The wounds of the church and the eucharistic mystery

In the upheaval surrounding the trauma suffered by victims of sexual, psychological and physical abuse over recent decades, very many people directly or indirectly affected have turned their backs on the Roman Catholic Church. Although the reasons for abandoning the Church and its sacraments are many and complex, the prevalence not only of abuse but also of the woefully inadequate - and at times mendacious - response of senior prelates has been a major factor in accelerating the decline in religious observance.

I know people who have been deeply traumatised and for whom the very sight of a religious habit or symbol evokes anger, fear and revulsion. Catholics do well not to underestimate this reality. It is true that media coverage has not always been fair and that the impressions left on the wider population are sometimes misleading. Nevertheless, the suffering of victims and the failures of Church leadership have left deep wounds.

Amid this maelstrom of grief, anger and disillusionment, some have asked: "How can a Mass celebrated by an evil priest ever be valid?" Or, "How can defiled hands consecrate the Body of Christ?"

These are understandable questions. Yet the Church's response has been consistent from the earliest centuries of its history: the validity of the Eucharist does not depend upon the moral character of the minister. Christ Himself acts in the sacraments. In other words, a priest - even an evil one - can validly celebrate the Eucharist, acting in persona Christi, provided that the four essential conditions for validity are present:

1. The proper matter is used: bread and wine;
2. The proper form of the sacrament is used (including in the various valid rites of Churches not in communion with the Bishop of Rome);
3. The priest has been validly ordained by a valid successor of the apostles; and
4. The priest intends to do what the Church does in celebrating the Eucharist.

This does not mean that the moral condition of the priest is unimportant. The unworthiness of a minister wounds the life of the Church, causes scandal among the faithful and can deeply impact on the spiritual well-being of the communities entrusted to his care. While it does not invalidate the sacrament, it has real consequences for the Church's witness and credibility.

In practice, however, the vast majority of priests and religious are, in my experience and to the best of my knowledge, decent, hardworking and sincere people. Like all of us, they are weak and sinful, but they are not evil. The fact that evil found its way into the priesthood - and that it was facilitated by poor leadership, a culture of secrecy, clericalism and excessive deference to authority - has caused immense pain and suffering. Recovering the trust that has been lost will take generations and the Church that emerges from this period may look very different from the one we have known.

In the meantime, we must continue to work and pray for the coming of God's Kingdom. To that end, the Mass remains central to our response. It is there, despite the failings of its ministers, that Christ continues to meet his people and offer himself for the life of the world.