The sins of her pastors
by VP
Posted on Tuesday September 04, 2018 at 10:48AM in Articles
If it is true that by contemplating Christ sinners learn from him the
“sorrow for sins” needed to bring them back to the Father, this is even
more the case for sacred ministers.
How can we forget, in this
regard, that nothing causes more suffering for the Church, the Body of
Christ, than the sins of her pastors, especially the sins of those who
become “thieves and robbers” of the sheep (cf. Jn 10:1 ff.), lead them
astray by their own private teachings, or ensnare them in the toils of
sin and death? Dear priests, the summons to conversion and to trust in
God’s mercy also applies to us; we too must humbly, sincerely and
unceasingly implore the heart of Jesus to preserve us from the
terrifying risk of endangering the very people we are obliged to save.
Source: Pope Benedict XVI, Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, 19 June 2009