God often uses weak and flawed human beings as his instruments of grace. We should be ready to accept the repentance of any and all sinners who ask the forgiveness of
God, his people and all who have been hurt by their sins.
But it is also true, and our experience shows us, that some addictions and emotional or mental ills are not easily healed or overcome. To move priests, monsignors or bishops from one post to another without addressing their basic problem does them no good and only creates more harm.
We owe help to our ministers who have problems of addiction or who struggle with emotional problems. But we must also help their victims and protect the innocent. We can't just perpetuate the conditions and situations that produced past harms.
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