The conviction of Louisiana Rev. Gilbert J. Gauthe first publicized the issue of child-sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Church in 1985. While a priest in New Iberia and Vermilion Parish, he was accused of molesting hundreds of children. Gauthe eventually plead guilty to 11 counts of aggravated crime against nature and served 10 years in prison.
Thirty-three years later, the systemic issue of child sexual abuse and its coverup continue to shake the Catholic Church. On Aug. 14, a Pennsylvania grand jury report detailed more than 1000 identifiable victims of sexual abuse in only six of the state’s eight Catholic dioceses. Calls for resignation from within the Vatican overshadowed Pope Francis’ visit to Ireland over the weekend.
The international child-sexual abuse scandals compile across the globe in nations such as Argentina, Canada, Australia and the United States. The turbulence from these scandals threaten to damage the Church for generations to come, bringing pain and shame to Catholics everywhere.
The pain from these international scandals resonates deeply at the local level. Christ the King Catholic Church at LSU, like many other institutions throughout the nation, faces the struggle of continuing to preach its message.
The Rev. Andrew Merrick of CTK attended the University for three years before going to seminary school. Now, he must confront the situation facing his Catholic church on campus.
“When these things broke, there were a couple of days I was just processing this,” Merrick said. “I thought I might just leave. This is ridiculous. If I’d run away from this scandal, if I would run away from the church, then I would be running away from myself.”
After processing the scope and depth of the issue, Merrick felt a renewed desire to follow the Church and preach its message. His Aug. 19 sermon focused entirely on the issue of child-sexual abuse in the Catholic church.
Merrick expressed his anger and embarrassment to his parishioners with a heavy heart, telling his congregation the accused priests and bishops were not living like Christians. He also extended the opportunity to speak privately with anyone who had his or her faith shaken by the recent revelations.
“I have had a number of conversations with students in passing,” Merrick said. “I think everybody is angry on some level. Some people are embarrassed to be part of the Church.”
The U.S. population of Catholics has declined since the dawn of the 21st Century. Catholics made up 23.9 percent of the U.S. population in 2007, but only 20.8 percent in 2014, according to Pew Research Center. Scandals and divisions within the Church would seem to further exacerbate the decline of Catholics in the U.S., but CTK has enjoyed full masses this semester, with many even struggling to find seats.
Merrick is unaware of any history of abuse scandals at CTK but urges students to follow the Diocese of Baton Rouge’s process for reporting the abuse of a minor. The process, last updated in March 2014, lists steps for handling abuse-type situations. The first step involves contacting civil authorities, followed by alerting the Diocesan Victim Assistance Coordinator. The time frame of the Coordinator’s process of review varies by the severity of the accusation.
The Diocese of Baton Rouge is no stranger to sexual abuse. In 2004, the Diocese settled a lawsuit with a man who accused Bishop Joseph Sullivan of sexual abuse in 1975. Sullivan served as a bishop in Baton Rouge from ‘74 until his death in ‘82. Bishop Sullivan High School in Baton Rouge changed its name to St. Michael the Archangel High School because of the lawsuit.
Merrick believes the Catholic Church has made significant changes since 2002 in dealing with child sexual abuse, such as increased screening of the clergy and efforts for a more transparent church. Despite the efforts, Merrick believes more action would lift the dark cloud surrounding his church.
“I’ve been very angry and very hurt,” Merrick said. “Not only [because] of the abuse that has happened, but [also because] of the coverups that [were] done and the lack of accountability. My own hurt and my own anger is [in] no way comparable to the victims and their families who have experienced the abuse. It’s unimaginable what they are feeling and what they are thinking.”
Philosophy senior Michael Vu, a frequent CTK churchgoer, sees the recent events as troubling, but not enough to shake his personal faith.
“Obviously this is a deeply saddening event,” Vu said. “It’s troubling to say the least, but I wouldn’t say my personal faith has been affected or my faith within the church.”
Merrick hopes his parishioners recognize their faith is in Jesus, not in the bishops or priests that make up the human institution. These messages reverberate well among the University students at CTK. Communication studies junior Cassidy Phillips is one of the students appreciative of Merrick and CTK’s efforts to address the issues plaguing the Catholic Church.
“I really loved Father Merrick’s homily about it,” Phillips said. “I appreciated that the issue was recognized and talked about. We’re not hiding from it — we are confronting it and the reality that it’s horrible.”
The undeniable pain brought forth by child sexual abuse scandals still looms over the Vatican and Catholic churches around the globe. The succession of scandals turns some away from the church and its services. Through the dark cloud encapsulating his church, Merrick and the CTK community continue preaching their message of steadfast faith and hope others will listen.
“Many people, including myself, are grateful that this is coming to light,” Merrick said. “You can’t deal with an issue if it stays in the dark. While there is hurt, pain, confusion, sorrow and some struggling with trust, there is also hope. If we cling to the Lord, there is great hope.”
Christ the King Catholic Church stands just a short walk from the Parade Grounds on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2015, on LSU's campus.
