Lenten Retreat: Bishop Varden on 'the fall of thousands'
Vatican News • • world
Key Points:
- Bishop Erik Varden reflects on the dual nature of falls in spiritual life, highlighting that while some falls can lead to personal salvation, others cause profound destruction and harm to many innocents.
- He identifies ecclesiastical corruption, rather than secular opposition, as the Church's gravest crisis, emphasizing the need for justice and healing in response to such internal failings.
- Varden challenges the simplistic view of corruption as stemming solely from inherently evil individuals, noting that many communities linked to scandal began with genuine inspiration and holiness.
- Drawing on Saint Bernard, he explains that spiritual battles are often more intense and damaging than physical ones, as spiritual attacks target the core of human nature and freedom.
- The bishop stresses the importance of integrating spiritual and physical life
