God has shown me that I have a bitterness about men in the Church who can be deceitful or cruel or vice-driven, but they can often disguise it under theological knowledge or intentions of a religious vocation that give them a “free pass.” (1/)

It makes perfect sense to me when people do not trust their priests or deacons or seminarians because so many people have been hurt by men in those positions who are “untouchable.” Accountability is hard to implement when you’re scraping through years of clericalism. (2/)

I love our priests and I am thankful for the priesthood of Jesus Christ beyond what I can even explain to you. But it does feel strange that leadership in our church is not allowed to be scrutinized in the same way laity is. It’s not out of lack for trust in the Holy Spirit (3/)

that I feel this bitterness - I actually know full well He will separate the wheat from the chaff and that He advocates for us despite our broken state as Church. I haven’t met women who are granted this same “free pass” in our Church, though I have no doubt they exist. (4/)

But it feels hard to be so directly hurt by men (friends, brothers, romantic partners) who then run into a life ministry, mission, or seminary, and then see their destructive habits of women fostered rather than squashed. (5/)

It’s not everyone, and some of that formation has truly healed those men and, praise God, myself, but atonement is so deeply ingrained in our religion because God desires to heal us!!! When we skip over the atoning bit, we do not give God the opportunity to heal His Bride. (6/)

Anyway, this is more food for thought than anything, and if you are close with a person (man or woman) in our Church that needs accountability beyond their current formation/structure, in your charity, please talk to them about the healing that God desires for their heart. (/end)