Why I'm staying
Ever since the Boston Globe broke wide open the child sex abuse scandal in the Catholic Church in 2002, it is been difficult for Catholics to defend why we remain in the Church. Who would want to be part of an organization that supports and hides such horrific crimes against children? Millions of Catholics left the Church – millions stayed. Those who stayed were not supporters of criminals. They were being faithful to the Church that holds the fullness of Truth, as much as they possibly could. In spite of name calling and harassment by family and friends, co-workers and even strangers. They held on, things died down, and we thought the worst was over.
Fast forward to 2018. Now we are seeing the true breadth and depth of the sexual sins that have infiltrated the Church. Now we know that it's not just priests with altar boys, it's Monsignors with seminarians, it's Bishops with new young priests…..it's Cardinals with their own family. Truly enough to make you physically sick to consider that THESE are the men who have been entrusted with the one and only Church given to us by Almighty God – the Bride of Christ. This is how they treat her, this is how we have been betrayed, and used, and lied to. For generations.
So why am I staying? Why would I have in the deepest parts of my soul and heart to want nothing more than TO stay?
Because this is where Truth lives. In spite of the slime, the depravity, the criminality, the sin, the demonic, the lies, the deception, the abuse — all done by sinful men who don't believe in God or His Church (for if they did, they surely would not be doing what they have done) TRUTH prevails. Truth always prevails.
Satan wants nothing more than to see the Bride of Christ sullied and pushed in the mud. He laughs when souls leave her behind because of the sins of men. He rejoices when headlines and comboxes fill with vile and hateful commentary about her. He lives to see as many souls flee from Truth as he can possibly influence.
But I'm not going to let that happen — not on my watch. I REFUSE to be bullied by those who no longer believe, or who never believed in the first place. I refuse to be angered by criminals to the point of turning my back on the most incredible gift ever given to mankind – the gift of the Holy Catholic Church. I refuse to play along with Satan's games and become so distracted by the sins of others that I lose sight of my own.
Those who have pushed Our Bride into the dirt — THEY can leave Our Father's House.
As for me, I stay because Catholic is what I am. Not something I do. I stay because this is where Truth lives. And I don't ever want to live anywhere else.
