POPELESSLY DEVOTED TO OPRAH
or
POPELESS IN THE VATICAN
While there is a “bookmark” in the Catholic Church’s Papacy, is this not the ideal time for Oprah to interview the ex-Pope and the election committee for the next Pope?
Can the Catholic Church not pause for a moment and decide what effective steps can be taken to cease the cover-ups and enabling of child sexual abuse? As a treatment professional of sexual offenders, and survivor of clergy abuse myself, I submit the following questions for Oprah to elicit answers:
- Is the Vatican making sex offender treatment mandatory for the accused priests?
- What preventive measures are being enforced for young men entering the priesthood?
- Is there a sexuality screening process?
- Is there a sexual harassment policy in force?
- Is there sex education for Catholic children, including psychosexual education?
- Might it not be time to effect a chaperone rule – – a policy that requires the presence of a layperson (a parent, e.g.) whenever a child is with a clergy member?
- Has the Vatican offered to pay for victims’ treatment?
- Does the Vatican offer treatment for accused clergy members?
- How can the Catholic Church be more transparent and protect children going forward?
- Is it not time to rescind celibacy vows?
I could wax on about long-overdue appropriate public apologies and restorative therapy with the offenders and the victims, yet the Vatican will probably listen to Oprah before me. I cannot imagine the Vatican would accept an interview with Oprah, yet I suggest she reprise the role of her early investigative reporter days, fly to Italy, and lay in wait with a camera crew. If the Catholic Church truly wants to recover and redeem itself to the high level of respect it has long held as one of the most powerful institutions in the world, it has as a responsibility to be rebuild trust going forward. Only then will understanding, compassion and forgiveness be theirs.