EDITORIAL: Diocese has taken faith for granted

Aug. 19--Across Pennsylvania this morning, hundreds of Catholic priests will face their congregations for the first time since the public release Tuesday of the devastating grand jury report detailing decades of sexual abuse of children by hundreds of priests -- and worse, attendant cover-ups by bishops in six dioceses including Scranton.

The church's crisis is a new chapter in the age-old story -- the cover-up almost always is worse than the crime.

In this case the damage has fallen most heavily and directly upon the victims, some of whom tearfully observed as state Attorney General Josh Shapiro went through the report Tuesday.

But the collateral damage is broad. Whereas bishops who protected pedophiles and exposed additional children to them might have thought they were protecting the church, it is clear now that they vastly have exacerbated the damage.

Among those facing the consequences are those priests saying Mass this morning who have been faithful to their calling yet are subject to suspicion because of their superiors' refusal to protect them by banishing criminals masquerading as men of God.

Those attending Mass today at churches of the Scranton diocese will see a video of Bishop Joseph Bambera apologizing to abuse victims and declaring that "child sexual abuse cannot be tolerated and must be eradicated ..."

Faithful priests and their congregations know that already. It's not yet clear how Catholic congregations will react to the cover-up revelations. But if their faith is shaken, it is relative to a hierarchy that has taken their faith for granted and sacrificed the safety of children for institutional safety.

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