Good News!

Last week, all the Catholic dioceses in Texas announced that they will have an independent group review documents and relate the names of all priests credibly accused of abuse from 1950 on. You can read about it here.

There are several things in this article that I celebrate and give me hope.

First, that the bishops called for this investigation rather than continuing to wait for someone else to do it. Second, that the investigation is being done by people outside the hierarchy of the Church - FBI agents, state troopers, etc. Third, that this is a group of people who have investigated other Catholic dioceses and is currently in high demand.

High demand.

Absolutely. We demand it, and it is being done.

Get ready. We already know some of the results. They were announced in the first round of the sex abuse scandal several years ago. One of the priests in that report was in my parish when I was growing up, and we would have him over for dinner. He was a great guy. We had no idea. When the report came out, I learned that some of my friends knew that something was going on, but even then it was just "creepy" and they would simply avoid the situations that were uncomfortable. Turns out not everyone could do that.

This is the light that needs to be brought into this scandal. May it shine brightly and take away the darkness that has covered and distorted this Church for so many and so long. Let's keep praying.