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ARCHBISHOP BELTRAN

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April 18, 2010

The Good News...

           ...A Time for Prayer

The Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal organization, has been very faithful to the Church since its inception. In this present time and in view of the very negative publicity given to the Church and especially to our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI, the Knights of Columbus has begun a Novena of Prayer. I want to commend the Knights of Columbus for making prayer a priority and I also want to recommend to all of you that you follow the example of the Knights of Columbus and continue to pray for our Holy Father.  

There is no question in my mind but that our Holy Father is being maligned and wrongly accused of serious moral failures. I believe the Church itself is being attacked and has been for many years. Yes, it is true that members of the Church, especially priests and bishops, have sometimes failed in their responsibilities, however, so often the criticism is excessive. I recently read an article by a prominent Jewish businessman, Sam Miller from Cleveland, which basically says the same thing. Remember, Sam Miller is not a Catholic.

Editor’s Note: The following are  excerpts  from  an  article written by Sam Miller.

Why would newspapers carry on a vendetta on one of the most im- portant institutions that we have today in the United States, namely the Catholic Church?

Do you know — the Catholic Church  educates  2.6  million students every day at the cost to that Church of $10 billion, and a savings on the other hand to the American taxpayer of $18 billion.

The graduates go on to graduate studies at the rate of 92 percent. The Church has 230 colleges and universities in the United States with an enrollment of 700,000 students.

The Catholic Church has a non-profit hospital system of 637 hospitals, which account for hospital treatment of one out of every five people — not just Catholics — in the United States today.

PRESS IS VINDICTIVE

But the press is vindictive and trying to totally denigrate in every way the Catholic Church in this country. They have blamed the disease of pedophilia on the Catholic Church, which is as irresponsible as blaming adultery on the institution of marriage.

Let me give you some figures that Catholics should know and remember. For example, 12 percent of the 300 Protestant clergy surveyed admitted to sexual intercourse with a parishioner; 38 percent acknowledged other inappropriate sexual contact in a study by the United Methodist Church; 41.8 percent of clergy women reported unwanted sexual behavior; 17 percent of laywomen have been sexually harassed.

Meanwhile, 1.7 percent of the Catholic clergy has been found guilty of pedophilia. Ten percent of the Protestant ministers have been found guilty of pedophilia. This is not a Catholic problem.

MOST PRIESTS HAPPY

A study of American priests showed that most are happy in the priesthood and find it even better than they had expected, and that most, if given the choice, would choose to be priests again in face of all this obnoxious PR the church has been receiving.

The Catholic Church is bleeding from  self-inflicted  wounds.  The agony that Catholics have felt and suffered is not necessarily the fault of the Church.  

You have been hurt by a small number of wayward priests that have probably been totally weeded out by now. Walk with your shoulders high and your head higher. Be a proud member of the most important non-governmental  agency  in  the United States.

Then remember what Jeremiah said, “Stand by the roads, and look and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.” Be proud to speak up for your faith with pride and reverence and learn what your Church does for all other religions.

Be proud that you’re a Catholic.