The priesthood is under attack by the world.  I remember one time I came to do a retreat at a parish, there was man there who seem a little off in his demeanor.  Before even having the opportunity to greet him, he blurted out in a loud voice at the church, “So Father, how many children have you abused today?” I was shocked at such violent statement, and I did respond forcefully, “Sir, this is not how you greet people, and what makes you think this okay to say to a priest?”
     What this person said is perhaps is what is in the back of the minds of many families regarding priests! It is sad time we live in. The priests just for being priests are accused of abuse, beforehand. When the scandals were happening, I was still just in high school and when they broke out it was earth-shattering for me, it affected my faith. I no longer wanted to pursue a priestly vocation because I did not want to be associated with these types of priests.  But soon enough I found myself, thinking two things: first, as the saying goes, he who owes nothing, has nothing to fear. Second, in my experience as an altar server for more than 10 years growing up, I never, ever had a priest who tried to take advantage of me.  In fact, I remember with fondness that after serving as the only altar server for a while, one priest gave me a bike for Christmas. Growing up I had good experience helping the priests. The priests I knew were not like to those priests on the television facing the scandals.  They were not perfect, and perhaps much more could have been done to receive the righteous man’s reward, but they were no pedophiles.  Unfortunately, as another saying goes, the righteous pay for the sinners. Of course, one is far too many.  It seems from those scandals unto now things have been different for priests.  This lingering suspicion continues to happen even unto our day.  Forget the times when the priest was able to visit families at their home for dinner and stay for a while resting on the sofa. Forget the times when the priest was invited to go camping with a family.   Forget the times when the priest was able to visit like the Prophet Elisha and stay the night at the house in a  designated room.  How many have an extra room specially reserved for visiting clergy? The first reading is saying yes take your precautions, yes, make the necessary arrangements (like this couple did) but don’t close your door to the man of God. The dynamic to relate to families has changed perhaps for the better, but it has also become distant. And this really ties in with now apparent lack of vocations.  Why would young people want to become priests, when they haven’t related to them as part of their family life experience? Thank your parish priest for having said yes, and a courageous yes to become a priest in these difficult times.  And do the basic the gospel asks, offer him a glass of water. We have placed many important safeguards in place to protect the young, and now is also time to start to relearn how to relate with priests, so that can be truly part of    families as men of God.