A pair of open letters to Pope Francis asking him for answers to charges of cover-ups by him and others over abuse allegations against retired Archbishop Theodore E. McCarrick of Washington were sponsored by the Catholic Women’s Forum, a project of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a Washington-based think tank.
The prologue to one of the letters declares, “This letter reflects the personal initiative of the individual Catholic women signing this letter, and is not sponsored by any group or organization.” The letter and invitations to sign it, though, are posted on the Catholic Women’s Forum’s website.
The first letter, titled “Letter to Pope Francis from Catholic Women,” is dated Aug. 30, four days after publication of an 11-page letter by Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, the former Vatican nuncio to the United States, making charges against Francis and other Church leaders.
The second letter, from a group called Catholic Men United for Christ, is dated Sept. 5. “Specifically,” the second letter said, “we request that you answer the questions posed by our sisters in their letter to you.”
The questions posed in the women’s letter include, “What did Archbishop Vigano convey to you in June 2013 about then-Cardinal McCarrick? When did you learn of any allegations of sexual abuse or sexual misconduct with adults by then-Cardinal McCarrick? When did you learn of Pope Benedict’s restrictions on then-Cardinal McCarrick? And did you release then-Cardinal McCarrick from any of Pope Benedict’s restrictions?”
The letter added, “Please do not turn from us. You’ve committed yourself to changing clerical ways in the church. … We need to know we can trust you to be honest with us about what happened. The victims who have suffered so greatly need to know they can trust you. Families, who will be the source of the church’s renewal, need to know we can trust you, and thus trust the church.”
As of early September 7th, the women’s letter had 39,051 signers.
The men’s letter, which had 6,381 signers since it was posted, said, “We plead for justice for the victims of abuse. We add our voices to those of the bishops who have called for an investigation of the church hierarchy, both in our own country and in the Vatican. This investigation should be carried out by faithful laymen and women. Further, we encourage other groups to make their voices heard by writing more letters of this nature.”
I signed the Catholic Men United for Christ’s letter and support a respectful plea on the part of Catholic faithful everywhere to the Holy Father to respond directly to the allegations regarding his knowledge of the McCarrick scandal.
Canon 212, Paragraph 3 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law declares: They (the Catholic faithful) have the right, indeed at times the duty, in keeping with their knowledge, competence and position, to manifest to the sacred Pastors their views on matters which concern the good of the Church. They have the right also to make their views known to others of Christ's faithful, but in doing so they must always respect the integrity of faith and morals, show due reverence to the Pastors and take into account both the common good and the dignity of individuals.
Those who exercise this right with respect and dignity are to be commended for their genuine and sincere devotion to the Catholic Faith.
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