Actual change won't come to the Catholic Church unless or until a courageous pope arrives first

Pope Francis has the most extraordinary ability to say the wrong things, often at the most sensitive times.

Last Friday, he accepted the resignation of the archbishop of Washington, Cardinal Donald Wuerl — a controversial figure accused of doing too little to prevent, and perhaps even deliberately covering, up hideous sexual abuse cases.

Beyond simply accepting his resignation, Francis took the highly unusual step of releasing a public letter where he praised his friend, arguing that he had been used as a scapegoat. While he admitted that Wuerl had made some "mistakes," he said that he had acted with "nobility" and remarked that he was "proud" of him. He also asked the cardinal to continue to act as the archdiocese's apostolic administrator — in effect to remain in his position — until a successor could be named.

It's about as enthusiastic and supportive as is possible in the circumstances, concerning a man whose predecessor as archbishop, Theodore McCarrick, had to resign when he was accused of sexually abusing seminarians and minors.

Many informed commentators find it difficult to believe that Wuerl knew nothing about this before it was made public. He was also bishop of Pittsburgh from 1988 to 2006, and a recent grand jury report chronicled an entire litany of the most grotesque and widespread sexual abuse throughout Pennsylvania. Either Wuerl was spectacularly myopic and incompetent in dealing with this or, as many have suggested, he sometimes protected abusers.

Grand jury report

What we do know, according to that grand jury report, is that in 1998 he allowed Father William O'Malley to return to a parish after numerous reports were made against him, and after his own admission that he was sexually attracted to young people. He went on to abuse again. Seven years later, Wuerl also reinstated Father George Zirwas, after several credible abuse accusations.

Wuerl did sometimes expose and expel abusers, but his record is inconsistent at best, and since the Pennsylvania report his reputation has suffered enormously. Yet his ability to evince enthusiasm for conservatives such as Benedict and relative liberals such as Francis has served him well, and he has supporters in all sorts of high places.

In many ways, however, Wuerl is largely irrelevant in all this — a mere symptom of a far more systemic crisis. It was Francis himself who, until obliged to apologize, scolded abuse survivors in Chile, and accused Irish survivor and activist Marie Collins as being "fixated." As with many issues, he is erratic and changeable, but has certainly disappointed victims of Catholic clergy abuse with his inaction, and now with this public endorsement of Cardinal Wuerl.

Catholic Church covered up priests' child abuse: report

6 years ago

Duration 3:11

There are currently investigations into Catholic clergy abuse in several U.S. states, including New York and Michigan, and the consensus within the Catholic media is that the findings will be similar to those in Pennsylvania. It's not certain how Pope Francis will react, but it's highly unlikely that very much will change. Church leaders are certainly more careful now, but the fundamentals and causes remain firmly in place.

There are four major problems. Enforced celibacy can lead to lies and obfuscation, and while men who are denied sex do not automatically become abusers, there's no doubt that abusers certainly look for places where they can disguise their sexual perversions and their crimes.

Second is the patriarchy that dominates within the church. Women are not only refused ordination, but are excluded from all positions of power. Abusers in any area are overwhelmingly men, and the sheer presence of women would create a more normal and balanced culture.

Church hierarchy  

Then there is authority, which is as firmly guarded by priests on the left as well as by those on the right. The Roman Catholic Church is based on hierarchy, with the Pope considered the direct successor to St. Peter, given the keys of the kingdom by Jesus Himself. Those he makes bishops, and those the bishops then make priests, are not to be contradicted. This clericalism may not be as severe as it once was, but in essence it hasn't changed.

Last is the climate of secrecy that exists, and is a direct consequence of the first three aspects of all this. The upper echelons of the Roman Catholic Church are still a closed shop, with the laity given occasional but largely cosmetic views through the stained glass windows. So much is kept secret that abusers, who of course represent a small minority of clergy, find it relatively easy to hide.

None of this can or will be addressed until a genuinely revolutionary and courageous pope is elected, and one who is willing to turn the church upside down and shake it into modernity and accountability. Miracles do happen I suppose, but they're very few and far between these days.