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The Work of Sancta Sophia (Thu Mar 15, 2007 8:58 am )

Goodness, Does the Emperor Wear No Clothes?

We trust that sooner or later, Sancta Sophia will bear witness to the truth in our Church, and use us as instruments to do so in the process. Meanwhile, is it possible the Holy Spirit God is inspiring the Pope and bishops to behave in ways that expose the moral bankruptcy of an authoritarian structure in which the "appearance" of virtue is valued more than transparency and accountability? Is Sancta Sophia exposing the "image" of holiness in contrast to the true and genuine article?

A good image is a projection of goodness. We trust our impressions or images gained from experience or from others to guide us. We can know goodness and truth. To err is human but when the hierarchy expands the error it is a major league betrayal of trust. The problem is not only the revealed wrong-doing, but more importantly the obfuscation and disremembering, perceived as lies, that they use to protect an image different from reality. This is called hypocrisy, and is the one sin that Jesus really got upset about. Secrecy, lack of accountability, and obstruction of justice should upset us as well. When the purpose of declaring bankruptcy is to hide incriminating evidence, image is more important than reality.

Not all bishops are involved in questionable pastoral actions, but images can attribute guilt by association. The more that is revealed, the more reality is stripped and exposed, and the more work will be needed to maintain the image. Persistence in the work of Sancta Sophia is needed by all of us.

Be careful of images. Not all bishops should be included in the prevailing image.

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