Archbishop's web site Denver Catholic Register Parishes Catholic Pastoral Center
April 24, 2002
Steubenville theologian to address First Friday Forum May 3
Professor Regis Martin to discuss Church scandal and theology
"I hold in veneration for the love of Him alone holy Church as his creation and her teachings as his own."
— John Henry Newman
The First Friday Forum will continue May 3 with 7 a.m. Mass at the John Paul II Center, 1300 S. Steele St. in Denver, followed by a continental breakfast featuring a talk by Regis Martin, Ph.D., professor of theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville. All are invited to this free gathering.
Martin will lead a discussion on why Catholics should deepen their love for the priesthood and the Church in light of the scandal of sexual abuse by some priests, and the failure of some bishops to respond accordingly.
Known for his lively and engaging style, Martin received his doctorate in theology from the Angelicum University in Rome, and is a husband and father of 10 children.
"Earning my doctorate was far easier than raising children," he joked, when asked by the Register to talk about his background.
Martin said that he will focus his talk on how the media has framed the issue of sexual abuse and the Church's response largely in political terms that prevent a full discussion of the tragedy.
"As we assess these issues, we need to avoid politicizing the crisis," he explained. "There is a temptation from those on the far right and the far left to try to co-opt the issue for their own narrow partisan purposes and to use it as a stick to beat the Church.
"We must resist that temptation," he insists.
When asked how Catholics should see the Church in light of the ongoing scandal, Martin responded by quoting John Burke, "For a nation to be loved, she must be lovely."
The Church is worthy of our love, he said, "Because the Church is the bride of Christ, mystically wedded to his body, for which he allowed himself to be crucified on the cross. And with the exception of the Blessed Mother, we are all guilty of crucifying him."
The widespread abuse is horrifying, he said, and the subsequent outrage greater because priests are so highly esteemed.
"More than anyone else the priest represents the contact between this world and the next," he said. "But the priest does not merely represent contact, he truly becomes another `Christ' through the sacrament of holy orders. Therefore, when a priest fails in his vows, the pain is all the greater.
"But even in the face of sin, one must never lose sight of the redemption of the cross," insists Martin, who pointed out that on Holy Thursday, Pope John Paul II sent a letter to every priest, pointing out that the vast majority are men of holiness, goodness and integrity.
The pope deepened solidarity with those good men, Martin added.
"The pope did not hesitate to point out the evil committed by a few priests, but he also inserted the theology of the cross into the mystery of iniquity," he said. "Some are using this scandal to say that it is time to dismantle the priesthood, but we might as well retire the Gospel. What we suffer from is not oppressive authority placing unlivable demands on us, but from the lack of willingness to embrace the highest ideals.
"The law has been broken, but that only calls us to realize the importance of observing the law in the first place," he concluded.
The First Friday Forum is designed to help people achieve a deeper level of spirituality in their daily lives. It is sponsored by Legatus of Colorado, the Knights of Columbus, the Catholic Foundation and the Communications Secretariat of the Archdiocese of Denver.
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