In a stunning and beautiful letter, thousands of Catholic women are pleading with Pope Francis to break his silence on the charges leveled by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, who alleged that the pope knew of Cardinal McCarrick’s abuses and predatory nature, but elevated him instead of sanctioning him or turning him over to authorities.
The letter, originally signed by 53 seminarians, professors, consecrated women, theologians, missionaries, and mothers of the Church, implores:
Our hearts are broken, our faith tested, by the escalating crisis engulfing our beloved Church. We are angry, betrayed and disillusioned. The pain and suffering of the victims never ends, as each news cycle brings more horrific revelations of sexual abuse, sexual misconduct, cover-ups, and deceit—even at the Church’s highest levels.
The letter goes on to state very clearly the most pressing matter for most Catholics right now:
Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò’s recent statement impels us to reach out to you directly for answers. His testimony accuses you, Holy Father, and highly placed cardinals of turning a blind eye to former Cardinal McCarrick’s egregious behavior, and promoting this predator as a global spokesman and spiritual leader. Is this true?
Pope Francis refused to comment on Viganò’s charge, saying only, “I read the statement this morning, and I must tell you sincerely that, I must say this, to you and all those who are interested: Read the statement carefully and make your own judgment. I will not say a single word on this.”
This non-response bewildered faithful Catholics everywhere who feel it’s far past time to break the silence surrounding the sexual abuse and cover-ups plaguing the Church. The Catholic women go on to chastise the pope for so flippantly ignoring their sincere desire to understand the truth: