williamlobdell.com

I went to heard Roman Catholic Bishop Geoffrey Robinson of Australia speak tonight at a Voice of the Faithful meeting in Orange County. He’s the single bishop out of more than 1,000 (I don’t know the precise number) who has actually challenged the way church hierarchy’s dealt with victims of clergy sexual abuse. Not coincidentally, he’s a victim of sexual abuse (not by a priest) and frowned upon by his fellow bishops.

Bishops in Southern California and elsewhere have ordered Robinson, who has a book out, NOT to speak in their dioceses. This would be amusing, if it wasn’t so pathetic. Robinson — not exactly a rebel — is simply asking the church to investigate the causes of clergy sexual abuse and go wherever the truth leads. If it means questioning celibacy, the all-male priesthood or the artificial separation between  the priesthood and laity (all man-made conventions), so be it. Truly revolutionary stuff that needs to be snuff out, yes?

The good news. An overflow crowd of about 200 people packed a Costa Mesa community room. Bad news: The average age was somewhere north of 60, to be generous. I had to ask myself: where were Orange County’s other 1 million Catholics, especially the people who could be charting the church’s future?