The revelations of decades of abuse and cover-ups in the Roman Catholic Church is gut-wrenching. It calls for recognition, repentance, and penance on a massive scale. It also calls for serious study so that reforms (and reforms MUST come!) are effective. One of the challenges is that no one is going to allow a good crisis to go to waste: the clergy abuse scandal becomes an opportunity to agitate in favor of one’s chosen causes and against one’s mortal enemies. Another is that the cause of this utterly condemnable, grave, and horrendous manifestation of evil is methodologically overdetermined. A strong case can be made for several things and there is little doubt that they interacted in complicated ways that make discerning the relative effect of each. Ditto for finding an efficient cure.
For instance, I am convinced that it was a combination of institutional, personal, and cultural things that allowed this evil to grow unchecked and wreak such havoc. Focusing on one without taking care of the others will only allow the evil to manifest in other, perhaps even more virulent “drug resistant” ways”. If we improve transparency, oversight, and accountability but do not deal with the over-selection of narcissists or same-sex attracted men or with the feelings-based therapeutic (vs. ascetic) formation at seminary, then we will simply end up with the same evils being committed by priests and bishops who are better at hiding it. Similarly, if we select against narcissism and same-sex attraction, but do not reform our institutions and culture(s) then we will just end up with different set of victims (i.e. through opposite-sex grooming and predation and adultery).
There are several articles that have pointed out the institutional and cultural problems that allowed for and fostered this mess. The article that I am introducing here addresses one of the contributing causes that I have not seen mentioned, namely the role of Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NDS) in the crisis. NDS MUST be a part of the conversation because it is a huge part of the problem (and at the root of other problems we suffer from).
– Fr. Anthony Perkins
P.S. Please do not think that because the Orthodox Church largely stays out of the news that we are immune from this kind of wickedness. Neither a (largely) married priesthood nor a monastic episcopacy nor Orthodox triumphalism will protect us. To the extent that we have similar institutional, personal, and cultural problems, we MUST expect similar results.
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Here are some powerful excerpts from “The Problem with the Bishops Scandal” from The Catholic Psych Institute (August 2nd 2018).
The US Conference of Bishops FINALLY admitted what the deepest problem is- “Our Church (read- Bishops) is suffering from a crisis of sexual morality.” Why do I say they are referring to themselves? Because this is the official statement released after McCarrick’s scandal broke. This isn’t the parish council’s crisis, or the church janitor’s crisis, no, this is the Bishop’s crisis. …
Some people are dancing around the issue by talking about the “structure,” “organization,” and “clericalism” in the hierarchy. That’s not it though. It’s also not just a homosexuality problem (though that is an equally important issue here). At the root of those problems, I believe, is a psychological disorder known as Narcissistic Personality Disorder. …
What do you think happens when someone with NPD enters the priesthood? Their drive for recognition and status pushes them ahead. They know how to play the game and rise in the ranks. They know who to butter up, and who to take advantage of. They don’t care about the lives of others around them. The priests under their eventual authority end up like those children of Alcoholic and Dysfunctional Families. I have heard so many priests (and religious) tell me, “We are afraid of authority figures (superiors) and isolated. We became approval seekers and lost our identity. We became workaholics. We get guilt feelings when we stand up for ourselves. We judge ourselves harshly and have a very low sense of self-esteem.”
This is the scandal. This is the untold story of normal life for many priests and religious. This is what I want to blow the whistle on. …
The hierarchy of the Church is an ideal environment for breeding this type of disease. Like agar on a petri dish, obedience, humility, internal forum, and close observation and evaluation all contribute to this outbreak of narcissism. Most priests and religious have at one time or another suffered at the hands of a narcissist.
I have bad news. There is almost nothing we can do about this. The laity can’t fix this. Priests can’t even fix this. Married priests won’t fix this. Like children of narcissistic parents, the best we can do is resolve to not absorb the guilt ourselves for the sins of our fathers, educate ourselves to be clearer and clearer about appropriate boundaries and behavior, and pray for the courage to throw ourselves into the fire when we speak out against their disordered behavior. …
Priests, read that list of [NDS] symptoms again. You know who I’m talking about. And if it’s you, you also already know it. One fascinating fact about NPD is that most of those experiencing it aren’t ashamed of it- They’ll admit it! They feel they are in power because they deserve it. They feel entitled to it. This is not only sinful, it is grossly, psychologically disordered. If you see someone acting like this, you can’t remain silent any longer. …
I also have good news. Obviously, the only news that matters. Christ is victorious. We’ve already seen how this plays out and the gates of hell will never prevail. It is going to get a lot uglier though before it has a chance to get better. No one is actually talking yet about the things that need to change.
The beautiful hope though, the silver lining through all this, is that on the other side of this battle there is actually the possibility for a renewal in the church. …
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