Gates Of The Netherworld

Beloved: I exhort the presbyters among you, as a fellow presbyter and witness to the sufferings of Christ and one who has a share in the glory to be revealed.  Tend the flock of God in your midst, overseeing not by constraint but willingly, as God would have it, not for shameful profit but eagerly. Do not lord it over those assigned to you, but be examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd is revealed, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. (1 Peter 5:1-4)

Today’s first reading with its reference to sufferings reminds me of Bishop Robert Barron’s “Letter to a Suffering Church: A Bishop Speaks on the Sexual Abuse Crisis” (2019).  Abusing priests have not tended the flock of God.  They have been horrible and destructive examples for the flock.  They will not be received with the unfading crown of glory.   They made shameful profit from their many sexual abuse exploits.

Our gospel reads: “…Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven”   (Matthew16:13-19).

One hopes the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against our Church.  However, abusing priests have left the gates ajar and in some cases opened it wide to the netherworld.  We Catholics and the very many good priests appalled at such behavior have our shoulders to the doors as we attempt to close it by holding abusers accountable.   The Fall River Diocese website lists the manner in which this Devil’s Masterpiece (Barron’s label) is being addressed.

Deacon David Pierce