The Vatican Attacks, the Vatican Protects: Catholics in Lonely Exile Seek Advent Hope

This is what our Catholic church has chosen to become under its current leadership:

It attacks:

Women.* 

Religious women. 

Religious women who write brilliant theological works (and here). 

Gay and lesbian folks. 

Peace activists who support women's equal rights in the church. 

92-year-old Jesuits who preside at liturgy with women priests.

It protects:

A sitting bishop convicted of criminal behavior in shielding a priest who took pornographic photos of little girls.

The coming of Christ into the gloom of our world and our church?  Yes.  We need and long for the dawning of the dayspring from on high. 

The ancient hymn has it precisely right:

Veni, veni Emmanuel,
Captivum solve Israel,
Qui gemit in exilio
Privatus Dei Filio.

Note that the penultimate link above (and the one about Catholic leaders' attacks on the gay community) both point to articles in secular publications.  As a sacramental community advertising itself as an incomparable sign of God's all-embracing love in the world, the Catholic church is shooting itself in the foot these days, through the negative publicity its leaders' actions are garnering in the secular media--richly deserved publicity.

*See point 4 in the posting to which this link points.