Bishops Still Stonewall On Abuse

[Amory]

[url="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303665904577452282863859096.html?mod=ITP_opinion_0"]http://online.wsj.co...d=ITP_opinion_0[/url]

[b] [size=4]By David Gibson[/size][/b]


[left][size=4]Who will guard the guardians? Ten years after the Catholic hierarchy of the United States gathered in Dallas and adopted unprecedented policies to address the scourge of child sexual abuse by clergy, the question of accountability at the top remains unanswered.[/size][/left]

[left][color=#000000][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=1][size=4]To be sure, the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People—the Dallas charter, for short—took some critical steps. In June 2002, the bishops passed a "one-strike" policy for abusers and began pushing the Vatican to streamline the processes that would allow them to more easily defrock molesters.[/size][/size][/font][/color][/left]

[left][color=#000000][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=1][size=4]The bishops also vowed to report allegations to the civil authorities instead of keeping them in-house, to more rigorously screen not only seminarians but all church workers and volunteers, and to teach children in Catholic facilities to avoid potential abusers. In addition, they set up an office of child protection to audit each diocese's compliance with the charter, and they established the National Review Board, composed of lay Catholics, to make sure they were doing what they promised.[/size][/size][/font][/color][/left]

[left][size=4][color=#000000][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]But throughout it all, the bishops exempted themselves from accountability—even though records showed that feckless inaction by many bishops, or even deliberate malfeasance by some, had allowed abusers to claim so many victims.[/font][/color][/size][/left]

[left][color=#000000][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=1][size=4]The best answer the bishops had to this in Dallas was a behind-the-scenes "fraternal correction" policy, by which a bishop would quietly pass along any concerns about another bishop to that bishop. Church tradition was invoked to preclude any external oversight by laypeople or other prelates. As always, each bishop would answer only to the pope, who alone had the authority to remove the head of a diocese.[/size][/size][/font][/color][/left]

[left][color=#000000][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=1][size=4]Now, as the bishops gather next week in Atlanta for their annual spring meeting, they will hear an update on the Dallas charter but are unlikely to address this enormous loophole—despite events that make it all the more urgent.[/size][/size][/font][/color][/left]

[left][color=#000000][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=1][size=4]Consider that bishops in the Diocese of Baker in Oregon and the Diocese of Lincoln in Nebraska—plus leaders of the six Eastern rite dioceses in the U.S.—have for a decade thumbed their noses at the Dallas charter's mandatory audits of compliance. Thus monitors from the Conference of Catholic Bishops have never been allowed into those dioceses. Yet the recalcitrant bishops have never been rebuked, and last year Pope Benedict even promoted one of them, Bishop Robert Vasa of Baker, to the larger see of Santa Rosa, in California.[/size][/size][/font][/color][/left]

[left][color=#000000][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=1][size=4]The diocesan and national review boards are only as effective as the information they receive from bishops. In Philadelphia, the archdiocesan review board was blindsided by a scathing 2011 grand-jury report that unearthed years of abuse that had gone unaddressed, even after the Dallas charter. Now Monsignor William Lynn, the longtime head of priest personnel for the archdiocese, is awaiting a jury's verdict on his fate. But no bishop has been criticized by church authorities.[/size][/size][/font][/color][/left]

[left][color=#000000][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=1][size=4]Similarly, Cardinal Francis George, head of the Archdiocese of Chicago and then president of the bishops conference, left two priests in ministry after receiving numerous credible allegations of abuse against them and after his own review board recommended that the men be removed. Yet Cardinal George's fellow bishops elected him head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2007, and he received no public correction, fraternal or otherwise.[/size][/size][/font][/color][/left]

[left][color=#000000][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=1][size=4]In Missouri, where Bishop Robert Finn of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph ignored repeated warnings about a priest who had a trove of child pornography on his laptop, there may be some consequences—but only from civil authorities, who are set to put the bishop on trial this September for failing to report the priest.[/size][/size][/font][/color][/left]

[left][color=#000000][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=1][size=4]"In the Dallas Charter, all consequences fall on priests," said a priest in a recent survey of clergy attitudes by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate. "Nothing is in there for bishops."[/size][/size][/font][/color][/left]

[left][color=#000000][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=1][size=4]Not only does this undermine the priesthood's morale, but it impedes important work of the bishops, who are engaged in a major campaign for religious freedom—aiming not only to overturn the Obama administration's contraception mandate but to protect the church from secular encroachments of various sorts. If church leaders want the laity and the clergy to follow them to the ramparts on these issues, they should demonstrate that they will hold themselves to the same standards they set for everyone else.[/size][/size][/font][/color][/left]

[left][color=#000000][font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][size=1][size=4][i]Mr. Gibson, a national reporter for Religion News Service, is author of "The Rule of Benedict: Pope Benedict XVI and His Battle with the Modern World" (HarperOne, 2006).[/i][/size][/size][/font][/color][/left]

[cmotherofpirl]

Why would you assume that nobody has been corrected rebuked etc? Just because you haven't seen it one the evening news?

[Anomaly]

[quote name='cmotherofpirl' timestamp='1339276293' post='2442983']
Why would you assume that nobody has been corrected rebuked etc? Just because you haven't seen it one the evening news?
[/quote]I don't think his assumption that none are corrected, he's pointing out that many are NOT being corrected despite public problems. The problem with these repeated public problems with no action by the Church, the Bishops undermine the Church being a moral example or having any right ti discuss moral issues in the public discourse regarding contraception, abortion, etc.

[Tab'le De'Bah-Rye]

Pax domini...
Seems u.s.a got hit the hardest with this scandal in that more priests have been discovered whom have done this,i assume because of the hippy revolution(which was not just a protest to end war.The enemy can appear as if an angel of light,) which was most prevalent in the united states and the mind set still resonates throught the western world. And yes it has infiltrated the church the whole you always have to feel good and if it feels good it must be good, and sin does feel good when we are suffering as a quick fix but is never lasting and reduces the ability of the participant to exact true love and charity which pertains to sacrifice, and can become addictive which further lessens the room for true love and charity or as we christians say GOD. All sin in this matter is equal though some may be uppercase and some lower case,in that some seem to be personal sins against GOD and some outrageously against other, but the end product is the same the reduction of true charity and love, and eventualy if habitual the end of true charity and love in the offenders life. Take crack cocaine as an example, cocaine blocks the natural endorphine pistons and evetually the participant can not get happy unless there is cocaine in the persons system because his natural endorphine receptepers are blocked and can not do there job of relaxing the person when needed. Wheras sin builds up a dam/n against the heart not letting anything in or out. I'm not trying to lessen what these priests have done it is horendous and and an abomination in any walks of life as is cold blooded murder,defrauding a old lady of her lifes savings and rape, just to name a few. We as humans continually try on our own strength to win this battle that only GOD i believe truely can, in fact we try to win this battle against sin which is an epedemic to the human condition and eventually at a loss of how to win this battle go from the offended to becoming the offender. This battle has been raging for 1000s upon 100s of years. I believe, Jesus came to give all men the hope of heaven which truely keeps us trying to do the good and not evil. I was a repeat offender of various sins over the last few years which with persistance and grace has been removed, i was so daunted just by the problems of the few in my own life that i panicked and turned to that quick fix which is sin which snow balled pretty much into and avalacnche eventually. I am personaly glad this is out in the open the whole paedophile priest stuff, now not only are we able to address the situation but also if needed ex-communicate such men. But than also should we publicly stone these men or put them in fetters and parade them around so the crowd can throw rotten vegetables at them. I implore you to take a long hard look inside yourself and the people around you to see truely the state of affairs and the weight of what where up against, from drinking to much alcohol to paedophilia, from holding your younger brother down by force and farting on his face to rape. I don't know, as per usually unfortunately half of what i have said may be on point and the other half somewhere out in the babble zone or something.

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='Anomaly' timestamp='1339280892' post='2443001']
I don't think his assumption that none are corrected, he's pointing out that many are NOT being corrected despite public problems. The problem with these repeated public problems with no action by the Church, the Bishops undermine the Church being a moral example or having any right ti discuss moral issues in the public discourse regarding contraception, abortion, etc.
[/quote]
My point is we don't know what the Church has done behind the scenes. Just because its not public doesn't mean something hasn't been done.

[Amory]

[quote name='cmotherofpirl' timestamp='1339276293' post='2442983']
Why would you assume that nobody has been corrected rebuked etc? Just because you haven't seen it one the evening news?
[/quote]

With problems that occur in private, solutions that are kept private are acceptable.

However, for problems that public knowledge, the solution should also be made known to the public.

Also, while we should assume the best of people in general and our bishops in particular, the world is full of cynical people whose respect for the Catholic Church, already very little, completely disappeared with the advent of the abuse scandal. The Church's mission to save souls is hindered by its having a reputation for harboring abusers, and the Church's leadership needs to do something to correct this reputation.

[Adrestia]

I think pandering to the media is a bad idea. They have a history of focusing on sensationalism and scandal.

[MIKolbe]

[quote name='Amory' timestamp='1339496863' post='2443840']
The Church's mission to save souls is hindered by its having a reputation for harboring abusers, and the Church's leadership needs to do something to correct this reputation.
[/quote]

Clearly you do not attend my parish.

[Anomaly]

[quote name='Amory' timestamp='1339496863' post='2443840']
With problems that occur in private, solutions that are kept private are acceptable.

However, for problems that public knowledge, the solution should also be made known to the public.

Also, while we should assume the best of people in general and our bishops in particular, the world is full of cynical people whose respect for the Catholic Church, already very little, completely disappeared with the advent of the abuse scandal. The Church's mission to save souls is hindered by its having a reputation for harboring abusers, and the Church's leadership needs to do something to correct this reputation.
[/quote]Excellent post.

Not all Catholics, protestans, hindus, and regular joes are perfect and are able to blindly dismiss errors of the moral/ethical leaders/teachers/instructors. It seems most people are a little frail and need some help to be better, some people choose to take on the role as leaders/teachers in churches, religions, civil organisations. Most of us can accept that everyone makes mistakes, but we have the expectation of people learning from the mistakes and trying to correct their behavior.

I agree 100% with the point Amory made that the corrected behavior for a public problem should be made public, ESPECIALLY by leaders in charge of an organization that desires to be the example of behavior.

[Amory]

[quote name='MIkolbe' timestamp='1339504490' post='2443860']
Clearly you do not attend my parish.
[/quote]

I'm sure that your parish has many wonderful members, but I also know both from news articles and from first-hand accounts of people I know that the loss of practicing Catholics due to the abuse scandal is real and significant.

[MIKolbe]

Actually, I am talking about a current investigation going on in which pretty much perfect transparency has taken place thus far. Read for yourself.

[img]http://saintjames-sewickley.org/images/church/letter.jpg[/img]

And this letter is posted on the parish's website. (which is public)

So above is my first hand account. My very real, very current first hand account.

Read it a few times for reasonance's sake. Pardon my gruffness, but I have a hard time hearing about the Big Bad Catholic Church when I am experiencing (not hearing of an experience, nor seeing it from afar) something completely different.

My Bishop immediately reported the incident to the DA, and even after he was told there was nothing criminal, he is auditing all the computers at my parish, including Father's personal computer.

Through this all, Father has been obedient to the Bishop and has been cooperative with everyone.

So, excuse my flooping french, but a thread with a title of how Bishops still stonewall on abuse comes off as alittle tone deaf, imho.

[Papist]

[quote name='Amory' timestamp='1339496863' post='2443840']
With problems that occur in private, solutions that are kept private are acceptable.

However, for problems that public knowledge, the solution should also be made known to the public.

Also, while we should assume the best of people in general and our bishops in particular, the world is full of cynical people whose respect for the Catholic Church, already very little, completely disappeared with the advent of the abuse scandal. The Church's mission to save souls is hindered by its having a reputation for harboring abusers, and the Church's leadership needs to do something to correct this reputation.
[/quote]

Did you think maybe, just perhaps the victims requested that everything remain private? Also, people that hate the Church, hated the Church before these scandals, not b/c of them. So, I ask you what is your purpose for posting this article?

[qfnol31]

[quote name='Amory' timestamp='1339496863' post='2443840']With problems that occur in private, solutions that are kept private are acceptable.

However, for problems that public knowledge, the solution should also be made known to the public.[/quote]Should a false accusation become public knowledge automatically because it was made publicly?

I have no problem with priests who commit crimes being reprimanded publicly. I don't think that it's fair that an innocent priest should be subject to the same public scorn simply because he was accused. Should we act as though every priest who has been accused is automatically guilty until proven innocent?

Transparency isn't the issue here. The problem here is that people want to know every detail about an incident that they are not privileged to know in the first place. People want to gossip and be sensationalist more than they really want solutions. In our civil courts there is a certain amount of patience required by all parties. Not all information is presented right away and not all accusations can be handled immediately with the full force of law. Simply because not everything is done at once does not mean that nothing is happening at all.

[Anomaly]

[quote name='MIkolbe' timestamp='1339528235' post='2443995']
Actually, I am talking about a current investigation going on in which pretty much perfect transparency has taken place thus far. Read for yourself.



And this letter is posted on the parish's website. (which is public)

So above is my first hand account. My very real, very current first hand account.

Read it a few times for reasonance's sake. Pardon my gruffness, but I have a hard time hearing about the Big Bad Catholic Church when I am experiencing (not hearing of an experience, nor seeing it from afar) something completely different.

My Bishop immediately reported the incident to the DA, and even after he was told there was nothing criminal, he is auditing all the computers at my parish, including Father's personal computer.

Through this all, Father has been obedient to the Bishop and has been cooperative with everyone.

So, excuse my flooping french, but a thread with a title of how Bishops still stonewall on abuse comes off as alittle tone deaf, imho.
[/quote]Not to shake an unlit censer... but the tone and gist of the article was that there is a lack of transparency when the Bishops misbehave or fail in correcting Bishops, not priests. The article noted several Diocese where the Biships are NOT doing what your Bishop is doing. I could bore (or scandalize) you with my own first hand knowledge of Bishops and priests NOT following the rules of the Dallas protocols (much less meeting public expectation of decency), but it's not about a battle of dueling anecdotes. It's great for your Dioces your Bishop is acting as he is. What about the congregations in the Dioceses of Baker, Lincoln, Kansas City, and Archdiocese of Chicago? When the Bishop is defiant or uncompliant when there is a problem that becomes public knowledge, it's apparent that there is no correction for those in charge. They're men and subject to the foils and mistakes as the rest of us mortals. But they are the publically recognized persons at the head of an organization that has public problems.

Edited June 12, 2012 by Anomaly

[MIKolbe]

Yes, I can agree with this. I was very upset when I heard what former Archbishop Mahoney was reported doing.