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A couple of years ago I sat in a pew as the pastor in my parish (a good man) read a letter from the Bishop of our diocese in response to the huge sex scandal that was brewing at that time. Far from being humble it was belligerent, essentially absolving the priests of wrong doing and declaring the victims as liars and chastised us for daring to sympathize with them, but the diocese would graciously consent to make some purely symbolic changes like having priests attend a sensitivity class.

I was boiling, the only reason I didn't walk out in the middle of that letter was because my wife would have been embarrassed. Up until then I kept feeling like the church could be changed from within if good people worked to save it but that letter broke me. It was clear to me that the hierarchy in the church cared only about making sure the party never ended. I didn't walk out but I haven't been back since. Or rather, barely. I feel out of communion with the RC Church. I just don't know if I'll ever truly feel it's my home again.

According to Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, when Jesus was in the Garden, the thought of suffering for wayward and sinful priests was repugnant to Him and He asked His Father to remove the cup.

Then the Father showed Him all of the people who would suffer for Him in the future. He saw a parade of regular people and saints that we know. It was then that He agreed to go through with the suffering.

It is a very difficult thing to watch supposed men of God do evil things, but we have to remember that we are only called to be faithful to Him, not to a priest who has lost his way.

Can you imagine how difficult it was for Jesus to face His torture and death knowing that it would all be lost on his priests who turned their backs on Him?