Stand up for all the good priests
We have well in excess of 140 faithful, self-sacrificing priests in Cloyne who are always there for us — for baptisms, marriages and funerals. They work hard at all times.
When Judas betrayed Jesus, after he had been ordained a priest, the rest of the apostles weren’t condemned.
Of course we cannot condone the horrible injuries inflicted on God’s little ones.
Jesus himself said anyone who scandalises one of these little ones, it were better that a millstone be tied around his neck and that he drowned in the depths of the sea.
But let us remember fewer than 3% of all identified perpetrators of sexual abuse are priests or members of religious orders.
Yet there seems to be a certain number of people, including sections of the media, who gloat over blaming the church for all of these sins. Jesus forgave Peter when he denied him. When the poor woman who committed adultery was brought before him for stoning, he said to her accusers, let the person without sin be the first to cast a stone at her. We are told they all left one by one.
Would the priests’ accusers today be numbered among those who could not cast the first stone or would they be able to look Christ in the face as they condemn his whole church because of the sins of a few.
Why is it that the good all our priests do for us is never written about? Let us all give our priests the support and encouragement they need and deserve.
Let us pray for our priests —and for ourselves, too. God be merciful to all of us sinners.
Tess Cotter
Casement Row
Fermoy
Co Cork
