Blog mother

The mother-in-law of one of us was wont to remark on occasion that ‘Catholics need a drink’. This, of course, has always been true, given the moral exertions so often demanded of us and ignored by so many others.
It is even more valid given how often and in how many ways the loyal Catholics of Scotland are let down by their priests and bishops. Our Cardinal’s sexual activities are self-confessed and known world wide. One of our bishops has run away with a divorced parishioner , although he did marry her, if in a registry office. In Lanarkshire, we have had the CurryPowderGate affair (see previous blogs), not to mention the disciplining of a priest by a church court for whistle-blowing, and his parishioners being forbidden to pray for him. Opus Dei- yes, Opus Dei !- can also be detected according to rumour in least one of the Scottish Episcopate.
There will be a short pause while some readers head to the cocktail cabinet.
If there are degrees of betrayal- let us not shrink from the word, even worse are some- a minority- among the parochial clergy, whose activities we know about through the agency of local media, thankfully meticulous in its presentation of these. These, of course, are the paedophile priests to whom our children looked up so trustfully as they were presented with the Eucharist on their First Communion, by those who were not reluctant to tell us they were acting as an Alter Christus, only to be betrayed by the very same priests and their sexually predatory appetites.
How many were there? ‘Aye, there’s the rub’
The McLellan Commission which looked into recent examples of paedophily among Catholic priests has complained publicly about the dilatory approach of the Scottish episcopate in carrying out the Commission’s recommendations. Also, if we are not mistaken, details of such cases since 1947 were to be provided.
One must ask why the Scottish episcopate has not been able to do this. .
Obvious explanations from our common human condition present themselves.
Is it pride ? Is it stupidity? Is it just, rather pathetically, corporate loyalty? Cynics will immediately suggest ambition, and that a full declaration of the failures of the parish priesthood might affect their promotion to good jobs in Rome. Oh, come on ! An episcopate led by the only Cardinal ever to have to refuse to take part in a Papal election?
Unfortunately, like many other bishops who were appointed by St. Pope John Paul II , they seem to live in the hope that they will outlive Pope Francis. Equally unfortunately, they seem unable to understand that a new Pope might be even more difficult to comprehend. Not to mention that even the most befriended member of the Curia is nowadays likely to move away from an ambitious Scottish cleric at speeds reminiscent of the Olympic 100 Metres .
Ironically- an expression sometimes used by journalists when they actually mean ‘ironically’- the only thing that really keeps the Catholic Church in Scotland going is anti-Catholicism in the bizarre social complex which is twenty first century Scottish life.
We know about the paedophile Catholic priests. Everybody knows about the paedophile Catholic priests. Catholic priests are defined in 21st century Scotland by paedophily, like it or not.
Smarten up, bishops. Get organised, then get everything out in the open air. Can it be any worse than we know, even if the names of beloved clerical figures turn up?
.While you can, give Catholics in Scotland a lead. And a good way to do so would be to give other equally dilatory bishops a lead by adopting the valid ordination of parishioners. The Apostolic Succession is based on valid ordination. Therefore, there is nothing which is done by a Tridentine priest that could not be done by a taxi-driver, newsagent or a/v technician
Catholics need a drink. If our bishops need a drink, let them take it , even to the point of alcoholic insensibility, if necessary. Order a special collection for its provision if necessary.