How do we forgive priests who sin?

by Michael Shackleton · October 3, 2010

Other parishioners and I find it hard to forgive, or even begin to understand how the Lord’s anointed priests can commit such horrific sins as child abuse, while simultaneously carrying out their priestly duties as if they had haloes round their heads. What possessed them to turn their backs on their call to serve God in holiness of life? Parishioners

LET’S be guided by St Paul who wrote to the Romans: What proves that God loves us is that Christ died for us while we were still sinners (5:8). Christ, in other words, came to us to redeem us from sin, and he loved us in spite of sin. His love is all-embracing. Therefore, God loves you. He loves all humankind and, in this context, he loves those very priests who have scandalised the priesthood and the Church by their appalling disloyalty to their sacred vocation.

So, let us be guided by Christ’s caution: Do not judge, and you will not be judged, because the judgments you give are the judgments you will get, and the amount you measure out will be the amount you will be given. Why do you observe the splinter in your brother’s eye and never notice the plank in your own? How dare you say to your brother, Let me take the splinter out of your eye, when all the time there is a plank in your own? Hypocrite! Take the plank out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take the splinter out of your brother’s eye (Mt 7:1-5).

Shocked though we are by the sins of those anointed by God to serve him in purity of heart, it is God who does the judging (and the forgiving), and not ourselves. Let us leave it to him.

An experienced priest I knew used to tell newly ordained priests: There are only three things you must do: say your prayers, do your duty and mind your own business. What sound advice, not only for the clergy, but for all.

So, what possesses priests to betray their calling? Here we must pause because we cannot judge the individual. Speculation without hard evidence of why any priest gives into temptation and causes scandal is futile. Our safest bet is to pay attention to Christ’s solemn advice.