It is hard to ignore the hate for the Catholic Church, especially as it has been voiced in the recent referendum vote in Ireland. There is rarely an article that does not see the “yes” vote as an affront to the faith. It is sad.
Part of it is understandable with the amount of abuse that was allowed to continue within the church. 101 priests were accused of abusing children in one diocese in Ireland in the 1990’s. There is no disputing the church did not handle the allegations correctly. The wounds are deep and unfortunately, the church did not help itself. But, the sins of men, even if they are priests, is not the Catholic faith.
Still, it is hard for many to look at the church as a moral authority when these incidents occur. Sadly, abortion is seen as a religious issue instead of what it actually is, a human rights issue. The backlash of the abuse issue has made its way into the dynamics of abortion, making it a very personal attack against the church instead of the reality of what it is, an attack against the value of human life, the unborn, and everyone else abortion impacted by abortion.
The Sunday edition of the Irish Independent posted the picture below illustrating just how deep their wounds and hatred go. "Obstruction removed" is far from the truth and makes clear their ignorance of the consequences of abortion which is sure to provide countless obstacles for those who have them. Obstacles of shame, guilt, grief, poor relationships, discord, and lack of trust. I could go on and on.
For those of us who know the power and history of the rosary, the picture confirms the demonic aspect of abortion, not that we needed a cartoon to know that was true.
I wish every person who is filled with such hatred and those who are deeply wounded would read Fr. Thomas Bergs book, “Hurting in the Church, a Way forward for Wounded Catholics" In the end, the abortion referendum is not going to free anyone, but only cause the death of countless unborn and the destruction of more human lives.
Countless numbers of saints, including Pope John Paul II, Padre Pio, St. Josemaria Escriva, Pope Pius XI, and Archbishop Fulton Sheen called the rosary "a powerful weapon against Satan."
Let us pray for their intercession as we all pray the rosary for Ireland.
It may just be what saves them.
