An Attack on Christ Himself
In a recent Pastoral Message on abuse, Archbishop Weisenburger addressed “those who have been abused or harmed in any way by bishops, priests, and deacons,” saying:
“Taking seriously Jesus’ teaching that whatever we do to the least among us, we do to Him, I can only conclude that the crimes and misconduct you suffered were nothing short of an attack on Christ Himself.”
This is absolutely and profoundly true.
And notice crucially how the archbishop refers to the individuals harmed by clergy as Christ, and not those ordained to act “in persona Christi capitis.” Indeed, the vulnerable, marginalized, and those oppressed by the powerful are “the sacramental presence of the Lord.” (Dilexi Te 44)
What would it look like if the archbishop, if you and me, if religious orders, if the pope, if your pastor, if the whole Body of Christ actually treated everyone who had been abused in the Church as they would treat Christ?
What would change if the Church lived out a preferential option for everyone who has been abused in the Church?
That’s our mandate.
I do think a lot of this can and should happen online until the physical churches can find the space to do so.
Until every parish shares resources for survivors every week in the bulletin. Until they speak to survivors about what can be done so survivors can better receive the sacraments.
I live online in the survivor space and I'm sick of getting kicked from discords or message boards because I'm "too intense" or "ask useless questions" or "challenge tradition" or "live in the past" or "don't understand its not just a church problem" or "blame God for men". Yet, I live in a dioceses under a Bishop I keenly dislike for many reasons, including an "unfounded" accusation.
The more online space that we carve for ourselves the more, I hope, physical spaces become available.