"In the Shoes of Peter"

Commentator James posted a good remark to Rod Dreher's latest bishop bash.

I think you too easily put yourself in the shoes of Peter without any thought to the responsibilities that the Holy Father has for all the souls placed in his care and that includes the souls of the victims as well as the offending priests and bishops. We would be foolish to think that one should not feel anger at such injustices committed against the innocent young men and women of the Catholic Church. We have a right to be angry, but the ultimate question comes down to what would rectify such injustices. Revenge is hardly a helpful motive in these times. One must tread carefully and patiently as the Lord Jesus himself no doubt would do. Who knows what private communications have occurred between these bishops and the Vatican? What benefit would it be for the Holy Father to excoriate the bishops? So lay people who are upset would feel better? Is that what its going to take to make people feel better again? Public admonishment? Would that make you feel better? What does such an exercise of scolding do in the end? Nothing really. For those who are hardened of heart, it does nothing.

Emphasis mine. well, exactly. Rod's rants often remind me of my grandfather's insistence that the Steelers were not practicing because he didn't see it on the news. "That's why they lost the Superbowl to the Cowboys! And I watch a lot of TV, believe me." If I was a lawyer, maybe I could have put together a class-action for Steeler fans. But I doubt that would have satisfied my grandfather, may he rest in peace.

When Bishop Wuerl traveled to Rome to ensure a bad priest would be defrocked, it wasn't big news. The situation was handled perfectly. When things go right, it's the opposite of news and credit is not assigned where it's due.

Likewise whenever Bishop Pilla was basically asked to resign by the Vatican it wasn't big news. But it was taken care of. Everybody knew he'd screwed up. Nobody I knew — least of all practicing orthodox Catholics — wanted him to be dragged out and pilloried publicly any more than he had already been in the courts. Of course, to anti-Catholics who had left the Church it might have been another matter entirely, and that's who we're often dealing with in the complaint department.

Were Bishops to blame in the clergy scandal? You bet. Did it deserve news coverage? Of course. But it seems media elites like Dreher will never think this is getting enough coverage, ever, and they'll never accept that any discipline is being done by the Pope unless it is done publicly with lots of press passes handed out.