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A CATHOLIC MANDATE
In 2004, a long-time parishioner of St. Peter parish and a former counselor of the parish school, stood before a large crowd in a church basement room called Seton Hall and declared, "Those people are intrinsically evil", referring to specific parishioners who advocate for the victims of clergy abuse and have called for openness and transparency on the part of Bishop Thomas Doran of the Rockford Diocese and Msgr. Joe Jarmoluk, pastor of St. Peter in Geneva.
Several months later, this judgmental parishioner was selected by St. Peter administration to be its representative at the annual Catholic Woman of the Year Award reception. She received her award from Bishop Doran himself though the description of her contributions in the program paled in comparision to those of the women from other parishes. Not long after, Jarmoluk pointed her out during a weekday Mass and referred to her as the 'matriarch of the parish". She was well-rewarded for her part in bringing intimidation to St. Peter, including the backlash against fellow parishioners.
This so-called 'matriarch'/counselor also submitted letters to the editors of local newspapers, urging readers to "move on" shortly after the arrest of Fr. Mark Campobello for the abuse of two female students. As a school counselor, she was mandated by law to report to civil authorities any suspicions or allegations of child abuse. A competent counselor would certainly understand that secrecy and cover-ups of crimes against children hinder the affected community's ability to simply "move on". A professional counselor would understand the need for competent intervention.
The out-spoken "intrinsically evil" finger-pointer has sadly displayed a severe ignorance of the Catholic Catechism and Catholic teaching, at least on the role and rights of the laity. She is wrong on counts of Catholic Doctrine as well as on professional standards in psychology when dealing with allegations of clergy sexual abuse. The following are documented quotations from sources with a Catholic imprimatur that clearly contradict her "intrisically evil" judgment.
By the way, Mary Jaeger has yet to apologize for her cruel and violence-inciting comment.
"Moreover, by uniting their forces let the laity so remedy the institutions and conditions of the world when the latter are an inducement to sin, that these may be conformed to the norms of justice, favoring rather than hindering the practice of virtue. By doing so they will impregnate culture and human works with a moral value." - Catechism of the Catholic Church 909
"They are afraid of offending and making enemies - and all of this because of self-love. Sometimes it's just that they would like to keep peace and this, I tell you, is the worst cruelty one can inflict. If a sore is not cauterized or excised when necessary, but only ointment is applied, not only will it not heal, but it will infect the whole [body], often fatally." - Catherine of Siena, Doctor of the Catholic Church, in a letter to Pope Gregory XI
"In accordance to the knowledge, competence, and preeminence, which they possess, [lay people] have the right and even at times the duty to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church, and they have a right to make their opinion known to the other Christian faithful, with due regard to the integrity of faith and morals and reverence toward their pastors, and with consideration for the common good and the dignity of persons." - Catechism of the Catholic Church 907
Parable of the Lamp. "One who lights a lamp does not put it in the cellar or under a bushel basket, but rather on a lampstand, so that they who come in may see the light. The eye is the lamp in your body. When your eyesight is sound, your whole body is lighted up, but when your eyesight is bad, your body is in darkness. Take care, then, that your light is not darkness. If your whole body is lighted up and not partly in darkness, it will be as fully illuminated as when a lamp shines brightly for you." - Luke 11:33-36
"It is better that scandals arise than the truth be silenced." - St. Gregory the Great
"See to it then, that you put an end to lying; let everyone speak the truth to his neighbor for we are members of one another. If you are angry, let it be without sin. The sun must not go down on your wrath; do not give the devil a chance to work on you." - St. Paul to the Ephesians 4:25-26
"A bishop, God's steward, must be blameless; he must not be arrogant or quick tempered or addicted to wine or violent or greedy for gain; but he must be hospitable, a lover of goodness, prudent, upright, devout, and self-controlled. He must have a firm grasp of the word that is trustworthy." - Titus 1:7-9
"For you, I am a bishop but with you I am a Christian. The first is an office accepted, the second a grace received; one a danger, the other a safety. If, then, I am gladder by far to be redeemed with you than I am to be placed over you, I shall, as the Lord commanded, be more completely your servant." - St. Augustine
"The good bishop is the good pastor, the good servant. Anything less is unworthy of the charge given by Christ." Rev. Paul J. Hallinan in The Documents of Vatican II
"Take no part in vain deed done in darkness; rather, expose them... Keep careful watch over your conduct. Do not act like fools, but thoughtful men... Do not continue in ignorance, but try to discern the will of the Lord." - St. Paul to the Ephesians 5:8-17
"You are in charge of the garden of the Holy Church. So, uproot from the garden the stinking weeks full of impurity and avarice and bloated with pride. I mean the evil pastors and administrators who poison and corrupt the garden... Use your authority, you who are in charge of us." - Catherine of Siena, Doctor of the Church, in a letter to Pope Gregory XI
"Who is going to save our Church? Not our bishops, not our priests and religious. It is up to you, the people. You have the minds, the eyes, the ears to save the Church. Your mission is to see that your priests act like priests, your bishops like bishops, and your religious act like religious." - Archbishop Fulton J Sheen
"Let us thank God that he makes us live among the present problems. It is no longer permitted to anyone to be mediocre." - Pope Pius XI and Dorothy Day
"The laity derive the right and duty with respect to the apostolate from their union with Christ their Head. Incorporated into Christ's Mystical Body through baptism and strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit through confirmation, they are assigned to the apostolate by the Lord himself. They are consecrated into a royal priesthood and a holy people in order that they may offer spiritual sacrifices through everything they do, and may witness to Christ throughout the world." - Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity, Chapter 1
"Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." - Romans 5:20
"Do not live entirely isolated, having retreated into yourselves, as if you were already justified, but gather instead to seek the common good together." - Catechism of the Catholic Church 1905
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