Dear Troubled Catholics - Ralph Martin

Dear Troubled Catholics,

I have never seen so many “ordinary Catholics”—who usually never follow or hear about Church news—

as deeply troubled as I have seen them in response to the recent revelations

about the retired archbishop of Washington, DC.

Cardinal Theodore McCarrick was asked by the pope to resign 

from his membership in the College of Cardinals 

and ordered to live in seclusion until a canonical trial can be held 

to verify the validity of charges of 

sexual abuse and harassment made against him. 

After the first brave person came forward (whose accusations were found credible by the 

Archdiocese of New York Review Board), more and more followed.

The climate of fear among many of our clergy—

the fear of being punished or marginalized if they report sexual immorality

among their fellow clergy or leaders—is starting to break.

Cardinal McCarrick is now known as Archbishop McCarrick.

What has been so disturbing to so many people is the fact that there had been numerous warnings 

to various church officials that he was a homosexual predator, harassing many seminarians,

priests, and young boys, for many years, but nothing had ever been done about it,

and he was continually promoted. 

Even after a delegation of priests and lay people went to Rome

to warn the Vatican about the situation, he was promoted. 

Even after a leading Dominican priest wrote a letter to Cardinal O’Malley, nothing was done. 

Even after lawsuits accusing him of homosexual sexual harassment in two of his previous dioceses 

had been settled with financial awards, he was still promoted. 

And not only that, he became a key advisor to Pope Francis and offered advice 

on whom to appoint as bishops in the United States!

for the complete text  of Ralph Martin's letter click here