Unsettled Christianity

I missed T.C.’s firestorm, to which he finally corrected his lack of clarity.

Pope Benedict commented on Rome’s choice:

“Now, under attack from the world which talks to us of our sins, we can see that being able to do penance is a grace and we see how necessary it is to do penance and thus recognize what is wrong in our lives,” the pope said at a mass in the Vatican (Source, emphasis added).

T.C. rejoined:

Pope Benedict, I respectfully beg to differ.  You don’t need to do penance as a grace.  Tell your people that they need Jesus! And, Jesus alone!

I would disagree with T.C., however, that Rome doesn’t need to do penance. Indeed, I think that they do.

This is a common separator, this idea of penance, between Catholics and other Christian groups. Peter Kirk (in the comments section) notes that the idea of penance comes from a Latin translation for the Greek word of repentance, a long, long time ago.

First, repentance is a must from man to God, but there is something to be said about offering an action to make-up, or do penance, for sins such as this. If I stole something from T.C., it would be best if I returned it to him. God may forgive me, indeed, but if it is within my power to make up for the sin which I committed against my brother, I should do it.

The Pope is correct, Rome must do penance. How so? First, the Priests who have committed such acts must stand for justice. Second, care then for the victims.

Unlike many, I don’t assume that this is happening because of the evils of Rome, or celibacy. T.C. quotes 1st Corinthians 7.9, and he is correct, but Paul says ‘if.’ He didn’t say all people would burn for intimacy, but that if you did, then get married. It is clear that Paul didn’t burn with passion and remained celibate. If these priests are burning in passion, then they should leave the priesthood. This is their choice. Priests and nuns leave their vocation. These acts are individual choices, because of the depravity of the individual, not Rome. Rome’s hand in this, however, is not clean. Many innocent priests and those in the hierarchy have corrupted themselves in covering up reports and victims. This is Rome’s quilt.

But this is rampant among other groups as well. Pentecostals, charismatics, fundamentalists. Both child molestation and the cover-ups. We hear about these other groups as well, but rarely do we categorize the entire group by the individuals which show up in the news. (Well, maybe the fundamentalists, as unfair as that is). So, why do we categorize all of Catholicism by those priests who make the news for the evil that they do? Do I agree with the Roman doctrines? Hardly, but there are good Catholics, many of them in fact, many more than those evil priests who have committed such acts.

Yes, Rome must offer penance, and in that perhaps find some Grace. Let them do what they can to be materially penitent.

As my hero in the Faith, once said,

Stand fast, therefore, in these things, and follow the example of the Lord, being firm and unchangeable in the faith, loving the brotherhood, and being attached to one another, joined together in the truth, exhibiting the meekness of the Lord in your intercourse with one another, and despising no one. When you can do good , defer it not, because “alms delivers from death.” [Tobit 4:10, 12:9] Be all of you subject one to another, having your conduct blameless among the Gentiles, that ye may both receive praise for your good works, and the Lord may not be blasphemed through you. But owe to him by whom the name of the Lord is blasphemed! Teach, therefore, sobriety to all, and manifest it also in your own conduct. (Polycarp’s Epistle to the Philippians, ch. 10)

Or, read the words of the Lord in Luke 11.39-41.