Maybe it's somewhat like the vow of celibacy that priests are expected to make. Eamonn Casey wasn't one to take it literally, and Michael Cleary made a mockery of it.
It shouldn't come as much of a surprise when the whole "vow of poverty: business is equally inconvenient and must be ignored.
Papal Nuncio Giuseppe Leanza is leaving Ireland to take a post in Eastern Europe. Enda Kenny is happy enough to see the cleric's back, considering the fall-out from the Vatican's slap at An Taoiseach after Mr. Kenny pummeled the Holy See for its callous disregard of Irish law in regard to the clerical abuse scandal.
The Vatican's solution to problem clerics has long been the shuffle, and sending Father Leanza to a new post feels like more of the same. The pedophile priests were moved around from parish to parish, sometimes sent from Ireland to America and back again. There must be airline miles saved up that need to be used before they expire.
Farewell, Papal Nuncio, bon voyage and good luck. The Irish bishops have been told that the voyage would be far more bon if they'd all give Father Leanza a little parting gift of 500 euro.
A vow of poverty? Is there really such a thing when we're talking about the so-called "Princes" of the Catholic Church?
Do the math. Twenty-eight bishops times 500 euro equals a great deal of money, and the gift is asked at a time when the forgotten Maggies are seeking some kind of compensation for their years of slave labor that benefitted the Church.
Pick up and read a copy of The Leaven of the Pharisees and you'll understand why the request is more than outrageous.
To date, there's not a dime to be found for the women who toiled without pay in the laundries run by the religious orders. But the bishops are supposed to come up with 14,000 euro as a gift to a Catholic priest who is supposed to shun earthly rewards.
What does he need it for? To donate to his favorite charity?
The Justice for Magdalenes organization could put 14,000 euro to good use. Just a little suggestion, to help mend those fences that were broken to pieces after the Cloyne report was made public.
No comments:
Post a Comment