Day of penance

* The secular news reported that Pope Benedict's personal preacher asked the pontiff to declare a day of fasting and penance to publicly express solidarity with the victims of clerical sex abuse. I am all for penance and prayer. I have personally seen it work wonders. But while nothing will really ameliorate the damage done to minor children by priests supposed to be caring for them, it would be a little more meaningful to me if the pope's pastor were calling instead for offending bishops to put themselves on the line. Public apologies to all of us and private apologies to each victim they put in the path of a supposedly "cured" pedophile priest would go far to ease the doubts of many Catholics like myself about the bishops' moral authority. Also, as well as praying and doing penance, Catholics can band together in Voice of the Faithful and try to accomplish change in the church's governing structure that allows bishops all this power and practically begs for abuses of all kinds. Recently I heard a priest pray from the altar for the church, and his subsequent petition made it clear that the laity were not included in his intention. How loudly must we scream, "We are the church" before the hierarchy listens? Until then I will continue to pray and do penance on behalf of the young people so willfully damaged, but it will not be enough.

JANELLE LAZZO

Roeland Park, Kan.

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