Keeping the faith amid a crisis

Catholics are disappointed in the conduct of some priests, but their faith remains unshaken.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- In times of crisis, some people turn to their faith for comfort.
But what if their faith is causing the crisis?
That is what some Catholics are dealing with in light of revelations and allegations of sexual abuse of children by priests.
Almost 250 of the nation's more than 46,000 Roman Catholic priests have either been dismissed from their duties or resigned since the scandal began in January, according to the Associated Press.
Vindicator News Contacts in the Mahoning and Shenango valleys say they are disappointed in the conduct of those priests and how the issue has been addressed by church elders, but it has not shaken their faith.
"My faith has not been affected, but my adoration of the pope, cardinals, bishops and priests has diminished," said Patrick M. Liste of Girard. "A cover-up is a cover-up -- whether by Nixon, Clinton or by the cloth."
"The cases of abuse have not affected my faith; however, it has affected my confidence in those who are in the higher positions within the church," added Susan Morgan of New Castle, Pa.
The faithful
A number of them are turning to their faith for comfort.
"My faith is still as strong as before this occurrence and will not change," said Donna McConnell, a Catholic from East Palestine. "I have a strong belief in God to know that, in time, people do have to answer to him for what they have done."
"My faith is my faith," said Silverio Caggiano of Mineral Ridge. "No actions by priests, bishops, cardinals or other man will affect my relationship with God. I do not go to church to please the pope and talk to the priests. I go to church to please and talk to God."
When problems occur in a religious order, followers usually differentiate between the institution -- in this case, church leaders and priests -- and the faith, said Thomas Shipka, chairman of Youngstown State University's philosophy and religious studies department.
"They're not ready to abandon their faith when it encounters problems," he said. "They find ways to salvage the faith at the same time acknowledging the problems. They usually turn to their faith to help them resolve these problems."
While no one approves of the conduct of priests who sexually abuse children, Catholics will not turn their back on their religion because of it, Shipka said.
"Faith is too important to people," he said. "They don't let the institution get in the way of their religion."
Tested boundaries
Mustansir Mir, a YSU philosophy and religious studies department professor, said when problems such as these are brought to light, it forces people to work toward making improvements to their church structure.
"It tests the boundaries of your faith," he said. "But as long as a crisis forces people to rethink the foundation of their religion and compels them to produce new answers to the questions they're dealing with," it can be a positive.
What cannot be forgotten is priests are humans and the mistakes they make shouldn't stand in the way of a Catholic's relationship with God, said Don Walsh of Poland.
"To have one's faith called into question because of the actions of mortal human is to lose sight of the object of one's faith," he said. "Our creator is our faith. A priest is but a messenger."
Jeanne McDermott, a Catholic from Liberty, agrees, saying, "My faith is with God, not man. No one can like all priests all of the time as personality clashes come into play. When I attend Mass, I do so for my time with God, not a particular priest."
For those who did not have much faith in the Catholic church, the sex abuse scandal only reinforces that belief.
"I think this, more than anything, has just strengthened my belief that organized religion isn't what it's all cracked up to be," said Jim Parry of Mineral Ridge.
Allyson L. Krist of Girard, a self-described former Catholic who has had a terrible history with the Catholic church, said this scandal has "only deepened my mistrust."
Joan Farmer of Poland said her faith has been tested over the past several months, first by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and now by the priest sexual abuse scandal.
"It wasn't easy, but because of my faith, I am able to forgive," she said. "God didn't say it would be easy."
skolnick@vindy.com