Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap. (CNS photo/Bob Roller/Jeffrey Bruno)
Archbishop Charles Chaput is asking Pope Francis to call off the synod of bishops in Rome on the concerns of young people in the church, set for this October.
“I have written the Holy Father and called on him to cancel the upcoming synod on young people. Right now, the bishops would have absolutely no credibility in addressing this topic,” the archbishop said at an Aug. 30 conference at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, according to a report by the website LifeSiteNews.
In its place the archbishop suggested that the pope “begin making plans for a synod on the life of bishops,” the archbishop said.
Archdiocese of Philadelphia spokesman Ken Gavin confirmed the archbishop sent his letter to the pope but Gavin offered no additional comments.
The conference at which the archbishop spoke was the Cardinal’s Forum, an academic panel discussion sponsored by the Cardinal John Foley Chair of Social Communications and Homiletics and the Cardinal John Krol Chair of Moral Theology, both at the seminary.
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The archbishop, who is set to participate in the synod on youth, was one of three panelists speaking Thursday night on the topic “Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment,” which is the theme of the long-planned synod set for Oct. 3-28 in Rome.
Hundreds of bishops and young people representing youth from across the globe will engage in discussions at that meeting. Typically at such synods the pope is present at some of the conferences. After the synods’ conclusion the bishops make recommendations that are meant to advise the pope as he formulates pastoral policy to address the specific issues.
Pope Francis had previously confirmed Archbishop Chaput, who is chairman of the Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, as one of only five American bishops to attend the synod, all of whom were elected by their peers in the USCCB.
They include, in addition to Archbishop Chaput: Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, USCCB president; Los Angeles Archbishop Jose H. Gomez, USCCB vice president; Bishop Frank J. Caggiano of Bridgeport, Conn., member, USCCB Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth; and Los Angeles Auxiliary Bishop Robert E. Barron, chairman, USCCB Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis.
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Calls for reform in the Catholic hierarchy have risen throughout the summer as the clergy sexual abuse scandal has intensified, with bishops across the globe coming under scrutiny for their role in covering up, if not participating in, cases of abuse of children and young adults.
Among Catholic clergy and laity, confidence in the credibility of Catholic bishops has eroded due to a number of recent high-profile scandals.
These include the case of former Washington Archbishop Theodore McCarrick sexually abusing seminiarians, the Pennsylvania grand jury report on 70 years of clergy child sexual abuse in the state and the explosive letter of Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano alleging the cover up of McCarrick’s abuse by bishops in the United States and in the Vatican.
In a story that broke Aug. 31, Bishop Edward Burns of Dallas echoed Archbishop Chaput’s comments by calling for an extraordinary synod to address the issues of clergy sexual abuse and accountability by bishops.
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Dear Archbishop Chaput ,
Are we living the early days of the Church ?
God bless you and watch over you. Thank-you for your holy faith and your strengths to uphold the traditional beauty and beliefs of our beautiful Catholic faith. You are a true instrument of our Lord!
I prayed to Our Lady of the Flame of Love to guide all Bishops. I had worked at Devereux who took care of sexualy abused children.I had a boy boy who was abused from infancy. I pray to God for help.
Thank you Archbishop for your courage and action on behalf of our youth!
My guess is that ABp Chaput doesn’t meant to cancel indefinitely the Synod on Youth, but to address what really has a higher priority at the present time of this horrendous scandal. The Synod on Youth can take place at an appropriate time.
I still do not believe a synod is going to address the REAL underlying issues present. The sexual abuse of children by clergy is abhorrent and reprehensible. However, there is an umbrella of entitlement and clericalism which all leaders of the church MUST address. I mourn for the good priests of our church; I also mourn for the lay faithful who believe we are tolerated by a Church who feels they have all the answers and they need to “teach” us how to live our lives of faith, when many priests do not. Abp. Chaput, you are a GOOD leader. I beg you to listen to us, the laity. We love our Church too. Be open to what we have to say…what we need to say. Nothing bad will happen by open dialogue, painful as it might be. I believe the Holy Spirit will be with us and we begin this process of purification.
Archbishop- You confirm my belief in the ultimate goodness of the Church and most of its leaders- Thanks for a job well done even though I’m certain you did it knowing you would be in the clerical doghouse- Took guts and I appreciate it
Jesus never restricted the 12 apostles to celibacy. Peter and others were married. The church needs to open up the priesthood to married priests.
Eliminate the pedophiles and practicing homosexuals and hetero adulterers from leadership. Repent, pray and fast.
Protestant ministers, Jewish rabbis, Islamic clergy, etc., are all allowed to be married, and they have sex abuse scandals with children too. Allowing married priests will not solve this problem, and truth is that most seminaries in the US (like ours) have cracked down hard on seminarians who do not live up to the church’s teachings.
Also, frankly, in today’s society, homosexuals no longer have a reason to hide in the Church since society is now “open” to homosexuals. However, the priesthood (just like all clergy from every single religion), teaching, coaching, etc are all places where child abusers like to work … regardless if they are married or not.
I agree with the Archbishop the synod should be changed to focus on the bishops. In a sense, the subject would still be caring for the young in that how to protect them from priests and bishops (never thought I would have to say those words). However, at this point, I think any meeting which is making recommendations to be carried out by the Vatican, in light of recent developments, is just as ludicrous as the bishops deciding how to care for the young.
Reading here https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/may/12/catholic-church-fights-clergy-child-sex-abuse-measures that the Bishops conference has spent $5.2 Million lobbying in Pennsylvania last year to oppose legislation to lift the statute of limitations does nothing but crush their credibility. It sends the message that we want to protect the criminals.
Only truth, justice and recompense can begin to resolve this — not prayer and fasting for the laity those brothers, sisters, mothers fathers and children were the victims.. The Church has acted and continues to act with willful blindness on this issue.
While abuse is a moral failing, it is also a crime. To conspire to cover up a crime is a crime in and of itself, and makes the conspirator no better than the doer of the original crime..
The Bishops need to wake up
I wish the bishops in their commentary in print and interviews would stop referring to themselves in the third person. “The bishops should do this or do that.” Speak in the first person. “We” need to take action. “We” need to be responsible.” “We” need to be held accountable. Speaking in the third person places one’s self on the outside looking in. My opinion.
I agree with you, Archbishop Chaput, thank you.
Thank-you your Excellency! You have the pulse of the people. This is not the time for the bishops to be considering anything except how to purify the Church of the great evils of sexual abuse and other sins against chastity. The truth will set us free, but only if we cooperate with the Holy Spirit. Now is the time for repentance, conversion and a new dedication to chastity.
Thank you.. We The laypeople of the Catholic Church, are looking for those who will help guide us through these difficult times. We have Few of the hierarchy, that we feel we can trust. Please Archbishop, we are voice. Help us to fight for the truth.
Part of which makes you Catholic is your over regard and over respect for, even worship of, authority. It’s the same thing that caused the scandals in the first place. Come off your ridiculous sanctimony and start dealing with churchmen as real humans, as opposed to quasi deities.
Archbishop, go to the synod to listen. At this point in time our teaching is nothing but a clanging cymbal. Go to the synod on youth and humbly listen…..listen
Thank you,Archbishop, and thank you Anne ! These are the Bishops who have been consistently working for the Church before angry and suffering individuals who demand action NOW ! Our love and prayers are with those whose lives have been so deeply affected.There will be justice and recompense as we are asked for our ongoing prayers, fasting, and personal repentance for our own faithful members.Jesus has promised to be with us until the end of time,and He always keeps His promises.
Not a well thought out request. Youth are our future. The current crop of bishops, thanks be to God, are not!
Why? Is it because you favor further abuse and corruption? What would youth have to say at this point when the leader of our church says nothing. Keeping it silent and swept under the rug? Why, because he’s guilty? How can you think that the best course of action?? You have no moral authority. None.
Thank you.
God bless you.
Abp. Chaput has recommended a practical course that would demonstrate collective remorse on the part of the world’s Catholic bishops and something like a purpose of amendment, instead of just talking about it. While they are at it, the American bishops could abstain from holding every other meeting of the USCCB, or two out of every three.