"Spotlight"

It's with a heavy heart that I write this. Having just watched "Spotlight" and having watched previous documentaries about Catholic priests abusing children, I don't know how anyone can remain Catholic without demanding change. I like the Catholic church. I was raised Catholic, and I still like much of the ceremony and tradition it promotes. It's what I know.

At the heart of the Catholic church is money, greed, posturing, and treatment of the Pope as if he is God himself. I know, I know, how dare I say anything about Pope Francis, the "People's Pope", if you will. But he has done nothing. He has spoken great words of concern about the issue, sure, and set up a committee or something, but he has done nothing. Not really.

How is it that we are appalled when a child is abused in any other situation but we turn away from the systemic situation of child molestation by Catholic priests and others in the Catholic hierarchy? How could we let this happen to children? To their lives, to their families, to their futures?

Watch any documentary on Marcial Maciel. If that doesn't convince you, read even one of the famous 14 documents mentioned in "Spotlight". The abuse has gone on for decades, and worse, the Catholic church has covered it up, continues to stall, and cover it up even more. 

I don't understand a world or a faith or a denomination that allows this to continue, and I don't understand an entity like the Catholic church - projecting faith, love, kindness, generosity, charity - while covering up and continuing to stand idly by, hiding behind that very ceremony and tradition I love under endless layers of secrets, lies, manipulation, and money.

Why isn't there more outrage? Why do people continue to fall in love with the Pope and the Catholic church when they continue to prey on children?

To fall back on an overused "slogan", "What would Jesus do?" Would Jesus really want this to be swept under the rug? Would Jesus want an earthly "spokesperson" (aka, the pope) to NOT do something?

What is the Catholic church so afraid of?

The victims who are adults were once children. There are still children being abused by priests. One of them could be yours.