There is always hope and always forgiveness. And isn't the saying something like this:
"With prayer, all things are possible."?
You are right, thanks for the reminder. I posted that just minutes after that charade with Abshp. Flynn on "Nightline" and I was at a low spititual ebb.
You know, I was thinking about this all night (while awake, I mean!). They are indeed walking a fine line, and it must be hard to know what to do. You have to take the "Actions have consequences", "love the sinner, hate the sin", "justice", "forgiveness", "redemption" state of mind for the offenders, all the while keeping the victims foremost in your mind. In some of the abuse cases it is pretty black and white, but in others, there are certainly shades of gray. I understand that, and pray for God's Grace for them that they do His Will.
My problem last night was that to me, it doesn't seem like Abshp. Flynn "got it" - there was no talk of the root cause of the problem, consequences for those who most certainly enabled the perps (and in some cases wrote them glowing, loving letters of recommendation with no mention of the awful actions of the priest in question), and the skirting over of the homosexual problem. No mention of the 1961 Vatican ban on ordaining homosexuals and in fact, Abshp. Flynn called Navarro-Wells' statement to the press (no homosexuals should be ordained), "unfortunate" and said it was made with no scientific backing. Further, Abshp. Flynn said that the things in this second paragraph would not be discussed by the Bishops this week.
I'm keeping up the mostly unceasing prayers and I know His Will will be done eventually, on His timetable. But sometimes it sure is hard for me to understand.