priests
will be asked to sit in the pews and not wear liturgical vestments so they can
confess sins alongside the laity.
By
Michael Paulson, Globe Staff, 2/25/2003
Bishop
Richard G. Lennon, after spending weeks focusing on the massive litigation confronting
the Archdiocese of Boston, is launching his first major spiritual initiative --
an effort during Lent to heal a Catholic Church deeply wounded by the scandal
of clergy sexual abuse.
Lennon,
who has been serving as administrator of the Archdiocese of Boston since the
Dec. 13 resignation of Cardinal Bernard F. Law, plans to rely in this effort on
the church's fundamental tool: prayer. He plans to address the crisis at Mass
on two of the most solemn days of the Christian calendar, Ash Wednesday and
Holy Thursday. And he plans to ask priests to recommit themselves at the annual
Chrism Mass during Holy Week to prevent abuse.
Lennon
also plans, during the 40-day season of Lent that begins March 5, to hold his
first five meetings with the priests of the archdiocese, and to hold five
evening prayer sessions with Catholics throughout Eastern Massachusetts, at
which priests will be asked to sit in the pews and not wear
liturgical vestments so they can confess sins alongside the laity.
''The
disclosures of clergy abuse of children, the inadequate manner in which we
responded to the allegations administratively, the alienation of victims, their
families, and others from their faith and from the Church, and the divisions
that have arisen within the Church . . . point to the need for reconciliation
and conversion,'' Lennon wrote in a letter being delivered to priests today.
The
Catholic Church, locally and nationally, has attempted several times to use
prayer and confession to respond to the sex abuse crisis, which exploded in
January 2002. Numerous churches have held healing services or recited prayers
for victims of abuse, Law asked people to join in a novena of prayers during
Pentecost last year, and the bishops of the United States all agreed to fast as
an act of penance last August.
But
Lennon's effort, timed to coincide with the penitential season of Lent, is the
broadest yet in the Archdiocese of Boston, and the first since the departure of
Law, who had become a lightning rod for criticism. Lent also could be a
relatively quiet time on the legal front, because most of the lawyers involved
in the sex abuse issue have agreed to a 90-day pause in legal maneuvering as
they attempt to negotiate a settlement. And next Monday, two days before the
start of Lent, Lennon plans to announce the details of the new archdiocesan
policy for responding to allegations of clergy sexual abuse, which has been
sought by victims and victim advocates. The policy is mandated by rules adopted
by American bishops and approved by the Vatican.
Lennon's
Lenten plan is to be delivered by mail to priests today and published in church
bulletins on Sunday. But several people interviewed about the plan yesterday
offered mixed reactions.
''We
often hear about this crisis in the legal context, and it's important that we
not forget the spiritual,'' said the Rev. Matthew L. Lamb, a professor of
theology at Boston College, who praised the initiative. ''The church has to
find her own spiritual voice in this, not in the sense of any kind of public
relations ploy, but really for the sake of those who have suffered abuse and
injustice. Spiritually, it's very important that this time of Lent be one of
repentance.''
But
others said that while prayer might be helpful, it is not enough, and they are
concerned that Lennon is not moving quickly on other fronts.
''There
is certainly a role for the spiritual in getting out of this crisis, but it is
only a limited role,'' said Ann Hagan Webb, New England co-coordinator of the
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests. ''What has happened is not
spiritual; it is criminal and immoral. Prayer isn't going to fix it. Action is
going to fix it. Real changes are going to fix it.''
James
E. Post, president of the lay group, Voice of the Faithful, sounded a similar
note. ''Prayer is necessary, but it's not sufficient,'' he said. ''It has to be
accompanied by truth-telling and dialogue. Part of healing has to be dialogue
with the laity, and the priests, and the survivor community.''
And
the Rev. Robert W. Bullock, pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Sharon and
a leader of the Boston Priests' Forum, noted that ''a lot of parishes have done
healing Masses'' and that ''people are concerned about who is doing the
penance.''
''This
effort is absolutely necessary and appropriate -- there needs to be a lot of
penance,'' he said. ''But, what is necessary, along with penance, is to rebuild
trust and confidence, and that will require not only prayer but also action. We
may need some new and inventive procedures.''
Lennon
was not available yesterday, but a spokesman, the Rev. Christopher J. Coyne,
said the archdiocese acknowledges that there is tension between its efforts on
the spiritual and legal fronts.
''The
dichotomy between what we're trying to do ritually and spiritually, and what is
ongoing legally, is problematic, and everyone acknowledges that as a fact,'' he
said. ''We are talking about worship and healing while we also have an outside
process that is at times adversarial and works counter to healing and
reconciliation. But, in spite of that, we have to move forward.''
The
program will supplement the traditional rituals of Lent, including a request
that adult Catholics plan to abstain from meat on Fridays, fast on Ash
Wednesday and Good Friday, give up some form of pleasure, and make
contributions to charity. It will add several elements specifically
acknowledging the abuse crisis, which resulted from revelations that more than
100 Boston priests had abused minors and in many cases did not lose their jobs
as a result. Today priests will receive a variety of prayers reflecting on the
abuse crisis that they can use during worship services throughout the season.
The prayers will include some specially designed for parishes in which a priest
abused minors, as well as a series of prayers that can be used by groups or
individuals walking the Stations of the Cross.
Lennon
has also blocked out a significant chunk of time to talk with priests. In each
region, he plans to pray, meet, and then eat dinner with area priests before
officiating at the public prayer services.
''We
wanted to use the natural rhythms of our liturgical life since it is a season
that calls us to acts of penance and growth of holiness,'' Coyne said. ''It
seemed logical to tie it to the present crisis in the church. We as a church
are in need of doing penance, of conversion, and of growing in holiness.''
Coyne
said all priests and laypeople can participate, even though they may not
personally be to blame for the crisis. He said the goal of the Lent program is
''that we start to heal the wounds of sin and division that are part of our
community, and that victim-survivors will see this as a sign of our willingness
to acknowledge what we've done and to commit ourselves to make sure it doesn't
happen again.''
Michael
Paulson can be reached at mpaulson@globe.com.
This
story ran on page A1 of the Boston Globe on 2/25/2003.
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Copyright 2003 Globe Newspaper
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