Archbishop Warns of ‘Painful' Year to Come

Archbishop Charles Chaput will warn of a painful year ahead for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, saying in a letter to be read aloud Sunday in churches that school and parish closings, a sex-abuse trial and other issues will weigh heavily on it.
 
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Saturday that the two-page pastoral letter will mention that some schools may close, along with parishes, and that Chaput expects to decide ``in the first months'' of next year which of the 27 priests being investigated for suspected misconduct with minors should return to the ministry and which will not.
 
In the letter, which the newspaper obtained a copy of, Chaput said that complacency and pride would not be at home in the archdiocese. He was in Rome for a meeting with Pope Benedict XVI and did not comment on the letter.
 
But, he wrote, the goal is to “restore the joy and zeal of our discipleship.”
 
Chaput was installed in September to lead a Philadelphia archdiocese of nearly 1.5 million Catholics rocked by two scathing grand jury reports in 2005 and 2011 that claim the church concealed sex-abuse allegations for decades and transferred pedophile priests to unsuspecting parishes. Other troubles decades in the making include declining Mass attendance and clerical ranks and shuttering of schools and churches.
 
Chaput replaced Cardinal Justin Rigali, 76, who was excoriated along with his predecessor by the grand jury's allegations this year that they protected church interests over victims.
 
The grand jury also accused church officials of keeping 37 clergy in active ministry despite credible complaints they molested children.
 
Turning to schools, Chaput wrote that a blue-ribbon panel appointed to study the archdioceses schools was set to issue its report next month and it was likely that “some, and perhaps many, schools must combine or close.”
 
He also wrote that the 266 parishes in the archdiocese would have to face the “same careful scrutiny” as the schools, the Inquirer reported.
 
“These are not simply business issues,” the letter stated. “They go to the heart of our ability to carry out our Catholic ministries.”