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A Word from Grace Street

Scandalon

April 07, 2010

Pope Benedict addresses crowd at St. Peter's Square.My Dear People,

Scandalon. It is the Greek word from which we get the English word "scandal," and can be translated "obstacle," as in this passage from Paul's letter to the Romans, "Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way."

If you are reading these words, no doubt you are well aware of the scandal that the Roman Catholic Church has on it hands right now, a scandal made all the more a scandal as a result of the Vatican's approach to the situation over the course of Holy Week, namely avoidance and defensiveness.

A scandal made all the more a scandal; an obstacle made all the more an obstacle.

I mean the following quite seriously, and with no hint of disrespect to His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI:

Some have suggested that Pope Benedict should step down; something, of course, that has never happened before; and something that is not going to happen now. Given the nature and magnitude of the scandal; the obstacle now laid bare before the whole world; something more courageous, something more radical, is called for. Imagine if the Pope were to go about embodying, in his own person, the repentance that is, in truth, the only appropriate response to the scandal. 

Imagine the message that would have been sent if the Pope had done public penance in St. Peter's Square every day throughout all of Lent, saying prayers of repentance for the Church, and prayers for the victims of abuse. And imagine if, on Easter, the Pope had spoken right to the crisis, making appropriate commitments to change and speaking about healing and hope for the victims, for the Church, and for the world.

As has been said, there are no shortcuts to Easter. That is, you can't get to Easter without going through Good Friday.

When the Vatican truly faces into the Good Friday that is this scandal, then and only then will Resurrection come.

Let us pray for Benedict and for the Church; and let us continue to pray, of course, for the victims of abuse and for their families.

Easter doesn't come in the spring, after all. Easter comes when we let it come.

Your brother in Christ,

Wallace+

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