#MeToo

The clergy’s acceptance of its past misdeeds which was contained in the Vatican City presentation of Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle was a step to humility which may mend suspicions among the faithful on Christ’s shepherds.

The meeting headed by Pope Francis also marked an effort of the Catholic Church to being more open to its flock and to seriously address the crisis that it is facing.

President Rody Duterte, in his unique confrontational style, has been calling for reforms in the Church and he once admitted he was also a victim of immorality from a priest.

Tagle’s admission could even be the path which may lead to a more harmonious engagement between the administration and the leaders of the Catholic Church.

Those who practice the faith had their confidence eroded on priests who mostly chose to engage in politics rather than tend to the problems that had long infested Christendom.

The bull-strong commitment of the reform-minded Pope Francis helped a lot in rechanneling the efforts of clerics towards the root of the crisis of confidence in the Church.

At the meeting, the Pope asked bishops and religious superiors to be concrete in facing up to the clerical sexual abuse crisis and the need to protect children in the church.

Pope Francis then handed them a list of 21 action items to consider that would be contained in a handbook for priests in confronting sexual abuse issues.

The list included contact numbers for reporting cases of abuse and cooperation with law enforcers which was not a usual undertaking.

Participants in the Vatican summit were also asked to discuss ways to “accompany, protect and treat victims, offering them all the necessary support for a complete recovery” and to offer healing and support to the communities where abusive priests ministered.

Also discussed among Church leaders was the need for a clearer policy on keeping victims informed of the status of cases against their abusers.

Victims or their representatives at the meeting said the steps taken thus far are “shockingly” inadequate but the initiatives can be considered revolutionary in contrast to the accustomed secrecy when dealing with the Vatican.

Rody can be considered one of those who have raised their voices, similar to the #MeToo movement, to initiate radical Church reforms not for anything else but to help return the trust lost due to sinister secrets that has been kept hidden for so long.

The #MeToo movement exposed sexual abuses among celebrities in the United States.

Rody said “me too” and boosted the global call for a change in the Catholic Church’s approach towards abuses.

The rants against the Church may have even nudged the reflection of the Vatican or Pope Francis on the need to be forthright about the allegations of sexual immoralities among priests.

Tagle made a commendable address during the Vatican meeting where he discussed “The Protection of Minors in the Church” which was exactly Rody had pointedly referred to in his speeches.

The Palace referred to Tagle’s speech as the start of a cleansing process “that the Church is undergoing.”

Their styles may differ but Pope Francis and Rody are taking the same path towards reform that many had given up in the past as impossible to achieve.

Tagle said the Catholic Church left deep wounds when it ignored the sufferings of the victims of sexual abuse by clergy members.

It is the hope of many Church goers that the bishops would come with their own list of offenders similar to the narco list that Rody kicks around to show his displeasure against the traffickers.

Nonetheless, the Church guided by Pope Francis had taken the way forward in the church accepting responsibility for the many victims of abuse and with it the possible restoration of confidence.