WHAT CAN I DO?
As paradoxical as it may seem, this news should cause us to despair. The hierarchy, after all, while teaching the faith, is its center: That's Jesus Christ. In the words of Dorothy Day:
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In all history, popes and bishops and father abbots seem to have been blind and power-loving and greedy. I never expected leadership from them. It is the saints that keep appearing all through history who keep things going. What I do expect is the bread of life and down through the ages there is that continuity.
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There is a temptation to despair in light of such weighty news, but hope should not be lost. There are three main ways lay Catholics can confront the growing crisis. They are:
Prayer and fasting
First and foremost among our response should be an increased priority on our relationship with God. Daily prayer for the Church is essential, as well as deepening of our own spiritual lives. Before we can hope for the conversion of others, we must seek a conversion of ourselves.
Offering up penance has a particularly important place: as the gospels remind us, some demons can only come out "by prayer and fasting" (Mark 9:29).
Some practical ways to do this are:
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Saying a daily Rosary
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Sacrificing meat once or twice a week
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Cold showers
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Attending Mass on a day in addition to Sunday
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Write to the leaders of the Church
Perhaps surprisingly, the Pope's address is very easy to find: you can even Google it. Pope Francis receives mail at:
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His Holiness, Pope Francis
Domus Sanctae Marthae
00120 Città del Vaticano, Vatican City
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The faithful should also consider writing to Archbishop Christophe Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio (the Vatican ambassador) to the United States; Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, president off the USCCB; and their local bishops. In order to do this, Miriel Thomas Reneau and an anonymous friend founded the Siena Project, which gives templates for writing to these figures.
Additionally, author Leah Libresco has initiated a phone campaign slated for September 14, the Vigil of Our Lady of Sorrows. Participants will call their bishops to ask "what my bishop knew about McCarrick, what he did, and what he plans to do now." Libresco encourages participants to pray a Chaplet of Seven Sorrows or the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary before calling.
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Stay informed
As with any developing current event, it is crucial to stay informed. The following sources provide a diverse overview of the journalism in this area. Inclusion of a source here does not imply endorsement of its methods or views (some are more reliable than others), but simply denotes its contribution to information and chatter around this topic. This list is merely a start and is not exhaustive.
If you use Twitter, ​a list of helpful accounts to follow can be found here.
