Mar 4, 2004 / 22:00 pm
Forgiveness and strength, as demonstrated by Jesus and Mary in Mel Gibson’s film, “The Passion of the Christ”, are necessary in order to face the sexual-abuse crisis that hit the U.S. Church, said Bishop Samuel J. Aquila in a letter to the faithful of the Diocese of Fargo.
The letter was issued Feb. 27, which the bishop designated a day of prayer for the healing of the victims of sexual abuse. That same day, the John Jay College of Criminal Justice issued its national survey on sexual abuse by clergy in the U.S. Church. The results indicated that about four percent of clergy over a 52-year period were accused of sexually abusing about 10,600 minors.
The bishop said forgiveness is essential in order to face and move beyond the sexual-abuse crisis. The forgiveness demonstrated by Jesus in “The Passion” when he utters, “Father, forgive them,” must also be spoken by the faithful and by those who are victims of abuse if healing in the Church is to take place, said the bishop.
“To the victims of sexual misconduct, by clergy or by others, forgiveness is at the heart of the healing process and it is by far the hardest task of all,” he said. “The act must always be condemned, but the person, if there is to be healing, must be forgiven. That is true in every type of hurt experienced by a human being, even one as serious as sexual abuse.”