I had hoped that I would not have to write more about the situation involving Fr. Murphy and the terrible events at St. John's School for the Deaf(now closed), Milwaukee, WI, at least till after Easter. So much of what has been written, printed, talked about is incorrect and false. Much of the "story" is not about the terrible things that happened to the survivors, and their families, but another way to attack the Catholic Church. If you wish to read an excellent, truthful report, go to: http://catholicanchor..org/wordpress/?p=601#more-601. Thanks to Fr. Bill Key from Wisconsin for this article. (Do NOT read the "New York Times" if you are looking for accuracy in this story, or any other story involving the Catholic Church..)
However, I want us to focus on those who have suffered and continue to suffer injustice, especially children. As I write this, tens of millions of children in our world do not have enough food to eat, clean water to drink, nor basic medical care to keep them alive. These same children are forced into armies(male) or into sexual slavery/domestic servitude(female) by uncaring, power-driven adults. For those, like the victims of Fr. Murphy and so many other predators, the scars of what they experienced will never totally disappear. On the streets of Chicago, our children are being shot down while riding their bikes, being sold drugs to get them hooked, being cheated out of a decent education by "the system", being sexually victimized at younger and younger ages by men (and women) who are old enough to be their parents...and often are their parents and family members. Living in a city where our newspapers have special "Food Sections", thousands and thousands of children in Chicago and suburbs are hungry,everyday.. THAT, my brothers and sisters, is a sin!
As much as I might want, I cannot change what happened to Fr. Murphy's victims and all the innocent child victims of those monsters who thought nothing of destroying children's lives for their own pleasure. There is a judgement promised by God (Matthew 18:1-9) that should give even the worst person pause. What you and I can change is what happens to children now. Children without food,drinkable water, decent medical care, a real education, and safety should be unacceptable to any of us. Fight for these children now, in this world, in this country, in your neighborhood. A simple way to start is to demand that children have access to a free, nutritious breakfast ALL SUMMER! Many schools offer breakfast programs, but they are restricted to those who attend the school and only when school is open. NO! Every community should provide FREE breakfasts for all children, students or not, every Mon-Fri throughout the summer. This is doing SOMETHING, NOW. Contact the Governor of your state and demand that children in your state be fed this summer. Don't ask him; tell him! The first reading for Good Friday is ISAIAH 52:13-53:12. It is an account of a mysterious "suffering servant", written hundreds of years before Jesus. Isaiah tells us that in some way we cannot understand, the suffering of this innocent "servant" will save us. In our case, we have the opportunity to save those innocents who are suffering. Do something for these children, our children, God's children. In doing this, we will come through their suffering to learn what it means to be "saved."