Charity registration No. SC002876   Sunday April 25th. 2010 Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Main Menu Notices 3 Page 4 Notices Notices 2 Two Visions of the Church—the Body of Christ A reflection by an Irish priest on the present problems The scandals emerging in the Church in recent years have been  putting a serious challenge to our faith in the Church. We have  been hearing of terrible things done by priests and religious, and  of the failures of bishops to respond appropriately, and our faith  in the Church is shaken. In these circumstances it can help to  recall that there are two ways of looking at the Church which  need to be distinguished.   The Human Face  There is the human face of the Church. This is the reality we  meet in everyday circumstances and is the view of the Church  which comes across in the media. This Church, mainly the  hierarchy, Pope, bishops, priests and religious, acts in the world  like any other human institution. And this Church is subject to  sin, as we well know. We know well that the Church is sinful  because we are in it and we know ourselves to be sinners,  every one of us.   My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?