• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Bishop Robert Barron
          • George Weigel
          • Question Corner
          • Effie Caldarola
          • John Garvey
          • Father Ed Dougherty, M.M.
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Suzanna Molino Singleton
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Paul McMullen
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Father T. Austin Murphy Jr.
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
  • Advertising
  • CR Radio
  • Printing
  • Subscribe
Archbishop William E. Lori imposes ashes on Ash Wednesday at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baltimore in 2018. (CR File)

The long Lent

Archbishop William E. Lori March 6, 2019
By Archbishop William E. Lori
Filed Under: Charity in Truth, Commentary, Lent

Back in 2010, a newspaper article described the sexual abuse crisis in the church as “a long Lent.” At the time, I regarded such a description as unfair to the season of Lent. The article chastised the church’s leaders for their failures but also depicted the church itself as caught in a sorry and hopeless quagmire.

But Lent isn’t about misery and hopelessness. Quite the opposite. In fact, the liturgy describes Lent as God’s “gracious gift,” a time when his people prepare to celebrate the Paschal Mystery “with the joy of minds made pure.” The point of Lent’s chastisements is our inward purification by the Holy Spirit, always the key to authentic renewal and joy.

Understood correctly, the season of Lent does indeed shed light on a crisis that plagued victim-survivors of abuse and the church itself for far too long. Thus, when we speak of this crisis as “a long Lent,” this is what we should really mean: this is the time to address this crisis at its roots by the purification and renewal of the church. With that in mind, let me suggest three connections between the season of Lent and the sexual abuse crisis.

First, in Lent each of us must acknowledge our sins by which we reject God’s love and inflict pain on others. As we pray in Psalm 51: “Against you, you alone have I sinned. I have done what is evil in your eyes.” In Lent, we should make a complete and unburdening confession of our sins in the sacrament of reconciliation. Similarly, this is a time when the church’s leaders must fully acknowledge past sins and failures that have inflicted great spiritual, physical and psychological harm on many innocent people. Such an acknowledgement must be coupled with heartfelt resolve to continue helping victim-survivors who struggle with the ongoing impact of their sexual abuse.

Second, the Lenten confession of our sins is more than wiping the slate clean. It must be accompanied by earnest prayer for interior purification. Again, to quote Psalm 51: “A clean heart create in me, God, renew within me a steadfast spirit.” Through prayer, penance and almsgiving, we seek to stand transparent before the God who looks deeply into our hearts. We pray that our external words and actions may flow from a heart and soul that have been cleansed of our sins and impure motives by the refining fire of God’s love.

Something similar needs to happen continually in the church’s life. It is not enough for church leaders to admit past sins and errors; neither is it enough to strengthen measures to prevent abuse and to attain greater accountability – vitally important as these are. Truthfully, all such efforts aimed at transparency will miss the mark unless they proceed from prayerful and discerning hearts and minds that have been thoroughly purified and renewed by God’s Holy Spirit.

Third, during Lent we acknowledge our sins and repent of them so that we might embrace our faith more boldly and live it more courageously and lovingly. Lent is also a time of growth in the church’s life – interior growth and the joy of adding new members at Easter. So too, even in this most challenging time in the church’s life, we must not lose heart. We must continue to proclaim and live the Gospel with confidence and love. We must continue to be people of charity and compassion. We must be people open to the Holy Spirit by whom we are joined to Christ and to one another in the church.

May this long Lent lead to an Easter of renewed hope and joy for ourselves, for the church, and for those who have been harmed.

Print Print

Primary Sidebar

Archbishop William E. Lori

Archbishop William E. Lori

Archbishop William E. Lori was installed as the 16th Archbishop of Baltimore May 16, 2012.

Prior to his appointment to Baltimore, Archbishop Lori served as Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport, Conn., from 2001 to 2012 and as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington from 1995 to 2001.

A native of Louisville, Ky., Archbishop Lori holds a bachelor's degree from the Seminary of St. Pius X in Erlanger, Ky., a master's degree from Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg and a doctorate in sacred theology from The Catholic University of America. He was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Washington in 1977.

In addition to his responsibilities in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, Archbishop Lori serves as Supreme Chaplain of the Knights of Columbus and is the former chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty.

View all posts from this author

Recent Commentary

Burial in non-Catholic cemetery/ Anxious as death draws near

Doing the impossible

The fish-stick dilemma

Washing dishes for Lent

We need rituals to mourn

Recent Local News

Social Ministry honoree brings Latin America experience to migrant issues

One year in: Families, institutions adjust to ongoing pandemic

Our daily bread: Irish tradition enjoyed on more than St. Patrick’s Day

RADIO INTERVIEW: How to pick a Bible translation

Homebound, Operation CRS Rice Bowl nonetheless raises awareness of hunger

Catholic Review Radio

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Burial in non-Catholic cemetery/ Anxious as death draws near
  • Social Ministry honoree brings Latin America experience to migrant issues
  • Movie Review: ‘Tom & Jerry ‘
  • Doing the impossible
  • ‘Finally,’ pope says he will be able to make pilgrimage to Iraq
  • Pope taps Newark cardinal as member of Congregation for Bishops
  • The fish-stick dilemma
  • Washing dishes for Lent
  • Retired pope talks about his resignation, Pope Francis’ trip to Iraq
  • Bible reading boosts mental well-being among Christians, U.K. survey says

Search

Membership

Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2021 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED