SUBJECT: RELIGION!!!

Some thoughts . . .

The WorldWideWeb is buzzing again with the news of the latest charges and counter-charges with respect to the current controversy in the CEC. I wish to make an observation here, with respect to those who are, in good conscience, still trying to sort things out and pray things get better. I have nothing against these persons -- and I do believe in miracles.

But most engaged in these most recent discussions (both on this blog, CEC Healing, and various internet forums) are missing the point.

The point is this:

The situation cannot -- CANNOT -- be fixed with the current leadership in place. (I'm referring to the leadership in the United States. Overseas, the situation might be different -- I just don't know.) The system is broken, and cannot be fixed by re-arranging the same broken pieces. The remaining bishops in the CEC were ALL complicit in the disaster of last year; many have been complicit in various issues since Manila in 2004. Even today, the truth has not been told in many places, and people continue to be hurt and misled. Those bishops which tried, in whatever way, to effect change or to demand accountability were marginalized, attacked, denounced, threatened, and forced out.

The laity can "demand" accountability; they can "demand" participation; they can "demand" anything they like -- but until the bishops admit that they are broken; that they have failed in their charge; that they have not been the good shepherds God called them to me -- nothing can or will change. A sick person cannot begin to get better until he acknowledges the sickness. And that's what this is -- a deeply-rooted sickness. "Retiring" Adler won't heal the sickness. Blaming blogs and forums won't heal the sickness either. It's often been said that sometimes, healing cannot begin until the parties involved hit "rock bottom". One would think that lessons should have been learned last year -- but apparently the remaining bishops have not yet hit "rock bottom".

For the sake of the souls still left in the CEC, I pray that the remaining bishops do hit "rock-bottom"; do come to terms with their own sickness; and earnestly and truly repent.

Papa Z