From my twitter feed. Long, detailed, and, it feels to me, worthy of both attention and trust.

Ex-Nuncio accuses Pope Francis of failing to act on McCarrick’s abuse reports.

In other words, Pope Francis is a hypocrite, only covering for his misdeeds and “setting things right” when press attention makes it necessary.

In short, from the article’s conclusion:

“He [Pope Francis] knew from at least June 23, 2013 that McCarrick was a serial predator,” Archbishop Viganò stated, but although “he knew that he was a corrupt man, he covered for him to the bitter end.”

“It was only when he was forced by the report of the abuse of a minor, again on the basis of media attention, that he took action [regarding McCarrick] to save his image in the media,” wrote Viganò.

The former U.S. nuncio wrote that Pope Francis “is abdicating the mandate which Christ gave to Peter to confirm the brethren,” and urged him to “acknowledge his mistakes” and, to “set a good example to cardinals and bishops who covered up McCarrick’s abuses and resign along with all of them.”

And yet, here is the author’s  final paragraph. 

“The people of God have the right to know the full truth also regarding their shepherds,” he said. “They have the right to be guided by good shepherds. In order to be able to trust them and love them, they have to know them openly, in transparency and truth, as they really are. A priest should always be a light on a candle, everywhere and for all.”

Huh? It’s hard for me to imagine how or why anyone would remain in the Catholic Church, given the pedophile claims there that have dominated the news for so long. Isn’t it about time that We the People realize that we don’t need any so-called “shepherd” to come between us and our experience of the divine?

I remember saying that to my pious father, then a Deacon in the Catholic church. He scoffed, of course. On another occasion, my mother asked me why I stopped going to church. “Nature is my church,” I replied. “Oh, I’ve heard that one before!” she said dismissively.

But that was before. At the end, when Dad died, he had in his final days, turned away from the Church! I wonder if the pedophile claims are what started to erode his life-long “faith.” I can remember, after the Boston scandal, him saying, “The hierarchy is not the church, the congregation is the church.”  That distinction must have held for years — until just before his death. I wonder if he was afraid to die, knowing that if he was wrong, and his God did exist, he would banish him to hell for becoming a disbeliever.

I guess I’ll find out when I die, if I too “go to hell” for talking like this! Ah, “to hell with it!” — I’ll say whatever I want here, and I hope everybody else starts saying whatever they are really thinking as well. Especially those who identify with patriarchal religions. It’s about time for all of us to stop pretending like Pope Francis was pretending. Time to get real. Stand up and speak our truth, each of us, no matter what the cost.