Whose side are you on? Of course, I am referring to the recent Vatican conclave on sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. Like American politics, it seems we now have to pick sides when it comes to being Catholic.

Depending on which Catholic media you read, the conclave was either a great success or a complete disaster. Depending on who you listen too Pope Francis is either the greatest pope ever or the worst. Either the Church will be extinct in 25 years or it will be stronger than ever, and so on and so on.

Again, like politics, there is a different side to fit whatever you feel on a particular day. How about we just take the side of God? How about we all work together as Catholics to fix the problems in our church? We can fight with each other treating anyone who disagrees with us as the enemy or we can band together and fight the real enemy- Satan.

Yes, sexual abuse in the church is a problem and it needs to be dealt with. The victims need to be heard and helped. The abusers and those who covered up the abuse need to be punished. But we also need to work together to fix the problem and strengthen our church again.

As Catholics, we are always going to be persecuted. Satan is everywhere. He has influenced so many for so long that until we defeat him we will always be persecuted. I read somewhere that there are more cases of child sexual abuse in the public schools each year than there has been in the Catholic Church in any ten years. But we will never hear of that because that doesn’t fit the secular agenda. We need to accept the fact that no matter what we do we will always be the bad guys. We need to unite as one, taking Jesus’s side and our church will prevail.

Take a look at Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians – chapter 1 starting at verse 10. Even back in the first century, our church had a problem. And what did Paul ask the Corinthians? “Is Christ divided?” 1 Cor 1:13

I urge you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose. For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers, by Chloe’s people, that there are rivalries among you. I mean that each of you is saying, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

1 Cor 1:10 – 13 NABRE