At Mass in the Casa Santa Marta on this morning, Pope Francis invited Bishops to overcome the "Great Accuser", who seeks to create scandal, through prayer, humility, and nearness to God’s people.
In his homily at Mass, Pope Francis said it seems the "Great Accuser" is attacking the bishops of the Catholic Church to create scandal.
I guess I have yet to reach the limit of my cynicism, but I confess that it seems to me the Pope has adopted the strategy of many defense lawyers who, realizing they have no case establishing the innocence of their client, decide to put the victims on trial.
I know that in coining the term “Great Accuser” the Pope is referring to satan and the powers of darkness who seek ruin for the Church.
But his words come perilously close to suggesting that the innocent victims of such horrible sexual abuse by Catholic Clergymen are somehow the devil’s pawns, willing and eager to be used by the prince of demons to attack the Successors of the Apostles.
His words come perilously close to insinuating that victim advocacy groups, law enforcement officers, attorneys, prosecutors may also be the dupes of the devil in attacking the Church.
Bishops who are being called to accountability for their immorality or incompetence are not victims of satanic attacks. Let’s put that nonsense to rest, once and for all.
Of course, the Episcopal Office itself has been badly, critically, damaged by these scandals.
But suggesting that those who reveal the filth and the horror are somehow being used by satan is as far off the mark as one can get.
If these are the types of remarks the Pope is going to utter in response to this terrible state of affairs, perhaps it would be better (and more prudent) for him to be silent.
His words make no sense and flame the fires of anger already so prevalent among the Catholic faithful.
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