A Papal Passing

The death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has been characterized as an epochal loss for a church that was defined first by his resolute conservatism and later by his radical decision to abdicate power. Pope Benedict was seen as a bookish purist, not as skilled in outreach to non-Catholics as other popes. He was first known as a theologian and academic. He wrote comprehensive volumes on Jesus. He vouched for an economic system that works for the “common good”. Church historians say the most significant ramification for Catholicism’s future could stem from his decision in 2013 to abdicate power, the first pontiff to do so in 600 years.

Pope Benedict took the reins of the Catholic Church in 2005. At that time the Catholic Church was grappling with a sex abuse scandal that had ripped across the world and shaken the faith of many church members. In 2008, Pope Benedict met with victims of abuse by Catholic priests in the United States and apologized for the abuse. He addressed American bishops at that time and admitted that church leaders had mishandled abuse allegations. Pope Benedict apologized for the sexual abuse in a pastoral letter to the Catholics of Ireland in 2010. He directed Irish church leaders to acknowledge the abuse and work to protect minors in the future. Additionally, the Pope expressed profound shame after a German investigation accused him of wrongdoing in his handling of abuse cases while he headed the archdiocese of Munich between 1977 and 1982. However, in the months following all these efforts, leaders of sex-abuse victims’ groups criticized the lack of follow-up by the Vatican on its promises to step up its legal, juridical, and pastoral response to the problem of pedophile priests.

It is clear by the tone of his final spiritual testament that he still carried the burden of this travesty for the church he loved and served his entire life. In spite of all his many efforts to reform the church and his initiatives as Pope to improve relations with Muslims and Jews, this besetting issue remained in his heart and mind until his dying days.

Michelangelo’s La Pieta pictured above was taken a few feet away from where I stood staring at it for a long time. It captures the common principle of our Christian faith that is the sacrifice made for us by Christ with His own life. All our faith journeys have been made possible by the same sacrifice of His Son.

There is a consequence of our common faith that speaks to Pope Benedict’s remorse in his final spiritual testament. In spite of our best efforts, we will all fall short in some measure of our faith. However, we will reap the consequences of our failings in this life in some form. We can see an example of this consequence from Pope Benedict’s great remorse at the end of his life towards those he may have offended in some way many years previously. As great a man of faith as he was, Pope Benedict reaped the consequences of his failure. We have no idea how he failed, that is between him and his God.

It is hard to imagine the complexities Pope Benedict faced leading a church as large and diverse as the Catholic church. Facing the challenge to eliminate such a pervasive issue as the pedophilia that was deeply rooted in the church’s history had to be overwhelming. I cannot imagine the pain and wounding involved in the lives of those who were subjected to the abuse. But I am sure that pain is what Pope Benedict continually carried in some regard. I have never been abused or even known anyone that was abused in all my experience in the Catholic church. So, it is relatively easy for me to say let’s not judge Pope Benedict, as scripture admonishes. “Judge not, that you are not judged.” (Mathew 7:1) But for someone who may be reading this writing that was abused while in the church, it may not be so easy to forgive and forget.

I do have some experience with unforgiveness. I have been taken advantage of financially and emotionally by those who have been the closest to me. I have carried unforgiveness in my soul for years reasoning it was the rational thing to do. In our natural mind it is reasonable to hang on to the hurt and relive the anger because it is the only thing that makes the hurt momentarily stop. But the hurt always returns. In God’s economy unforgiveness is the only thing that prevents our healing. “But where sin abounded, grace abounded more” (Romans 5:20) Whenever things are darkest in our lives, God’s unmerited favor (grace) is greatest. In other words, the more we hurt, the more God wants to take the hurt from us. We just have to give it to Him.

If you have suffered in some way from this tragedy in the Catholic church (or similar abuse in any way) and are struggling with unforgiveness, accept Pope Benedicts apology and receive your healing through God’s grace. Walk away from that unforgiveness that has been deeply hidden inside us. Ask it to leave and ask to be free. God is just waiting for us to ask. Ask now and receive healing. Amen and Amen.