The recent revelations in the European Catholic Church have left the papacy with its second widespread sexual abuse scandal in less than a decade.

The church can no longer claim that the abuse of childrenby priests is just an American phenomenon.

Throughout Ireland and Germany, victims continue to come forward claiming to have been abused by priests.

The most infamous case deals with the man, dubbed Father H, who was a German priest who abused minors in the 1970s and 80s. He was initially sent away for treatment but then returned to his job as a priest.

The person in charge of the Munich Archdiocese at the time of Father H’s arrival was Joseph Ratzinger, better known now as Pope Benedict XVI.

The problem of sexual abuse by priests seems to be widespread, spanning multiple decades and involving thousands of children. This scandal reaches the very top of the Catholic Church, the pope himself. But does it reach the lay people of the church?

The answer is yes.

“I think the average parishioner in the pew is hurting and every priest is hurting as well, but no one is talking about it,” Fr. Rick Wilkinson, head of campus ministry at St. Edward’s University said. “It’s the elephant in the sanctuary.”

The problem is, with the exception of a vague call for repentance from the pope, none of the leaders from the church are talking. The bishops and cardinals have not addressed the people they lead, the priests or the people they serve, the parishioners.

The church, both clergy and laity, is suffering from the silence of its leaders. 

The lack of an appropriate response is not only a problem of the current pope. Pope John Paul II was the man in charge when most of these cases of abuse occurred, and he failed to take decisive action as well.

A core tenant of the church, modeled after the values of Jesus Christ, is to protect the vulnerable. There is no better example of this than the church’s belief in protecting the rights of the unborn.

This care for the vulnerable somehow has not extended to the young children who were abused by these priests.

The tactics employed by bishops, cardinals and leaders at the Vatican to attempt to silence these individuals who were abused is disconcerting.

There is an expectation that one of the safest environments for children should be the church. In fact, children are taught to trust their teachers and religious leaders. Instead, the leaders of the Catholic Church have closed ranks and remained silent. 

This silence serves no one except to protect the members of the clergy who are guilty of abusing children. The Catholic Church is a spiritual home to many who strive to live according to its values. Is it too much to expect the same from the church’s leaders?

With all due respect to those who lead the Catholic Church, a full accounting of the men who are involved and the mistakes that were made is necessary to move forward.

The church needs to seek reconcilation by confessing its wrongs so there can be forgiveness and healing for the people.