Aiken Times

Not to be dramatic, but the Church may need to start over in France. First evangelized in the days of the apostles, once calling itself the inspiration of the “most Christian nation,” long the reservoir of Catholic theology and the fountain of missionary activity that impressively brought Catholicism to places from Louisiana to Quebec to Haiti to Vietnam to Africa to Polynesia, the condition of the Church recently has been bad, bordering on fatally bad.

Driving the knife deeper into the heart of France’s ancient Catholicity have been revelations of clergy sex abuse. The latest report came Monday, not as an accusation but as an outright admission of guilt — and by a cardinal at that.

Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard, retired archbishop of Bordeaux, publicly revealed that years ago he sexually abused a teenage girl. He retired from active service as a bishop in 2019, but during his time at the Vatican, he served as a member of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican office charged with investigating clerics accused of abuse. He still has two years to go before he loses his right to vote in electing a pope — a privilege that, given past cases, surely will be withdrawn.

Making matters worse, announcing Cardinal Ricard’s confession, Archbishop Eric de Moulins-Beaufort of Reims, president of the French bishops’ conference, declared that nine serving French bishops and two retired bishops are currently under investigation for sexually abusing youths.

These events occurred against a devastating backdrop. Published not long ago was a report of clergy sex abuse over many years. Tens of thousands of victims, and thousands of priests, were noted.

Two years ago, Cardinal Pierre Barbarin, archbishop of Lyon, and primate, or senior bishop, in the French Church, resigned after being accused by civil authorities of not managing clergy sex abuse in his archdiocese, one of France’s largest, and among the its most prestigious.

Finally, in 2021, Archbishop Michel Aupetit of Paris, another archdiocese of worldwide distinction, admitted to having had an improper relationship with a woman. Pope Francis accepted his resignation.

Obviously, something is wrong in French seminaries, in the country’s hierarchy, within the clergy and beyond, because many Catholic laity in France also were involved in molesting the young and vulnerable. Defections from the Church are rampant.

Much work is needed. Causes must be identified, problems corrected. The overall state of religion in France is bad, as it is in most of the world. It is a daunting challenge.

Before despairing and declaring defeat, Catholics might realize that this is not the first crisis for the Church in France. That bad things are happening again definitely is no consolation, but it is comforting to know that the dying Church came back. Not only that, but it came back to be more magnificent than ever.

Most comforting of all, recovery from past troubles left a blueprint of how to pick up the pieces today.

Four centuries ago, when the Catholic Church in France was gasping for life, it was resurrected because Catholics, and not just bishops, priests and religious, refreshed their own commitment to it, seeing it as the best instrument to make Jesus Christ live in their day.

Results of their dedication sparkle across the United States today. St. Vincent de Paul, a holy priest, founded the Vincentian Fathers to educate youth. These priests still run DePaul University in Chicago, Niagara University in Buffalo and St. John’s University in New York. Fathers of the Holy Cross came into being. They operate the University of Notre Dame. Sulpicians priests revolutionized seminary education.

Daughters of Charity maintain the largest nonpublic network of health care in America. Christians Brothers have schools across the country. Little Sisters of the Poor care for the elderly poor. Great Catholic lay organizations came into being.

From that rebirth came retreats, Eucharistic adoration, First Friday devotion, devotion to the Sacred Heart and to the Blessed Mother.

In France, frankly in this country, or anywhere, love of the Church will shine, inevitably, brilliantly, warming souls, making lives worth living, when Catholics take the Gospel seriously.

This article comes to you from Our Sunday Visitor courtesy of your parish or diocese.

Original source can be found here.