With a reminder that "the wrong actions of some do not justify the vilification of all," Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl of Washington urged prayers during the Easter season both for victims of child sexual abuse and for faithful priests tainted by the actions of a few."Priests who harmed children violated the heart of their ministry and have harmed not only our young people and our community of faith, but also the vast majority of their brother priests who faithfully live out their promises to serve Christ and his people," the archbishop said in an op-ed piece published April 4 in The Washington Post.
He sounded a similar theme in his homilies during Holy Week and at Easter and in an Easter Monday letter to Catholics of the Washington Archdiocese.
Before a Good Friday service April 2 at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, Archbishop Wuerl joined about 30 members of Voice of the Faithful who were conducting Stations of the Cross outside the cathedral in a protest of clergy sex abuse of minors.
He also listened to comments by David Lorenz, an abuse victim from Covington, Ky., who lives in the Washington area and with whom he had met previously.
"While it was almost time to begin our ceremony at the cathedral, I joined the people at the prayer gathering to show solidarity with victims of abuse and to highlight the church's ongoing concern, prayers and pastoral and spiritual ministry," he said in the April 5 letter.
Archbishop Wuerl also outlined the ways in which the U.S. Catholic Church has "dealt openly, effectively and decisively in rooting out perpetrators of sexual abuse" and said Pope Benedict XVI, as pope and in his former role as head of the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, helped greatly in that process.
"The majority of media coverage this past two weeks has been full of speculation, yet has omitted the tremendous work that he has done to bring healing, accountability for those who harmed children, and protection for children over many years," he wrote.
Although the archbishop did not mention any specifics, Pope Benedict has been widely criticized in the media for his handling of abuse complaints and abusive priests when he was archbishop of Munich, Germany, and at the Vatican.
Archbishop Wuerl said child sexual abuse can be perpetrated by family members, teachers, youth leaders and others and much of the abuse by priests occurred "sometimes 30, 40 and even 50 years ago."
"The impression is sometimes created that there is a disproportionate percentage of abusers in the priesthood and that the abuse continues today," he said. "Both assertions are not true."
Archbishop Wuerl asked Catholics to "pray for our priests and at the same time encourage them and thank them for responding to God's call, for their continuation of Christ's ministry in the world, and for the demonstrated selfless service in meeting the sacramental, spiritual and pastoral needs of the faithful."
"Belief sees beyond the failure of a few men and holds fast to the mystery of God's goodness at work in this world in the priesthood, lived in so many, many good, effective, caring and faithful priests," he added.
In the op-ed piece, headlined "Resurrection and redemption," the archbishop said the days of Holy Week and the Easter season "are a reminder that from pain and sorrow eventually come hope, redemption and new life."
"As the Catholic Church continues to face the tragedy of clergy sexual abuse, we must pray for the victims, recommit to doing all that we can to keep children safe, and remember and pray for the priests who every day faithfully live out the deep love that Christ has for all of us," he added.
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