The Weight of an Elephant on your Back

by Letters Editor · July 13, 2019

St Bartholomew painted by El Greco

Lucy Moll, Pretoria – Thank you for the refreshingly honest article by Jenny Uebbing, “Why I am not leaving the Church” (May 29).

Even in dispelling some long-held myths and digesting the scandal which is upsetting to all — well, she remains wanting the sacraments…wanting Jesus.

Who can and will “fire” offenders — those who take money from parishioners’ honest giving; those who wallow, like an elephant, in the mud of people’s deification of their position.

But for every bad priest there is a genuinely good one, a St Bartholomew, who, with integrity, love and no guile, comes to serve and repair so much damage.

If you want to change anything in the Catholic Church, well, you have the weight of an elephant on your back.

The Holy Spirit highlights error quickly, but to rectify it is no light matter. Like the liturgy it is weighty, cumbersome and unchanging.

There is, of course, comfort in that, but we run the risk of just trundling along in semi-conscious acceptance of bad things because hey, who can change that? Who would dare?

We are all so average. For me redemption lies in never giving up in doing good.

Those bad guys…well, I am sort of sick of justifying the Church. Let people see my life and if God be pleased with it, then let it bring glory to him and all the angels and saints upon whose constant intercession we rely on for unfailing help.