A serious start to August: Clergy Sexual Abuse Awareness & Prevention Day

We'll pick up all the usual lightweight junk at the end of this post, but Thursday, August 1 has a serious docket entry: Clergy Sexual Abuse Awareness & Prevention Day. This particular observance is sponsored by a group that calls itself The Hope of Survivors.

This is not a Catholic issue, or a Jewish issue, or a Protestant issue -- although the linked site seems to be Protestant-tinged -- abusers cloak themselves in the traditions of many faiths. They can be anywhere where there are children.

This does not mean parents should keep their children away from all priests or ministers. We should never, ever tar the many, many good God-fearing men and women who try to do the Lord's work according to their best understanding. But be smart. Abusers can be the most charming people -- the (seemingly) nicest, most easy-going, spiritual creatures. However, no matter how wonderful you think Fr. Murphy is, or Pastor Jensen, or Rabbi Greenberg, no one ever needs to be alone with your child. Not for "prayer," not for "sleepovers" or "camping," not to keep him or her company on a long auto trip. Anyone who tries to isolate your child should be viewed with suspicion and alarm.

And don't be bamboozled by religious hooey. Luke 18:15-17 provides:

15 People were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them, and when the disciples saw this, they rebuked them.

16 Jesus, however, called the children to himself and said, "Let the children come to me and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

17 Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it."

You may remember this saying as 'suffer the little children to come to me.' But in a group, with other adults welcome, not one at a time. Never, ever one at a time.

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Now that we've cleared that up, Thursday is also National Girlfriends Day. (The Blog of Days is not responsible for the consequences to any married men caught participating in this observance.)

Safer for married men might be Lughnasadh, a Celtic harvest festival -- and a warning, therefore, that the Summer, so soon begun, is almost done.

You're on your own as to how to pronounce Lughnasadh, and this Wikipedia entry on the subject will no doubt confuse you further.

August 1 will also be National Raspberry Cream Pie Day and, in England, according to Usual Suspect Days of the Year, Yorkshire Day