In this week where billions of faithful the world over turn their hearts toward a promise of redemption, no institution stands more in need of deliverance than the Catholic Church in the United States. Weeks of revelation of scandal, abuse and cover-up have left the American Church with a grim reminder of the fallibility of humans as they grope for the divine.

In the swirl of controversy surrounding the actions of the Diocese of Boston, in its efforts to hide allegations of pastoral abuse and shattered faith, stories of priestly indiscretions around the country leave Catholics ashamed and confused. Analysis of the Church in the mainstream media suggest many causes for priests to fall from grace, calling for an end to celibacy or ordination of women to spurn the cancerous tentacles of child molestation in the Church.

While the Church must shine light into the darkness of abuse within its walls, the American Church is not in the position to make the changes that outsiders insist will purge it from the abuse. A major change in those allowed to take the sacrament of Holy Orders – to become ordained into the priesthood – can only be put in motion by the Vatican. Pope John Paul II condemns the pedophile priests as perpetrating the worst kind of evil, but he does not have any intentions of extending the priesthood to women or married people.

People can quibble about the relative merits of married clergy or female priests, but for these discussions to take place in the mainstream media without presenting the theological and historical foundation within the Catholic Church leaves the suggestion of a more progressive clergy untenable.

Changing the face of the Catholic clergy will not eliminate any problems brought up after decades of silence; it will not stop bishops from covering up either. However, the Church in America can take steps to ensure the safety of all the members of its body. Parish councils can insist on background checks for everyone working with children in the parish – volunteers, religious education teachers, priests – to stop documented offenders from contact with children. Lay people and deacons can be trained in ministry traditionally performed by priests, reducing the strain on a declining population of priests and dismantling the absolute power that some associate with pastors.

Ultimately, the faithful in America must recognize that priests are not synonymous with God, that they are human, that they do not have a monopoly on salvation and that the role of lay people is just as critical as that of the clergy in maintaining a vibrant church.

Catholics also have to recognize that despite the shame they face with the current scandal, many priests continue to work for the betterment of the faithful and the world, even if their efforts go unnoticed. Chaplains for firefighters battling at Ground Zero, teachers and sources of comfort for many, the priesthood is still an institution of people called to serve throughout the world. Last week in Uganda, a young Irish mission priest was killed after filing reports critical of brutality by soldiers in eastern Uganda, echoes of the American priest murdered in neighboring Kenya after his criticism of the government.

The scandal is enough to shake one’s faith. Now the Church must attempt to resurrect itself from the deceit and emerge from a tomb of lies and abuse. The price is high – church property such as schools, churches and residences may be sold to raise money for compensation to victims of priest pedophiles. Through efforts of reconciliation and transparency, the American Church can emerge from the latest scandal as an institution wiser and more responsive to the needs of all its members.

Rachel Faber Machacha is a graduate student in international development studies from Emmetsburg.