Many people wonder where is God amidst the scandals, the financial corruption and the sexual abuse in the Catholic Church?

Many people have left the Church feeling betrayed.   For awhile I left too, but I have returned because I want to receive the graces of Jesus in the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist and I realize we must not punish Jesus for the sins of men.

Jesus said to St. Peter “Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.”  Matthew 16:18  Jesus celebrated the Last Supper with His Apostles and then instructed them to “Do this in memory of me.” Luke  22:19 The Apostles did what Jesus instructed them to do: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”  Acts 2:42

If Jesus was not in the Sacraments of the Church I would not have returned to the Catholic Church, but I truly believe that Jesus lives in the Holy Eucharist so I will be there with Him receiving His Body and Blood in memory of His great sacrifice.

A long time ago when my brother and I were just children a priest came to our home to bless the house.  We had just come home from school.  My parents were not yet home.  I let him in and he went into the room where my brother was watching TV and yelled at me to leave.  He slammed the door and  I was so frightened that I went to hide under the bed as my little brother was being hurt.  I considered for a moment getting an object to hit him, but I was so little and I was so terrified that we would both be killed.  So I just hid under the bed waiting for him to come and murder me.  He never found me, but he hurt my brother and now I live with the guilt of wondering why didn’t I try to defend him somehow.

I have been reading that Pope Francis has issued a statement that there would be “zero tolerance” for the abuse of children by priests.  That’s as it should be!  Priests that hurt children are not men of God and they should be removed from the Church immediately, but don’t come back to Church because you like the new Pope or because you like the priest because it’s the wrong reason to celebrate Mass.  We have to celebrate Mass because Jesus is there and He loves us and He wants to nourish us with His Body and Blood.

Look where God is the Devil, Satan, is never far away.  It is the will of Satan that we reject Jesus in the Sacraments of the Church.  But Jesus should not be punished for the sins of men.  Satan will not destroy the Church that Jesus established.  Jesus told us that.  But Satan is driving people away from the Holy Sacraments because he is a deceiver and he doesn’t want us to know that Jesus lives in the Holy Eucharist.   We can’t fight Satan alone; we need Jesus to help us and that’s why He established the Sacrament of the Eucharist so that He could live in us.

Satan wants to destroy our relationship with God.  Satan wishes for us to cease believing that God can dwell in a Church where great crimes have been committed.  Jesus wants us to know the truth!  Jesus never abandons His people and when Jesus said that the powers of hell will not prevail against His church, He meant it.  Satan will never destroy His church!

There is a miracle happening in the Church and the devil does not want you to know about it.  The miracle is that Jesus is alive in the Holy Eucharist and He wants to bless us through this Miracle and give us His grace.

Apologies from the Church for the abuse of children are needed, but they won’t end our pain or heal our wounds.  Only Jesus can console us and heal us.  The grave injustice of these crimes cannot be washed away and our pain and grief will only increase until we decide to forgive and in that forgiveness we can become a little bit more like Our Saviour Jesus.

As they nailed Jesus to the Cross He cried out  “Father forgive them for they know not what they do!”  Luke 23:34  Please have mercy Holy Lord on all victims of violence, especially the children and please have mercy too on the perpetrators of violence.  Please grant them the grace of repentance.  I considered using violence to fight violence that horrible day but I am glad I didn’t.  I just wish I could have defended my brother who I love so much!  May Your infinite mercy Jesus be upon him.  We entrust all of this pain and injustice to You Jesus.  I know You will avenge! Help us to heal and to grow in Your love!

Join me in praying for the wisdom to worship God and to love Him just as He called us to do, receiving Him through the Holy Sacraments of the Church.  That’s what Jesus wants us to do.  Let us pray that we may be renewed through the saving power of Jesus and that people who have left the Church will return to receive Jesus, who’s still there waiting and desiring His people.  Renew Your Church, Holy Lord! We are Your Bride! Give us shepherds that will guide us to You and like You Holy Lord would die for their sheep!