by Fr. Peter Michael Henry, that I reviewed yesterday. The book outlines the problem, speaks of different perspectives of the crisis from various points of view, and finally ways to move forward. I like that the books is divided into such, because no one wants to read fact, after fact, after fact nor does the reader want to be lost in the facts. Bishop Barron outlines clearly in the introduction the purpose of his books and gives the readers a refresher of the past events.
Even though the book seems to speak mainly of the sex abuse crisis in the United States, I think it should speak to every Catholic universally, since this scandal is not just an American Catholic scandal, but all throughout the world, including Canada, where I live. What was eye-opening for me is that the sexual abuse scandal has not been the only “unholy” thing that some Catholic clergy have done in history. Bishop Barron dedicates a whole chapter called, “We have seen this before” to discuss dark eras in the life of the Church, speaking even of popes that have been “unholy” than others and have caused scandal within the Church. Therefore, if you thought that the sexual abuse scandal is the darkest era in the Church’s history, well, “we have seen this before”.
The most important part of the book, I should say, is the last chapter titled, “The way forward”. I like how Bishop Barron mentions what I mentioned in my column, that we are Catholic not because of good or bad clergy but rather, because of the faith that we profess, especially in Jesus Christ who was crucified and risen from the dead. That I understood from the beginning the crisis last summer.
However, what was intriguing to me in the last chapter (and the whole book), was when Bishop Barron said, “The bottom line is this: if we want holier priests, we all have to become holier ourselves. […] A better and stronger laity shapes a better and stronger (and less clericalist) priesthood.” (pages 92-93) While the laity can sit around, moan and groan about how we need holier, and better priests, we lay faithful need to look at ourselves as well. Sometimes we may get hooked up about the failings of others that we fail to look at our own faults and failings and we cease to work towards sanctity. I like what Bishop Barron said there. While we can pray, Bishop Barron proposes that call to holiness to every one of us. That is how we can support the clergy during this time, by prayer and being models of holiness.
Finally, Bishop Barron ends with this call and prompt, “Perhaps the very best way to be a disciple of Jesus right now is to stay and fight for his Church.” (pg. 102) What a great way to close this short book. This may bring about many different interpretations. We can fight for this Church through prayer, by living in holiness, but I believe, also by bringing to light the truth that has been hidden that justice may be served. Through that, we may live in charity, in fraternity with one another in the Church.
The book ends with a “Prayer for a Suffering Church”. The prayer could be found in its entirety, along with other helpful resources could be found at the website accompanying this book, sufferingchurchbook.com.
On The Catholic Man’s Scale
★★★★★ 5/5
This book exceeded my expectations. While it contained some points that I mentioned in my column last October, I liked how Bishop Barron wrote this as a prompt for Catholics to reflect on these dark times and also to think about how we can take action. It is a read that suits the times, and I hope Letter to a Suffering Church will reach the hands of all Catholics throughout the world.
Today, a year since the summer of revelations, I am blessed to have the chance to review a short book published by Word on Fire Catholic Ministries written by Bishop Robert Barron titled, Letter to a Suffering Church: A bishop speaks on the sexual abuse crisis. I only received an advance copy on July 31st, but I put aside all the books I have been reading to read this new book that has been the top of the Catholicism category of books on Amazon for a few weeks now.
I think I was right to start reading Letter to a Suffering Church as soon as I got it. After reading it, I have to say that it is a book published at the right time. So much has happened within a year, from the McCarrick revelations, the Grand Jury report, Archbishop Vigano’s letters, Cardinal Wuerl’s resignation – that is just in the United States alone. There have also been other cases revolving around sexual abuse in which people are still trying to discover the truth to. I remember on my Europe trip, we made a stop at the Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris and I went to the free newspaper stands. All I saw that day were pictures of French Cardinal Barbarin on the front, accused of mishandling sexual abuse cases. In Australia, people all over the world have been closely following Cardinal Pell’s case. Just yesterday, I read headline, on The Catholic Register’s website, Jesuits publish inquiry results, confirm abuses by famed priest. The list seems endless and therefore, it is very reasonable for Catholics to be frustrated.
Bishop Barron writes this very short book in response to this crisis that is going on in the Church. He spoke about the sexual abuse crises through various perspectives. By now, you can read over 900 reviews on this book on Amazon.com and most of them are positive reviews. However, I would like to touch upon some interesting points that I think are worth noting.
First, I found the approach that Bishop Barron took on this book to be very similar to that of The Mentor’s Handbook by Fr. Peter Michael Henry, that I reviewed yesterday. The book outlines the problem, speaks of different perspectives of the crisis from various points of view, and finally ways to move forward. I like that the books is divided into such, because no one wants to read fact, after fact, after fact nor does the reader want to be lost in the facts. Bishop Barron outlines clearly in the introduction the purpose of his books and gives the readers a refresher of the past events.
Even though the book seems to speak mainly of the sex abuse crisis in the United States, I think it should speak to every Catholic universally, since this scandal is not just an American Catholic scandal, but all throughout the world, including Canada, where I live. What was eye-opening for me is that the sexual abuse scandal has not been the only “unholy” thing that some Catholic clergy have done in history. Bishop Barron dedicates a whole chapter called, “We have seen this before” to discuss dark eras in the life of the Church, speaking even of popes that have been “unholy” than others and have caused scandal within the Church. Therefore, if you thought that the sexual abuse scandal is the darkest era in the Church’s history, well, “we have seen this before”.
The most important part of the book, I should say, is the last chapter titled, “The way forward”. I like how Bishop Barron mentions what I mentioned in my column, that we are Catholic not because of good or bad clergy but rather, because of the faith that we profess, especially in Jesus Christ who was crucified and risen from the dead. That I understood from the beginning the crisis last summer.
However, what was intriguing to me in the last chapter (and the whole book), was when Bishop Barron said, “The bottom line is this: if we want holier priests, we all have to become holier ourselves. […] A better and stronger laity shapes a better and stronger (and less clericalist) priesthood.” (pages 92-93) While the laity can sit around, moan and groan about how we need holier, and better priests, we lay faithful need to look at ourselves as well. Sometimes we may get hooked up about the failings of others that we fail to look at our own faults and failings and we cease to work towards sanctity. I like what Bishop Barron said there. While we can pray, Bishop Barron proposes that call to holiness to every one of us. That is how we can support the clergy during this time, by prayer and being models of holiness.
Finally, Bishop Barron ends with this call and prompt, “Perhaps the very best way to be a disciple of Jesus right now is to stay and fight for his Church.” (pg. 102) What a great way to close this short book. This may bring about many different interpretations. We can fight for this Church through prayer, by living in holiness, but I believe, also by bringing to light the truth that has been hidden that justice may be served. Through that, we may live in charity, in fraternity with one another in the Church.
The book ends with a “Prayer for a Suffering Church”. The prayer could be found in its entirety, along with other helpful resources could be found at the website accompanying this book, sufferingchurchbook.com.
On The Catholic Man’s Scale
★★★★★ 5/5
This book exceeded my expectations. While it contained some points that I mentioned in my column last October, I liked how Bishop Barron wrote this as a prompt for Catholics to reflect on these dark times and also to think about how we can take action. It is a read that suits the times, and I hope Letter to a Suffering Church will reach the hands of all Catholics throughout the world.
July 21, 2023
Within a few weeks of publication, this book had over a million copies in circulation. I began reading it shortly before we were caught in the Pandemic shelter-in-place.
During the last few days I've picked up the book again. The topic is something that needs to be explored deeply given the lawsuits that are now besetting the churches for what took place generations ago. How necessary it is to deal honestly, as Bishop Barron says, with the issues of sexual abuse by respectful listening, deeper reflection and honest dialogue.
During the last few days I've picked up the book again. The topic is something that needs to be explored deeply given the lawsuits that are now besetting the churches for what took place generations ago. How necessary it is to deal honestly, as Bishop Barron says, with the issues of sexual abuse by respectful listening, deeper reflection and honest dialogue.
Read
February 12, 2022Bishop Barron is such a blessing. His ministry is needed right now. I think he is the CS Lewis for our time.
This was a tough read.
This was a tough read.
October 26, 2023
I think that this short letter is well intentioned and thoughtfully written, but it does not get to grips with the core issue at the heart of the abuse scandal in the Catholic Church.
It starts by blaming someone else for the problem: Satan. It says that this is not an attempt to avoid responsibility but… Then there is a bizarre chapter telling us that learning about medieval crimes of the clergy can “immunize” us to present crimes of the clergy (Kindle location 44%). How does it help to tell us that bad behavior has been taking place for centuries? In fact doesn't that make matters even worse?
The letter ends with a list of the measures put in place to improve child protection for the future. That is heartening and will hopefully improve matters. But many modern organisations can trot out their policies and new improved procedures on child protection. Yet recurrent scandals in international NGOs prove time and time again that policies are only words on paper, unless there are trustworthy people with the decency and courage to enforce the policies. And... unless these is a culture of openness and honesty, which encourages people to persevere in vigorously challenging wrongdoing and complicit inertia, even when it goes to the highest levels.
At the heart of the abuse crisis is a question of trust. Can people trust that (now) church leaders will act with decency and courage and that (now) there is a culture of openness and honesty which will keep leaders acting decently and courageously. Can they trust that the Church will no longer prioritize its own image to the point of blaming those who raise public concerns about child abuse, and accusing them of committing the sin of scandal when they do so? Sadly, the letter doesn't address issues like that.
Instead, the letter tells us that 37% of Catholics are currently considering leaving the church (Kindle 75%). The author's view is that there is “never a good reason” to leave the church because doing so is turning away from the grace of Christ (Kindle 56%). But there is a contrary argument to consider. Doesn't remaining in a Church which cannot get on top of its Child Protection issues become a moral issue at some point? Aren't laity at risk of becoming complicit in the clergy's child abuse, if their behavior of remaining in the Church enables clergy to continue with their wrongful behavior? It would have been helpful if the letter could have addressed questions like that.
Overall, this didn't seem a fully adequate response to the problem. But then, in fairness, perhaps that's because some of the issues need resolving at higher levels.
On a different note I also felt disappointed to see that the author is charging money for this short letter. A leader of a church with an abuse crisis is apologising and offering assurances of improvement for the future. Shouldn’t that be given to people free of charge - at least in digital versions where it costs nothing to do so?
It starts by blaming someone else for the problem: Satan. It says that this is not an attempt to avoid responsibility but… Then there is a bizarre chapter telling us that learning about medieval crimes of the clergy can “immunize” us to present crimes of the clergy (Kindle location 44%). How does it help to tell us that bad behavior has been taking place for centuries? In fact doesn't that make matters even worse?
The letter ends with a list of the measures put in place to improve child protection for the future. That is heartening and will hopefully improve matters. But many modern organisations can trot out their policies and new improved procedures on child protection. Yet recurrent scandals in international NGOs prove time and time again that policies are only words on paper, unless there are trustworthy people with the decency and courage to enforce the policies. And... unless these is a culture of openness and honesty, which encourages people to persevere in vigorously challenging wrongdoing and complicit inertia, even when it goes to the highest levels.
At the heart of the abuse crisis is a question of trust. Can people trust that (now) church leaders will act with decency and courage and that (now) there is a culture of openness and honesty which will keep leaders acting decently and courageously. Can they trust that the Church will no longer prioritize its own image to the point of blaming those who raise public concerns about child abuse, and accusing them of committing the sin of scandal when they do so? Sadly, the letter doesn't address issues like that.
Instead, the letter tells us that 37% of Catholics are currently considering leaving the church (Kindle 75%). The author's view is that there is “never a good reason” to leave the church because doing so is turning away from the grace of Christ (Kindle 56%). But there is a contrary argument to consider. Doesn't remaining in a Church which cannot get on top of its Child Protection issues become a moral issue at some point? Aren't laity at risk of becoming complicit in the clergy's child abuse, if their behavior of remaining in the Church enables clergy to continue with their wrongful behavior? It would have been helpful if the letter could have addressed questions like that.
Overall, this didn't seem a fully adequate response to the problem. But then, in fairness, perhaps that's because some of the issues need resolving at higher levels.
On a different note I also felt disappointed to see that the author is charging money for this short letter. A leader of a church with an abuse crisis is apologising and offering assurances of improvement for the future. Shouldn’t that be given to people free of charge - at least in digital versions where it costs nothing to do so?
August 4, 2019
Bishop Barron's view of the Catholic Church is in conflict with Vatican II
Barron writes " if Catholics turn away from the grace of Christ, they lose eternal life". In the early 1960s, Pope John xxiii and Vatican II discounted the concept that only Catholics can gain eternal life. Certainly, Pope Francis would allow that all people of good faith and deeds will be rewarded.
A second troubling section suggests that the percentage of pedophile priests is consistent with all groups of professions. While this statistic may be true, Barron (and other church leaders) avoid the statistic that counts the number of victims assaulted by priests, often as many as a dozen. The pedophile engineer, teacher, Protestant minister may have one or two victims. And the non-priest pedophile doesn't use God as an ally and a Bishop as an enabler.
While Barron calls out Bishop McCarrick for more investigation, I think Pope Francis could do a lot for healing in the Church of he would immediately remove all guilty Bishops and Cardinals from the priesthood- including a public condemnation of the late Cardinal Bernard Law. During the Boston church scandal, Law was rushed out of Boston and kept his status at the Vatican. Shameful!
Really disappointed in this book.
I am 77 year old lifetime Catholic, 10 years alter server, Catholic school graduate and practicing Catholic. I love and support our parish priests, the wonderful Catholic school teachers and missionaries. I have little respect for the leadership of my church, and frankly don't need them.
Barron writes " if Catholics turn away from the grace of Christ, they lose eternal life". In the early 1960s, Pope John xxiii and Vatican II discounted the concept that only Catholics can gain eternal life. Certainly, Pope Francis would allow that all people of good faith and deeds will be rewarded.
A second troubling section suggests that the percentage of pedophile priests is consistent with all groups of professions. While this statistic may be true, Barron (and other church leaders) avoid the statistic that counts the number of victims assaulted by priests, often as many as a dozen. The pedophile engineer, teacher, Protestant minister may have one or two victims. And the non-priest pedophile doesn't use God as an ally and a Bishop as an enabler.
While Barron calls out Bishop McCarrick for more investigation, I think Pope Francis could do a lot for healing in the Church of he would immediately remove all guilty Bishops and Cardinals from the priesthood- including a public condemnation of the late Cardinal Bernard Law. During the Boston church scandal, Law was rushed out of Boston and kept his status at the Vatican. Shameful!
Really disappointed in this book.
I am 77 year old lifetime Catholic, 10 years alter server, Catholic school graduate and practicing Catholic. I love and support our parish priests, the wonderful Catholic school teachers and missionaries. I have little respect for the leadership of my church, and frankly don't need them.
December 29, 2019
My relationship with the Catholic Church is complex yet inescapable. Every time I grit my teeth in frustration with Mother Church, every time I feel ready to float away, along comes Bishop Barron to grab my feet and, like Mary Poppins, pull me back down to earth. His concise eloquence, expressed in books and countless Youtube videos, has a way of reminding me of the bigger picture of why I endured months of RCIA and relished my Confirmation in the first place. This particular book, however, leaves too many gaps of unanswered questions.
As just one example, his core thesis is that despite the recently exposed rash of evil, Catholics should stay in the Church for the Eucharist: "You can't find it anywhere else, and no wickedness on the part of priests or bishops can affect it." While I'm hard pressed to deny the latter, there *are* other denominations that take the Eucharist just as seriously as the Catholic Church does. I hear routinely of Catholics who, disgusted by Church corruption, have fled to Anglican, Orthodox, and even sedevacantist churches. What makes the Catholic Church *unique* in its view of the Eucharist? And if that's the only reason for staying, can't people find it elsewhere? Where lay Catholics frequently fall back on a simple *extra ecclesiam nullus salus,* I know that Bishop Barron, of all people, can go deeper. For whatever reason, however, he does not.
As just one example, his core thesis is that despite the recently exposed rash of evil, Catholics should stay in the Church for the Eucharist: "You can't find it anywhere else, and no wickedness on the part of priests or bishops can affect it." While I'm hard pressed to deny the latter, there *are* other denominations that take the Eucharist just as seriously as the Catholic Church does. I hear routinely of Catholics who, disgusted by Church corruption, have fled to Anglican, Orthodox, and even sedevacantist churches. What makes the Catholic Church *unique* in its view of the Eucharist? And if that's the only reason for staying, can't people find it elsewhere? Where lay Catholics frequently fall back on a simple *extra ecclesiam nullus salus,* I know that Bishop Barron, of all people, can go deeper. For whatever reason, however, he does not.
June 15, 2019
A wonderful and accessible little book that can be read in a couple of hours. The good bishop does not shy away from quickly explicitly laying out recent egregious examples of abuse. He then takes an interesting dive into the Old Testament for examples of sexual sins that caused terrible harm. He touches on the New Testament as well, focusing on Jesus' treatment of children and His teaching on how they should be treated and the consequences of harming them; he also cites St. Paul's apparent encounters with sexual immorality in his travels. Then on to egregious examples of popes who were depraved (John XII, Benedict IX, Leo X, and Alexander VI) noting "we have been here before." To the question, "Why should we stay?," the author provides six reasons: the Church speaks of God to a secular world; the Church is the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ and we are grafted onto it; the Holy Spirit gives life to the Mystical Body; the Trinity -- God is love; the sacraments, with the Eucharist reason number one not to leave; the example and holiness of saints from all walks of life and various abilities and callings. The way forward: make serious institutional reforms (report abuse on the part of bishops, formal investigations of McCarrick and the like); a deep and abiding spiritual reform of the priesthood and clerical culture; renewal of the laity -- all must become holier.
December 10, 2019
A Strong Disappointment. Bishop Barron is clearly speaking from the heart here and that along with the biblical parallels and lessons he pulls on throughout the pamphlet gives some real touching power to his work. However his effort is severely undercut by his treatment of the Church's crisis which is far too shallow. He focuses solely on the sexual abuse side of the issues facing the Church in this hour of crisis and gives no attention whatsoever to the other issues afflicting the Church, such as the abuses of power, the doctrinal confusion, the cover-ups, the Papal scandals, the new revelations about previous popes, bishops and priests of the 20th century and, most importantly, he does not address the slowly unfolding revelations concerning freemasonic and communist infiltration of the Church throughout the 20th century up to the present day. The Church is suffering because of ALL of these things, not merely the sexual abuse crisis. If Bishop Barron was going to do some true reaching out to the Church to address this crisis he would have covered all of these sufferings which the Church faithful are enduring and not merely the sexual abuse crisis which, horrific and demonic as it is, is only one part of the larger scheme of corruption which the demons have infiltrated throughout the Church.
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