Brother's Keeper

As the winter solstice coincided with a lunar eclipse, the three magi aligned in the Heavens and Pope Benedict XVI openly confessed Catholic clerical child sexual abuse to his Cardinals and Bishops. He did not ask for forgiveness nor disclose any sin (crime) that had not already been irrefutably established before secular authorities in Ireland, Germany, the U.S.A. and elsewhere.

As the earthly successor of the Apostle Simon Peter the Rock, the cornerstone of the foundation of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Benedict should have led by example but failed. Centuries of concealment of endemic sin (crime), warranted an acceptance of responsibility as a bare minimum if there is to be any reconciliation.

Addressing the Curia, Pope Benedict claimed humiliation of the Catholic Church relative to child sexual abuse reports this year. Actively concealing criminal acts by church officials is also a crime but this was not specifically addressed. Pope Benedict urged reflection upon the role of the Church in allowing children to be victimized by priests.

Pope Benedict XVI deflected responsibility upon moral laxity of society, and said:

"We are well aware of the particular gravity of this sin committed by priests and of our corresponding responsibility. But neither can we remain silent regarding the context of these times in which these events have come to light. There is a market in child pornography that seems in some way to be considered more and more normal by society. The psychological destruction of children, in which human persons are reduced to articles of merchandise, is a terrifying sign of the times."

Pope Benedict cast blame on society and its indulgence in pornography and sex tourism. He claimed that sexual permissiveness of the 1970's influenced the predatory priests.

Though the inclusion of the subject of child sexual assault in the annual address to Cardinals and Bishops is important, there was no stated intention to disclose information that is not already publicly known.

It has become common knowledge through the secular sources that child abuse is endemic in the Roman Catholic Church and has become institutionalized. Because the light of the media has been focused upon the most egregious child sexual assaults, the physical child abuse by Catholic nuns and priests remains in the shadows.

Education, through its curtailment of corporal punishment, has made great progress in a generation. Society has evolved, as well. Media attention to extreme cases of child abuse historically have advanced the cause of child protection. The publicity has been the impetus for the recognition of the problem by governments and justice systems globally.

The full extent of the horror of the past will never be known. Too many victims have silently carried their suffering to their graves with them.

Today, there is an awareness of past abuses and our legal systems have been adjusted. As we progress as a global civilization in the twenty-first century, corporal punishment of defenseless children must be confronted and outlawed around the world.  The trauma suffered by child victims lasts a lifetime.

Brothers' Keeper

Don’t tarry along the pipeline

As the morning bell is rung,

With a brother who is younger

As the final clang is clung;

ooOOoo

Dash across the street without care

Ignore the boy’s cry to stop,

Rush to catch the moving line

Score the point in ‘dodge the cop’;

ooOOoo

Pay no mind to the patrol boy

Though he wears the safety stole,

“It’s better safe than sorry”

Cried the star of the school patrol;

ooOOoo

“Be on time!” their mother chided

“Don’t dally!” her stern command,

“Mind your brother!” she had guided

“When you cross the street, hold his hand!”

ooOOoo

Childish stroll across the meadow

Flouting lockstep march to school,

Court the lure of youthful leisure

March in cadence is the rule;

ooOOoo

Where in Hades was St. Patrick?

Who’d guided them to school each day,

Older brother left them lingering

Idle innocence fell away;

ooOOoo

A choice in haste is never sound

To toe the line or bend the rule,

Go the distance to the crosswalk

Or dart the distance like a fool;

ooOOoo

Whether he led or just followed

Is a fact beyond recall,

Charged to mind this younger brother

Or bear the brunt of fumbled ball;

ooOOoo

Safely ‘cross this minor roadway

Both dashed to join their queues,

Queasy boy with guilt uneasy

Class door broached with fierce bad news;

ooOOoo

Meek younger quaked in custody

Trembling finger found its place,

Childish gasps escaped in chorus

Blame and shame espied disgrace;

ooOOoo

Bandoliered with tin badge shining

Highlighting wrong with reddened shame,

Stood the star of the school patrol

Fearless witness to lay the blame;

ooOOoo

Arrested by the rising star

Whose brilliance dulled the gloom,

Terror gripped two fearful souls

Approaching their impending doom;

ooOOoo

Released due to his tender years

Back to first class, he took flight,

Bad example led him astray

Evil would be taught wrong from right;

ooOOoo

Sister Lucy loomed, board in hand

Terrified child bid to bend,

Rage displayed, bestial nostrils flared

Innocence slain at childhood’s end;

ooOOoo

Hardwood was felled against the child

Childhood pleasures were strewn behind,

Pain stooped fragile body with age

Crushed a body and set a mind;

ooOOoo

Tears welled deep in childless pupils

Wimpers withheld, willed away,

Fear recoiled through seething anger

Defiance donned its brave display;

ooOOoo

Both heart and habit dyed in black

Lucy’s four vows lost their sheen,

She laid a second to his back

“Bad boy! Confess! Renounce your sin!”

ooOOoo

Wobbly knees buckled and gave way

Genuflecting to the floor,

Naïve faith prayed for God’s mercy

The Board of Ed struck once more;

ooOOoo

Our Lord fell thrice at Calvary

Roughly raised to meet his fate,

No mercy spared child from strike three

This person of God taught hate;

ooOOoo

Stubborn pride of youth submitted

To power of God’s Nun severe,

Pained sobs confessed wrongs committed

As faith devolved to abject fear;

ooOOoo

“Now then, you’ve learned God’s harsh lesson”

“Never cross the street on your own”

“Thank dear sweet God for your blessing –

that you weren’t killed crossing alone”;

ooOOoo

Red shame now ghostly white spectre

Head hung, bowed, just second class,

Confused. How could he respect her?

Forlorn and cowed. Shattered glass.

ooOOoo

Small thoughts collide, lost in query

Small feelings hurt, maimed by shame,

Uncertain insecurity

Hard lessons of violence and blame;

ooOOoo

News hurried home upon the wind

That the lad had family shamed;

Leather strap confirmed he had sinned

No mercy was that day ordained; 

ooOOoo

No excuse could gain a pardon

Or explain misdeed away,

Feigned remorse was just extracted

No appeal for mercy sway;

ooOOoo

Next day went this criminal child

Head hung low in pure disgrace,

Shame and guilt – essential badness

Had firmly found its nesting place;

ooOOoo

Where went this child’s blessed goodness?

That Christ Himself had once embraced,

Lone child – no loving God would bless

A cherub from heaven – displaced.

ooOOoo

oooOOOooo

Gerry Gilligan

Copyright 2010, All Rights Reserved

Pseudonym: Sligobay