writes Bishop Luciano Monari of Brescia to the priests of his diocese on the occasion of the confirmation of the conviction on appeal to seven and a half years for sexually abusing former deputy director of the seminary Don Marco Baresi .
" " The offense for which a court of first instance and then on appeal condemned Don Marco, a priest of our presbytery, is among the most heinous. First it addresses child abuse, and we know what the gospel says about those who scandalize the little ones. Second, because the abuse was committed by a teacher to whom the child, why send the best of the heritage that humanity was able to collect through the centuries, then we would be facing a serious betrayal of trust. Finally, it would have been committed by a priest who, for the mission, must be a sign and instrument of the presence of the Lord Jesus who went about doing good, which has used deceit and violence with anyone. For all these reasons, it is difficult to think of something more serious. "
"For me personally," Bishop continues Monari, "I had expressed confidence in Don Marco and I had great hopes in his acquittal. I also depend on the biblical law that says: 'One witness shall not be valid against anyone, for any fault for any sin, any sin one has committed, the fact must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses'. (Deut. 19:15) Of course, the modern law uses other parameters, the text of Deuteronomy does not affect the different valuation of the judges, but it pushes me to keep a great caution. I have not yet lost confidence in the peaceful demonstration of innocence of Father Mark continues to motivate so many testimonies of affection and gratitude by those who knew him and went long. "
"Yet," it said, "I'm dealing with a specific conviction that inevitably falls on me and all our priests and we would like answers. What? Inevitably suffer the shame that there is a serious matter and the defendant is a shame feelings more difficult to bear. We fear that people may get a negative opinion of us all, we condemn this cruel and burn us. "
"I feel pain this shame attached to the skin," the statement continued. "But paradoxically, I believe I can do well, frees me from some line of vanity or pride forces me to delete my illusions, to confess my anything and this just does not make me sick. Indeed it may become a valuable path of purification and freedom. 'Losing face' is one of the most humiliating sufferings, but if indeed we accept (which is not easy!), makes us free. We have nothing to lose, we can not claim to be poor Christians, and then without fear. "
"And yet in fact is not only involved my person," says the bishop, "it involved the image of the Church, and this makes me even more evil. Serve the Church for the Church, I staked my whole life my deepest hopes are tied to what the Church proclaims and promises. Psychologically, I would struggle to survive in an entirely negative of the Church. Not that I do not know my limits, the limits of bishops and popes, many believers ... I know the Church's history well enough to humbly recognize the weakness of the men of the Church. John Paul II has repeatedly confessed the sins of the Church in history, and I've been involved in this humble request for forgiveness, even if it refers to events in the past for which I have obviously personal responsibility. In the same way it is right that I ask forgiveness for all the abuses to which church members are guilty, especially if carried out against the weak, children. "
"But how can I bear a global negative feedback ?" asks Don Monari. "I read in Ephesians that Jesus" loved the church and gave Himself for her to make her holy, cleansing ... to present the Church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but holy and without blemish . I read these words many times and I have always found reason for confidence: "Jesus loved the church and broke it cleansed by his blood, the gift of his life. Nevertheless, the Church is holy not because we are poor priests, we have no sin, but because the Church is the living presence of Christ and his presence is a perennial source of purification. I must admit to not being a good Christian, but I can announce that the membership of the Church did not make me wrong or ambiguous, but has always helped me to become more sincere and authentic. I can give to me of sin, but I must admit the holy gift to the Church of Christ and the Gospel. "
"Therefore," writes, "I will continue to be in the Church and serve the Church with joy. This Church of Brescia, where the gospel has produced over the centuries, even through the service of all his holy priests, real good fruits. I am ashamed of myself and my sins, but I'll never be ashamed of the gospel and its teaching. I am ashamed for the inconsistencies of our Christian communities, but should never be ashamed of the Spirit that was given to us and that makes us true children of God. "
"My dear brothers," said the letter to the priests, "I wanted to share with you feelings, fears, desires that live in these days, I feel refreshed, even just to talk to you. The Lord bless you, comfort your hearts, give you "a living hope, an inheritance which is imperishable, it does not stain and will not rot."
"For me personally," Bishop continues Monari, "I had expressed confidence in Don Marco and I had great hopes in his acquittal. I also depend on the biblical law that says: 'One witness shall not be valid against anyone, for any fault for any sin, any sin one has committed, the fact must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses'. (Deut. 19:15) Of course, the modern law uses other parameters, the text of Deuteronomy does not affect the different valuation of the judges, but it pushes me to keep a great caution. I have not yet lost confidence in the peaceful demonstration of innocence of Father Mark continues to motivate so many testimonies of affection and gratitude by those who knew him and went long. "
"Yet," it said, "I'm dealing with a specific conviction that inevitably falls on me and all our priests and we would like answers. What? Inevitably suffer the shame that there is a serious matter and the defendant is a shame feelings more difficult to bear. We fear that people may get a negative opinion of us all, we condemn this cruel and burn us. "
"I feel pain this shame attached to the skin," the statement continued. "But paradoxically, I believe I can do well, frees me from some line of vanity or pride forces me to delete my illusions, to confess my anything and this just does not make me sick. Indeed it may become a valuable path of purification and freedom. 'Losing face' is one of the most humiliating sufferings, but if indeed we accept (which is not easy!), makes us free. We have nothing to lose, we can not claim to be poor Christians, and then without fear. "
"And yet in fact is not only involved my person," says the bishop, "it involved the image of the Church, and this makes me even more evil. Serve the Church for the Church, I staked my whole life my deepest hopes are tied to what the Church proclaims and promises. Psychologically, I would struggle to survive in an entirely negative of the Church. Not that I do not know my limits, the limits of bishops and popes, many believers ... I know the Church's history well enough to humbly recognize the weakness of the men of the Church. John Paul II has repeatedly confessed the sins of the Church in history, and I've been involved in this humble request for forgiveness, even if it refers to events in the past for which I have obviously personal responsibility. In the same way it is right that I ask forgiveness for all the abuses to which church members are guilty, especially if carried out against the weak, children. "
"But how can I bear a global negative feedback ?" asks Don Monari. "I read in Ephesians that Jesus" loved the church and gave Himself for her to make her holy, cleansing ... to present the Church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but holy and without blemish . I read these words many times and I have always found reason for confidence: "Jesus loved the church and broke it cleansed by his blood, the gift of his life. Nevertheless, the Church is holy not because we are poor priests, we have no sin, but because the Church is the living presence of Christ and his presence is a perennial source of purification. I must admit to not being a good Christian, but I can announce that the membership of the Church did not make me wrong or ambiguous, but has always helped me to become more sincere and authentic. I can give to me of sin, but I must admit the holy gift to the Church of Christ and the Gospel. "
"Therefore," writes, "I will continue to be in the Church and serve the Church with joy. This Church of Brescia, where the gospel has produced over the centuries, even through the service of all his holy priests, real good fruits. I am ashamed of myself and my sins, but I'll never be ashamed of the gospel and its teaching. I am ashamed for the inconsistencies of our Christian communities, but should never be ashamed of the Spirit that was given to us and that makes us true children of God. "
"My dear brothers," said the letter to the priests, "I wanted to share with you feelings, fears, desires that live in these days, I feel refreshed, even just to talk to you. The Lord bless you, comfort your hearts, give you "a living hope, an inheritance which is imperishable, it does not stain and will not rot."
