Multimedia Samples

BY CAROLINE BODEN

 

As the Catholic Church tries to reassure its parishioners that it is rebuilding after the discovery of hundreds of sexual abuse cases within the priesthood, the future of the church is in question and could be looking at its own demise, according to the Association for the Sociology of Religion. 

 

Catholic Dioceses across the nation have shut themselves out from the media as they try to reevaluate what happens next for the church. Not only is it dealing with the abuse cases with their priests and bishops, but they are also looking at a decrease in active priests and a dwindling number of members. 

 

The Vatican’s resistance to update their reforms has caused a lot of followers to leave the church. Their views against birth control, divorce, homosexuality, premarital sex and female priests are keeping them behind with society’s development. The negative views of Pope Benedict XVI and his role in allowing the child-abuse scandal to flourish led to repeated calls for his resignation and his replacement, Pope Francis. 

 

Because of these obstacles for the church, many parishioners are upset and ashamed to be Catholic. The U.S. Catholic Archdioceses recorded that over the past seven years, the total Catholic population in the United States has decreased by roughly three million people. 

 

“I am angry at the clergy that abused God's children and those clergy members that did not report it,” Suzanne Prach, member of the Catholic Church for over 50 years, said. “I am heart sick for those innocent victims who trusted their priest. I pray for the victims each day. My Catholic Church is not about the priests; it is about the celebration of the Eucharist and Mass and providing me with Jesus' love, peace, healing, protection.”

 

According to the Center for Applied Research in

the Apostolate (CARA), numbers of priests in the

United States are also on the decline. The

traditions of more than 3,000 years with who

can be priests and what is required of them has

left their seminaries vacant. The dioceses are

having to bring in priests from all around the

world to help administer Mass. 

 

 “It is has become less socially acceptable to live

out the priesthood,” Minister Claire

McMullin said. “In a culture where people are

hard-wired for success, accolades, money,

power, and outward signs of that, the priesthood does not look appealing. Many families are even now less likely to support their son entering priesthood. If a man is attractive and has exceptional gifts, it is seen as a waste.”

 

As the church and its entire clergy face scrutiny and suspicion, there are still people that are a part of the church optimistic for the future. Those who put their entire faith in the Catholic Church believe these hardships they are facing will only make them stronger. The people of the church continue to express their love for mass, the Bible, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. If it weren’t for the trust and passion for Catholicism, there wouldn’t be about 69 million Catholics in the United States today, according to the Pew Research Center.   

 

“The church is broken but so extremely beautiful,” Father Charles Johnson said. “The church is not perfect, but through her we have the sacraments and intimacy with Christ. He can heal and transform. Through this, there have been serious, deep questions about what it means to live virtuously and what it means to be holy.”