Detroit Bishop Suffered Childhood Sex Abuse

[Brother Adam]

Wednesday, January 11, 2006


Gumbleton, 75, told The Washington Post in an interview published in Wednesday's editions that he was "inappropriately touched" by a priest in 1945 when he was a ninth grader at Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit.

He is believed to be the first U.S. bishop to disclose that he was a victim of clergy sexual abuse and also the first to endorse proposals in several states to remove time limits that have prevented many victims of sex abuse from suing the church.

"I don't want to exaggerate that I was terribly damaged," Gumbleton told the Post in a telephone interview. "It was not the kind of sexual abuse that many of the victims experience."

But he said the experience helps him understand why sex abuse victims often cannot bring themselves to file lawsuits within the period allowed by the statute of limitations, which in many states is two to five years after the alleged crime.

"They are intimidated, embarrassed, and they just bury it," he told the Post. "I understand that. I never told my parents. ... I never told anybody."

(Story continues below)

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The Post said Gumbleton initially disclosed his abuse in remarks prepared for a news conference Wednesday outside the Ohio Statehouse and elaborated in the telephone interview.

He was appearing in support of a bill pending in the Ohio House that would open a one-year window for sex abuse victims to sue the church for incidents that occurred years ago. The state senate has already passed the bill.

"As often happens in these cases," Gumbleton told the Post, the priest would invite him and another boy to a weekend cabin. "At some point, he would start wrestling with one of us. Then he would be putting his hands into your pants."

He declined to identify the priest, but said he has been dead for more than 10 years. "I don't have any animosity for him. I hope he's praying for me in heaven," he said.

He told the Post that opening the window to additional law suits in Ohio and elsewhere "could cost the church some money, but it also could bring a great deal of healing to a lot of victims."

"I've been saying for 10 years that these cases should be handled with pastoral sensitivity, not just in an adversarial legal way," he said. "I've also felt strongly that bishops should be talking to these victims, and so often they haven't been."

[Didacus]

Now that is a courageous man if ever I've heard of one.

God bless!

And hopefully all this uglyness will be over and done with soon enough.

[Mrs. Bro. Adam]

Lord, wrap your arms around your servant.

[lifescanticle]

[I hope that one day i will be able to attain the understanding of this world and the people in it that this Bishop seems to have attained. What an example of holiness.

[Didacus]

[quote name='lifescanticle' date='Jan 11 2006, 07:05 AM'][I hope that one day i will be able to attain the understanding of this world and the people in it that this Bishop seems to have attained. What an example of holiness.
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Very well said.

You don't seem to far yourself, for th least, you seem to be on the right path.

[tojo]

Gumbleton? Hmmm..... I guess I don't really kno wthe names of any Detroit bishops other than Adam Cardinal Maida, after all, I don't live in the Archdiocese....

[Cam42]

IF this is true, I am deeply saddened. However, I don't know if I trust the word of Bishop Gumbelton. He is one of the most heterodox bishops out there.

His views have been so outrageous for so long, that this is a bit like "crying wolf."

[quote]Catholic Bishop Thomas Gumbleton Testifies at Trial of Gay Catholics Refused Communion
Soulforce Press Release: January 29, 2003
For Immediate Release
Contact: Laura Montgomery Rutt
Cell: 717-278-0592

(Washington, DC) - The trial for three gay Catholics who were arrested in November at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. during the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) began today. Lead witness for the defense was Catholic Bishop Thomas Gumbleton from the Archdiocese of Detroit.

Kara Speltz, Ken Einhaus, and Mike Perez, the defendants in the case, had been denied the Eucharist (Communion) during the Bishops' Mass on November 11, 2002 at the National Shrine for no apparent reason. They entered the lobby of the hotel the next day to ask any bishop present to serve them the Eucharist. No bishops came forward.

Bishop Gumbleton testified that he was at the Hyatt for the USCCB, and was leaving the meeting during lunch recess when he saw the police arresting the defendants in the lobby of the hotel and was unable to approach them because of the police.

"I was saddened that I was unable to comfort Kara, Ken, and Mike," stated Bishop Gumbleton after his testimony. "This experience reinforces my opinion about how important it is that the Catholic Church reach out to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people."

Because they allegedly refused to obey the order by the District of Columbia police to leave the hotel, Kara, Ken, and Mike were charged with "unlawful entry," a criminal misdemeanor which carries a maximum sentence of 6 months in jail and a $350 fine.

Kara, Ken, and Mike were all in Washington D.C in November with Soulforce, a national movement committed to ending spiritual violence committed by religious policies and teachings against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. Soulforce was at the Conference of Catholic Bishops for the third year in a row to protest of the churches anti-gay policies and teachings, and exercise their Constitutional rights of freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and freedom of religion.

The defendants waived their rights to a jury trial and are appearing before Judge Mildred Edwards, at the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, (Moultrie Courthouse), at 500 Indiana Avenue, N.W. The trial continues Thursday at 10am in Courtroom 217, on the second floor.[/quote]

[quote]The Bishop Gumbleton Peace and Justice Award



Bishop Thomas J. Gumbleton

The Bishop Gumbleton Peace and Justice Award was created in 1997 in honor of Bishop Thomas J. Gumbleton, Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit, and his tireless work as a advocate for peace and justice on behalf of GLBT persons and their families. The award also acknowledges his lifelong advocacy work against war and for social justice, especially in support of the human rights of other marginalized and voiceless groups throughout the world, many of whom are experiencing inhumane physical and psychological treatment.

The award is given periodically by the Board of CPCSM to a special person or group whose work on behalf of GLBT persons and their families reflects the same commitment to the Gospel call for peace and justice as exemplified by Bishop Gumbleton.

A dear friend to CPCSM, Tom Gumbleton first met the group in October 1994, when he responded to CPCSM's request to come to the Twin Cities and speak on the need for the Church and society to listen to the stories of GLBT persons and their families and to be more responsive to their needs and special gifts.

During his 1994 visit Bishop Gumbleton appeared at five different venues, including a workshop for Church ministerial professionals and as presider at a mass at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis, to which the local GLBT community was invited.

Attended by about 1500 persons, the liturgy began with a procession to the sanctuary in which the Bishop wore a mitre embroidered with a pink triangle and rainbow colors, which was a gift from the CPCSM leadership. Following the service, Bishop Gumbleton responded for more than an hour to questions and comments via an open mike from the participants.

At his presentation during that visit, at St. Stephen's Church in Anoka, Bishop Gumbleton shared his own journey that had begun with his brother Dan's revelation to the family about being a gay, followed by his aging mother's question to the bishop, "Do you think Danny is going to hell." What began as an angry reaction to his brother's self-revelation, led the Bishop to re-examine his pre-Vatican training and his limited knowledge about GLBT persons.

That process eventually brought Gumbleton to gay Catholic leaders and writers, such as Brian McNaught and Andrew Sullivan, from whom he learned of the real issues confronting GLBT Catholics and their families, as well as their special gifts. One of the first Catholic officials to publicly denounce discrimination towards GLBT persons, Bishop Gumbleton had come to realize that the plight of GLBT persons was clearly another peace and justice issue that the Gospel calls the Church and society to address.

Despite pressure from higher Church authorities, Gumbleton has continued writing and speaking about the need to eliminate homophobia and to minister to GLBT persons and acknowledge their giftedness. In addition, he is a frequent speaker on the human rights of GLBT persons and the need for pastoral ministry at Call to Action events and similar social justice forums throughout the USA, and he has taken part in a national ad campaign advocating gay and lesbian civil rights.

Bishop Gumbleton has subsequently returned to the Twin Cities on two more occasions, in April 1996 and in April 2001, when he again responded to CPCSM's request to speak. In 1996 he addressed Catholic educators and students gathered at Totino-Grace High School, and in 2001 both he and the recently deceased Bishop Ray Lucker gave a presentation at a CPCSM Speakers Series event on their pastoral work with GLBT persons and on the special gifts they offer the Church and society. (See related stories in CPCSM's journal, the Rainbow Spirit Spring 2001, and Fall 2001.)

Prior to his work on behalf of GLBT persons and their families, Bishop Gumbleton had already become internationally renowned as an advocate for peace and justice. The former president of Pax Christi U.S.A, of which he is a cofounder, and Bread for the World, he is well known for his peace-making efforts.

In fact, his quest for peace has brought him all over the world to places such as: Vietnam, where he investigated a political prisoner situation; El Salvador, where he supported refugees returning from Honduras; Hiroshima, where he spoke to the Ninth World Congress of the Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War; and Iraq, where he served as a member of the "Coming Home" delegation for the release of American hostages.

Bishop Gumbleton has received numerous awards, including most recently, the Lifetime Achievement in Peacemaking from the University of Missouri in 2002. He has received honorary degrees from Seton Hall Law School, Marygrove College, Aquinas College, Anna Maria College, St. Joseph's College, and St. Edward's University. Over the years he has appeared on numerous television and radio programs and has spoken at countless national and international forums.

Thomas J. Gumbleton earned his master of divinity degree from St. John's Provincial Seminary in Plymouth, Michigan, and his doctorate of canon law at Pontifical Lateran University in Rome. He was ordained into the priesthood on June 2, 1956, and has served as Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit since 1968.

Previous recipients of the Bishop Gumbleton Peace and Justice Award have been: Frank Reilly, PhD, and Craig Barrett in 1999; Tom and Darlene White in 1998; and the Cretin-Derham Hall High School Safe Staff, the Hill-Murray High School Safe Staff, and in 1997, Sister Mary Ellen Gevelinger, OP, Director of Personnel and Planning in the Schools Program of the Catholic Education and Formation Ministries Division of the local archdiocese.[/quote]

He is a supporter of [url="http://www.mtn.org/~cpcsm/"]CPCSM[/url]. This group is not an authentic supporter of the Catholic view on homosexuality.

Again, I live in the archdiocese and this seems to me to be a bit strange. Why go to "the Post?" Why not go to "The Detroit News and Free Press?" It smacks of sensationalism and if something actually comes out of this I will be suprised. But based upon the history I have provided, I think that Bishop Gumbleton is simply promoting his own agenda in some form or another.

[Didacus]

How can a bishop who does not support Catholic teaching become a bishop in the first place?

i would be interested in hearing his own words on the right/wrong of homosexuality.

Franctly, I don't know what to make of the person now that I've read Cam's post. I guess I might be too quick to trust sometimes - flaw or strength?

The original article though shows a mature view point towards the whole scandal though.

[Didacus]

Cam,

Would you consider the cultural aspect as part of an 'explanation' while keeping the accountability entirely on the individual?

[Cam42]

[quote name='Didacus' date='Jan 11 2006, 10:12 AM']i would be interested in hearing his own words on the right/wrong of homosexuality.
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[quote name='New Ways Ministry']In 1992, Bishop Thomas Gumbleton of Detroit surprised U.S. Catholics at a New Ways Ministry Symposium by telling the personal story that one of his brothers, Dan, is gay. He touched the crowd of 500 people gathered in Chicago by talking frankly and movingly about his own struggle to understand and accept his brother. Gumbleton's life was radically affected by that talk. He has since become the "point bishop" for this issue, criss-crossing the nation, talking to Catholic groups about gay and lesbian issues.

In 1995, New Ways Ministry recognized the gifts of this courageous Church leader by presenting him with a "Bridge Building Award." The award was given at a public reception during the fall meeting of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, DC. Over 200 people including nine bishops packed the reception room, probably the largest gathering of gay/lesbian people and their allies ever to attend the bishops' gathering.

1997, our twentieth anniversary year was a banner year for the ministry. In March, we sponsored the Fourth National Symposium, entitled "The Church Teaching/Teaching the Church: A National Dialogue on Lesbian/Gay Issues and Catholicism." Over 650 Catholic leaders and pastoral ministers gathered in Pittsburgh for a weekend-long in-depth and extensive discussion of topics ranging from same-sex marriage, family relationships, civil rights, homophobia, heterosexism, pastoral care, and lesbian nuns.

At that meeting, Bishop Gumbleton made another historic statement: he called on all gay and lesbian Church workers--"including priests and bishops"--to come out of the closet and acknowledge their sexual orientation. Little by little, awareness of gay and lesbian Church personnel is becoming a reality in Catholicism. [/quote]

Bishop Gumbleton: The church must also seek out more gay Eucharistic ministers and Sunday Scripture readers:
"We must make that happen in every parish community in the country."

[quote name='Jean Torkelson; Denver Rocky Mountain News Religion Writer ']Detroit Bishop Backs Homosexual Marriages
Also says the church would be "improved" if
"gay priests" were allowed to come "out of the closet".

Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Gumbleton told a national group of gay Catholics meeting in Denver Friday that he favors homosexual marriage. He also said the church would be improved if gay priests were allowed to come out of the closet.

Gumbleton, 69, was guest speaker at Dignity USA, a 2,600-member organization for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered Catholics. It's holding its four-day biannual convention at the Adams Mark Hotel. The affable, mild-mannered Gumbleton sparked roars of laughter and several ovations as he covered a range of gay issues. He is the first bishop in 16 years to address Dignity USA.

Last month, Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput counseled his 325,000-member flock to avoid the Dignity meeting, which seeks church approval to practice homosexual acts. Gumbleton took several minutes to spell out the Catholic Church teaching that homosexual acts are "intrinsically evil." "Homo-genital behavior is objectively immoral," Gumbleton said, reading from the church document, Always Our Children, which calls on families to be tolerant and loving toward their gay children. "Clearly, each of us must look deeply into our own conscience," he continued. "But judging the sinfulness of the act is between God and the individual." (TCR Note: Note how he says, in effect, "yes and no, but mostly yes".... wink, wink, nod, nod.....A true modernist strategist here.)

In a question-and-answer session, an audience member asked whether he and his male partner of five years could ever hope to be joined in a Catholic marriage. Gumbleton replied he didn't have the theological background to discuss the marriage doctrine, "which has been been defined for hundreds of years as a covenant between a man and woman." "Would you like to see it happen?" the man asked. "Yes," Gumbleton replied.

A lesbian from Colorado asked what it would take to begin sensitizing local bishops to gay issues. "Find a homosexual person in every bishop's family," Gumbleton quipped, to a roar of laughter. Gumbleton became active in gay issues after learning his brother was gay. He said he hoped for the day when gay priests could do their jobs openly as gay men. "Then the church would have to deal with it on a personal level and say, 'Yeah, it's OK."'

He added that the church must also seek out more gay Eucharistic ministers and Sunday Scripture readers: "We must make that happen in every parish community in the country." Gumbleton, who described himself several times as a "white heterosexual male," asked the crowd to forgive both him and other church leaders for past and present instances of intolerance and homophobia. The conference continues through Sunday.[/quote]

[url="http://www.americamagazine.org/gettext.cfm?articleTypeID=1&textID=2508&issueID=403"]America[/url] article by Bishop Thomas Gumbleton. The article is not consistent with his "revelation" to "The Post."

Again, this seems to me to be a bit like "the boy who cried wolf."

[Mrs. Bro. Adam]

Well....Pope Benedict hasn't removed him yet, so how about showing a bit of respect. If you disagree with him so much, why not do something like write to his superior about his actions?

[Didacus]

[quote name='Didacus' date='Jan 11 2006, 08:12 AM']How can a bishop who does not support Catholic teaching become a bishop in the first place?

i would be interested in hearing his own words on the right/wrong of homosexuality.

Franctly, I don't know what to make of the person now that I've read Cam's post.  I guess I might be too quick to trust sometimes - flaw or strength? 

The original article though shows a mature view point towards the whole scandal though.
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Cam,

Please allow me to rephrase:

I would be interested in hearing the theological justification he has about gay sexuality being according to God's law.

Personally, I truly cannot imagine any sound theology going against the church's teachings which is simple, logical and cannot be proven wrong or harmful.

[Cam42]

[quote name='Mrs. Bro. Adam' date='Jan 11 2006, 10:38 AM']Well....Pope Benedict hasn't removed him yet, so how about showing a bit of respect.  If you disagree with him so much, why not do something like write to his superior about his actions?
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I have. And would you quote my first sentence for me. I have to live with his words as one of my auxiliary bishops every day. It is a little hard to swallow. I have heard FIRST HAND the nonsense that he promotes. Forgive me for being jaded, but I don't trust heterodoxy.

All you have to do is google Bishop Gumbleton and Homosexuality, then read. It ain't pretty and I would not recommend anyone under the age of 21 reading it.

[Cam42]

[quote name='Didacus' date='Jan 11 2006, 10:39 AM']Cam,

Please allow me to rephrase:

I would be interested in hearing the theological justification he has about gay sexuality being according to God's law.

Personally, I truly cannot imagine any sound theology going against the church's teachings which is simple, logical and cannot be proven wrong or harmful.
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Do a Google. He has made the arguments.....I have heard them, first hand, like I just said to Mrs. Bro. Adam.

[Mrs. Bro. Adam]

Do you have any respect for this man?