By Amanda Thompson
As the Director of Catholic Campus Ministry at DePaul University, a mother of three children, and a Catholic woman who has dedicated her life to the Church’s mission, I would like to echo some of the statements made about the recent revelations of abuse and cover-up in the Church.
In his response to the Pennsylvania Grand Jury report, Cardinal Cupich wrote:
“Anger, shock, grief, shame. There is one other word that we bishops must summon: resolve. We must resolve to face our failures and hold each other accountable. We must resolve to be clear-eyed about what we have done, what we have failed to do, and what remains to be done. We must resolve to live in the light of humility, of repentance, of honesty — the light of Christ.”
Cardinal DiNardo, the Archbishop of Galveston-Houston, stated:
“…as much as the scandal itself shows the need for systemic change in the way we order church life. The clericalist mindset, responsible for so much of the scandal, must be purged from church life.”
Throughout these statements, I believe that the Holy Spirit is guiding us toward much-needed change, and restoration to the Gospel mandate of what it means to love God and serve others.
Our mission at Catholic Campus Ministry (CCM) is to prepare students to lead and actively engage in the mission of the Church. I am overwhelmed daily by the deep faith and commitment of the young adults involved in CCM. These students are the visible sign of loving God and neighbor every day and the struggles that occur in doing so. They will challenge the status quo and will not accept sexism, racism, homophobia, misogyny, or clericalism in any form. They are our future and they make the future of the Church hopeful.
We will continue to pray for the victims and their families. We will pray for the Pope and the Church leaders as they consider the Vincentian question of “What must be done?” All of the staff invite you to come and talk to us and know that we are here to support and participate in the renewal and transformation of the Church.
