the new bishop

When Cleveland [or anywhere else] gets a new bishop, what should be part of his character? What should he do?

We have been told to be quiet so as not to 'cause scandal'. What is the greater scandal?: The act(s) of ill and evil doing? or the public discussion of them? This begs the question: What is the greater sin?: Being sinful by doing sin? or publicly confessing?

The new bishop should clean up the local Church! FIAT·JUSTITIA·RUAT·CÆLUM

Covering things by darkness is the opposite of the way of light.

For you were heretofore darkness, but now light in the Lord. Walk then as children of the light. For the fruit of the light is in all goodness, and justice, and truth; Proving what is well pleasing to God: And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For the things that are done by them in secret, it is a shame even to speak of. But all things that are reproved, are made manifest by the light; for all that is made manifest is light. Wherefore it saith: Rise, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead; and Christ shall enlighten you. — Ephesians v. 8-14.*

Here Paul is referring to carnal depravity. Much of the present scandals, in the Church, has consisted of such; but further, the principle is true of other behaviours. The message is not hard to understand.

One should remember, that, in the past it was not unusual for the prince (the ruling government) to pick the bishop. An older election still was by the local clergy, or the local faithful. Councils of bishops would sometimes pick a local priest for the mitre. It also was not acceptable for a bishop from elsewhere to become a bishop in a new see. These things have changed. Sometimes a terna (list of three candidates) is offered by the local clergy or papal nuncio (ambassador).

The point is that bishops were not uniformly selected. We have had a world wide failure in the bishopry. In the United States, and elsewhere, the wretched filth of sexual depravity amongst the clergy, and the episcopal hiding of it, has done great damage to the faithful. It has personally injured individuals for their lifetimes. It behooves to demand better scrutiny of new bishops and their integrity.

Beyond the puke worthy, there has been financial scandals. Call it theft, improprieties, embezzlement or whatever. It has happened. It certainly has happened in Cleveland, and Smith and Zgoznik were accountants. It did not stop there. The professed religious were not prosecuted, or barely investigated. People do not donate money to the church so it can be pilfered.

The money crimes, some of us can let go. The filth and the damage it has done, especially to the formerly innocent and naïve, we can not.

Beyond those scandals, we have suffered under some tyrants. Tyrants who should never been promoted, some who should have never left the lay state.

Some of these tyrants (throughout the land) have destroyed parishes. With that, they have wrecked communities, and have gone against the Will of Christ.

I suppose, and would propose — personal integrity, pastoral concern and a measure of humility.
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*Second Reading. 4th Sunday of Lent. Year A.