Papal Emblem

I apologize for the lack of posts over the last few days. There is not much ecclesial news happening around these parts. When the Pope goes on vacation for the summer the Catholic news cycle slows down quite dramatically.

The most interesting tid-bit that has emerged within the last week is the Vatican’s release of modifications to the norms on grave crimes against the church. The official notice from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith stated:

[T]he Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith…held it necessary to proceed with a reform of the [Normae de gravioribus delictis], emending it not in its entirety, but only in certain areas, in order to render the text more useful.

The most significant adjustments within the document come in response to two particular offenses: the molestation of minors by priests and the ordination of women.

That, in itself, has sparked a bit of an uproar over the last few days. Many people in the secular media and in the Church have questioned why the Vatican would condemn the sexual abuse of minors by priests and the ordination of women in the same document.

Many believe the church is saying the ordination of women to the priesthood is equivalent to the molestation of children by priests. This is simply not the case. By grouping the two together, Rome is confirming that these are two important issues that are currently facing the Church.

Should the Vatican have released two different documents? Maybe. I do not believe that Rome ever imagined it would receive such intense scrutiny over this document. One thing is clear, however; many have overlooked the most important aspect of this document—what it actually says.

Introducing the changes to the norms regarding the sexual abuse of minors, Bishop Blase Cupich, Chairman of the USCCB Committee on Protection of Children and Young People, stated:

The seriousness with which the church views sexual abuse of a minor by a cleric cannot be understated. By putting child sexual abuse by clergy in the same context as the safeguarding of the sacraments, the Church is making it clear that such misconduct violates the core values of our faith and worship.

Today the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith notes that the abuse of the mentally impaired, no matter what the person’s age, is horrific. Abuse of someone who cannot defend himself or herself is craven, cowardly behavior.

Welcome, too, is the recognition that the crime of child pornography damages not just those who pursue it, but any child degraded in the making of it. Child pornography is a degradation of any child of God. A priest’s involvement with it is particularly offensive.

The document makes law of measures that have already been in use by the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith to facilitate handling of cases brought to the Vatican. This is an important step in the continuing effort to achieve justice for innocent people whose trust in a cleric was violated.

The new norms on clergy sexual abuse make it clear: the Church will not tolerate such abuses! These “new” norms have been in practice for quite some time. The CDF is simply making them known to all the Bishops of the Church so that they, too, can implement similar policies.

In regards to the ordination of women, Archbishop Donald Wuerl, Chairman of the USCCB Committee on Doctrine, stated:

The seven sacraments are an integral and identifying part of the Catholic Church and the faith life of each Catholic. To feign any sacrament would be egregious. The Catholic Church through its long and constant teaching holds that ordination has been, from the beginning, reserved to men, a fact which cannot be changed despite changing times.

All Catholics are called to Christian service. Women have responded with extraordinary generosity. Historically, women have had an essential role in the life of the Church. This is true especially through their volunteer work in parishes, their professional service and their membership in religious communities, lay movements and other organizations, where they serve in a range of areas such as health care and education…

The Church’s gratitude to women cannot be stated strongly enough. Women offer unique insight, creative abilities and unstinting generosity at the very heart of the Catholic Church. Their activity and determinative participation explains much of what makes the Catholic Church the powerful force for goodness and holiness that it is.

Simply put, because the priesthood has always been reserved for men within the church, the ordination of women to participate in the priesthood of Jesus Christ is not acceptable. However, that does not mean that women have no role in ministry. The amount of women in ministry in the U.S. is staggering, as Archbishop Wuerl illustrated. They perform a great service to the Church and are to be commended for the carrying out of their baptismal call.

Sources: (1) USCCB: Normae de gravioribus delictis; (2) USCCB: Bishops Welcome Update of Vatican Norms on Sexual Abuse; (3) USCCB: U.S. Bishops’ Doctrine Chairman Welcomes Vatican Clarification On Ordination…