Rapid Response for SATURDAY, January 12, 2019

MORE ON THE CRISIS IN THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.
"Crisis"?
When attendance at Mass, the cornerstone of this Faith, has dropped from 70+% to 20%,
when vocations to the Priesthood - and the actual number of priests - has declined markedly to numbers that require the formation of parish "clusters" with individual pastors responsible for 2-4 different parishes,
when donations, particularly large donations, have greatly declined,
when more news about the Church is regularly found in the NYTimes and the WSJ instead of in the Catholic Transcript and the National Catholic Register - all of it bad,
there is a CRISIS.
As a committed and concerned Catholic, a member of the Laity ("the Body of the Church") and one of over a billion such Faithful, I choose to Fight rather than Switch.
See my continuing section on this website (asthma.drsprecace.com) entitled "Catholic Church".
So now...MORE.
See: "Pope Francis Confronts 'Gay Mentality'", by Father Roger Landry (in National Catholic Register Jan. 4-19, 2019, p11).
See: "The Epiphany Of Celibacy", by Father Paul Scalia (ibid).
And see a report on the planned Actions to be taken to address this continuing Crisis:
"Vatican Likely To Empower Archbishops On Abuse Claims Against Bishops", by Joshua J. Mcelwee (in National Catholic Reporter Dec. 28, 2018 - Jan. 10, 2019, p1). In the coming February Vatican "summit", it  is hoped - and advised - that nation-wide "Plenary Councils" be convoked, including not only bishops but also heads of religious orders and universities - and LAYPEOPLE - representing the entire Christian Faithful...and Not Only The Clergy. This Crisis will not be properly addressed or resolved by only the Clergy. It is too far beyond that, despite the inclination of the Clergy to do just that.
In addition, please consider my recent offering entitled "Personal Notes: What's Going On Here?",, which follows.
"THESE ARE THE  TIMES THAT TRY MEN'S SOULS"...comparable to issues facing the Council of Trent.
Don't just stand there. Do Something Critically Important.

GS

PERSONAL NOTES: WHAT’S GOING ON HERE?

1. Sexual Abuse of minors is always Wrong, since they cannot by definition give consent.
2. The Wrong is by the perpetrator and also by those charged with protecting the victims. Suppression of evidence can rise to the level of Obstruction of Justice.
3. The Wrong can be to the victim, chargeable in Tort Law, and/or to Society, chargeable in Criminal Law.
4. The basic elements in a Tort Law case are: Duty; Breach of that Duty = Negligence; Causation (Cause and Effect, or at least “Substantial Contributing Factor”); Injury; and Damages.
5. The basic elements in a Criminal Law case are: The Statutory or Common Law Crime; Mens Rea; and Actus Reus.
6. In both types of cases, other elements include Statute of Limitations or of Repose (modified for minors or for disabled victims); Presumption of Innocence and issues of Burden of Proof; Levels of Proof required (Probability: 51%, “more likely than not “; “clear and convincing evidence - +-70-75%; “beyond a reasonable doubt” – 90+%.).
7. The U.S. Constitution protects the right to present “a case or controversy” to a Court of proper Jurisdiction.

In addition, a responsible organization – in this case the Catholic Church – is morally…and should be legally charged with searching out the Diagnoses and establishing Treatments for such moral Diseases.

I fail to see where the above elements have been or are being addressed by perpetrators and plaintiffs alike in an organized search for Justice. This benefits no one.