Tamilynne Voelzke

Blood Money Tamilynne Voelzke

We are currently in a period of recuperation from sexual abuse scandals throughout the country. Although the media tends to focus on the Catholic Church's role in these situations, it is actually a worldwide issue involving protagonists from many different organizations; it's just that Catholicism is much larger than any other organization, so the offenses seem more prolific than in other agencies. The Catholic Church is attempting to create procedures so that these situations never happen again, and to provide financial recompense to victims. Abusers misused their religious authority to perform these vile deeds; however, it now has become a fad to falsely accuse priests of sexual molestation in an attempt to get money, by playing on the sympathies of diocese authorities. Even after statute of limitations is passed, diocese protocol allows for such payments. Falsely accused priests are the new victims in this crisis. Abuse by high-level clergy in Catholicism has really brought disaster on the Church. Jesus told his future disciples, "I will make you fishers of men." The current false allegations in search of blood money are starting to smell more like rotten fish, and I don't think that was what Jesus wanted for the end result of his priests' efforts. Blood Money parallels the story of the Passion of Jesus with the current betrayals faced by ordained Catholic priests, as well as similar situations faced by other people in secular circumstances.