RITE AND REASON: The traditional patriarchal image of God presents a difficulty for those who have been sexually abused, writes one such victim.
Over the past few months there has been a great deal of discussion about sexual abuse, especially that perpetrated by men within the ranks of the Catholic Church. All eyes are now on the hierarchy to see how they respond to the men and women who have been abused. If the bishops are truly what they profess to be (i.e., followers of Christ), their response cannot be anything less than one fundamentally rooted in justice and honesty, and where the dignity and well-being of those abused are paramount.
Yet, there is another aspect to all of this; an aspect that, in my opinion, has not yet been recognised. How have the past few months affected those who have been abused by people other than the ordained, i.e., those who have been sexually abused by fathers, brothers, uncles, neighbours, etc? Does the church have a responsibility to those people? As someone who has been sexually abused within my own family, I believe that it does.
The whole issue of people affected by sexual abuse should not be a new phenomenon to the leaders of the Catholic Church. People living with sexual abuse have been members of the church for years. As such, there has always been a moral and pastoral obligation on the part of the church's ordained to be aware of and to reach out to those of us who have been hurt, alienated and silenced down through the years.
It has been an obligation that the ordained have failed to discern and recognise. Now, due to current revelations, I believe the church hierarchy is faced with a greater pastoral challenge than it could ever imagine. This challenge is to recognise, accept and respond to two strong realities of sexual abuse:
(1) Sexual abuse affects a person for her/his whole life at different stages and in a variety of ways; and
(2) Sexual abuse can have a profound effect on one's faith journey and relationship with God.
As a result, the church hierarchy must look beyond a response that is based only on apologies and monetary compensation (valid and essential as these may be). It must re-evaluate much of the theology and spirituality out of which it works.
A person's image of him/herself and their image of God are integrally linked. One mirrors the other. If this is the case, the church has to resist imposing traditional images of God on people if these images are damaging, painful and alienating to those who are already suffering from a history of sexual abuse.
In our highly patriarchal church, the predominant image of God is that of a loving father. For a large number of people - especially those of us who have been abused - it is often extremely difficult to find any comfort or healing in this image.
Due to the fact that it has often been a man - frequently a father - who has been the abuser, this image of God is often equated with someone who violates and destroys, rather than with someone who protects and heals. By limiting someone - especially a woman - to this image of God, the church is actually perpetuating the effects of the abuse.
If the church is to respond to the issue of sexual abuse in a genuinely healing, cleansing and repentant way it must open itself to new and radically different ways of relating to, and celebrating, God. The limits of our human language will never be able to encompass the wonder and magnitude of God, regardless of how many images we have.
HOWEVER, the Catholic Church must begin to let God speak to us in every form, in and through our life experiences. It is difficult to hold on to and to have confidence in images that are in no way affirmed by the church community to which one belongs. Liturgy must, therefore, become a basis through which we can express and ritualise an image of God that is an affirming and positive one, if we are truly to celebrate the fact that we are all uniquely made in the image and likeness of God.
The current situation in the church has arisen out of a stance governed by power, secrecy and duplicity.
It can choose to respond from the same stance, or it can open itself up to a vision of humility, genuine listening and prophetic risk-taking. If it is to become a church where I - and many others who have been abused - are to be listened to, affirmed and actively allowed a voice, the hierarchy must lose its obsession with maintaining the church as an institution, and must instead embrace one that is rooted in the values and person of Jesus Christ.