Hub diocese releases reports criticizing its parish closings
Cardinal's lay panel reviewed use of funds; Sale of 1 church is also examined
By Michael Paulson, Globe Staff | November 16, 2007
The Archdiocese of Boston, in an unusual act of public self-scrutiny, is releasing two reports highly critical of how the church handled several aspects of the parish closings process over the last several years.
The archdiocese is publishing in its weekly newspaper, the Pilot, a report by a lay panel, the Parish Reconfiguration Fund Oversight Committee, which was handpicked by Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley to review the use of funds generated through the closing of parishes. Even though O'Malley chose to establish the committee, its members said that O'Malley's former aides were not forthcoming with financial information and not responsive to advice from the panel.
The second report, by a retired judge picked by the lay committee to review the sale of one closed church in East Boston, sharply criticizes the archdiocese for its handling of that transaction. That report, being posted on the Pilot's website, describes how the photographer who purchased St. Mary Star of the Sea Church bought the building last November for $850,000 and then sold it three weeks later to an evangelical congregation for $2.65 million.
The archdiocese says it decided to publish the documents in the interest of transparency and because of commitments to the committee, which was headed by David Castaldi, who was a leader of the lay reform group Voice of the Faithful. Archdiocesan officials said they would not dispute the criticism, but instead pointed out that they have replaced the allegedly uncooperative officials and have changed their real estate procedures so that the problems would be less likely to recur.
The report acknowledges the improvements and praises the archdiocese for its recent steps toward financial transparency, which have included what the committee described as "outstanding" and as "the most complete financial disclosure of any diocese in the United States." The committee also said it perceived a "new policy of openness" at the archdiocese after O'Malley last year brought in the Rev. Richard P. Erikson to replace Bishop Richard Lennon as the archdiocese's vicar general and banking executive James P. McDonough to replace David Smith as chancellor.
In an interview yesterday, McDonough said the committee members "have done fine service" for the church and acknowledged that "there were mistakes" in the handling of the East Boston sale but said "no one here benefited from those mistakes." He also said the current administration is committed to listening to laypeople.
The reconfiguration committee reviewed the handling of $66 million garnered by the archdiocese since 2004 through the sale of closed church buildings and the seizure of the treasuries of some closed parishes. It alleged that until a year ago, the archdiocese was characterized by "a culture with excessive concern that outsiders not be permitted knowledge of church policies and business affairs" and said the committee often received information too late to offer any advice and that when it did offer recommendations, they were often not heeded.
The committee also criticized the archdiocese for financial policies that it said rewarded parishioners who challenged their closings and punished those who did not, by allowing funds from contested closings to go to nearby parishes, but taking the funds from uncontested closings for use by the central administration.
But, the committee said, "the transparency in church business affairs introduced by Cardinal O'Malley and his selection of a new archdiocesan leadership team offer hope."
The retired judge who scrutinized the East Boston transaction criticized the archdiocese for failing to protect against flipping, as the quick turnaround sale is called, and for failing to inform its own finance council that the evangelical church had at one point offered the archdiocese a higher price than the photographer.
The judge, Kevin M. Herlihy, said the archdiocese was willing to lose money in order to prevent the building from falling into the hands of the evangelical church, but said the archdiocese's failure to then write a restrictive deed preventing such usage was "unfathomable" and that the archdiocese's conduct "arguably constituted malfeasance, a dereliction of duty."
McDonough commissioned his own review of the East Boston sale that reached similar conclusions, finding that the archdiocese's real estate policies were "clearly deficient." McDonough said he has since put into place new policies requiring better communication and more attention to restrictive covenants in real estate transactions.
Michael Paulson can be reached at mpaulson@globe.com.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Monday, November 26, 2007
The Child Molestation Prevention Plan Part 1.
1. Tell Others The Facts
What are the first three facts you can tell others? Fact one: Today, 95 percent of child molestation can be prevented. We have the knowledge to stop it. Fact two: Today, living in the United States, there are 39 million adults who have survived child sexual abuse. Fact three: Today, more than three million American children are victims. Most of them are children, struggling alone, believing there is no adult who can help them. To help prevent child molestation from happening to the children closest to you, begin by telling others the basic facts.
But why you? Shouldn't stopping sexual abuse be left to professionals - physicians and therapists? Better yet, shouldn't the police and the courts take care of it?
Professionals - physicians and therapists - can never put an end to sexual abuse; neither can the police or the courts. Why? Because they come on the scene too late. By the time they get there, the children have already been molested. Only you can get there in time.
There's a bigger reason why the professionals and the courts can't put an end to sexual abuse. They have no permission to talk to a child about sex - unless, of course, they talk to the child after the fact, after the child has already been sexually abused or has abused another child. Only you can talk to your children before anything happens, before any damage is done - to anyone.
Not In My Family
What if you are certain there has never been a child molester or a molested child in your family? You are probably wrong.
Unfortunately, most of today's children will never tell. They feel ashamed that this has happened to them. They are protecting their abuser because he or she is part of their family. They are protecting other members of their family - saving them from the pain of knowing.
In spite of the millions of victims in our families, many people stick to their mistaken belief that child molestation has nothing to do with them.
An estimated one in 20 teenage boys and adult men sexually abuse children, and an estimated one teenage girl or adult woman in every 3,300 females molests children. Although that's well over five million people, most families mistakenly believe that as far as molesters go, there has never been one in their family, and what's more, there never will be. Add together the child victims, the adult survivors, and the abusers, and that's 15 out of every 100 Americans who have been either a molested child or a molester.
To help prevent child molestation from happening to the children closest to you, begin by telling others the basic facts.
We Start By Speaking The Same Language
If we're going to work together to stop child sexual abuse, we have to speak the same language. We have to mean the same thing when we say "child molester," "child molestation," and even "child."
Moreover, all of us have to understand the basic facts: What exactly is child molestation? How many of our children are sexually abused? How seriously are they damaged? What are the characteristics of a child molester? What causes someone to sexually abuse a child? Which of our children are most at risk?
A child molester is any older child or adult who touches a child for his or her own sexual gratification.
Child molestation is the act of sexually touching a child.
A child is a girl or boy who is 13 years of age or younger.
What's the age difference between a molester and a child? It is five years, so a 14-year-old "older child" sexually touching a nine-year-old is an example. This is the accepted medical definition.
Sometimes, a professional will consider that a molestation act has occurred when the older child is only three years older - a sixth-grader with a third-grader, for instance. The crucial element here is the lack of equality between the two children; the sixth grader is clearly bigger, more powerful, and more "adult-like" than the third-grader.
We avoid definitions that are ambiguous by sticking to the medical definition. We define "child molester" as an adult or child, who is at least five years older than the child he or she has molested.
Telling Others The Facts
If we're going to protect our children from sexual abuse, all of us have to understand exactly what we mean by the act of sexual abuse. Why? Because one of the greatest obstacles we face is people's fear of the facts about child molestation.
For instance, some people who have no idea that sexual touch is vastly different from hugging are afraid to hug a child - especially one who isn't theirs - because someone might think they are child molesters. You can calm their fears by telling them this fact: Hugging is not molesting. Sexual touch is when an adult fondles the child's chest, buttocks, or genitals with the direct purpose of sexually exciting himself or the child.
Can you tell your husband that fact? Can you tell your sister, your cousin, or your best friend? If you can, then you can easily tell others all the rest of the facts.
The less people know, the more anxiety they feel, and the more they want to run away or pretend that today's estimated three million sexually abused children don't exist. Every fact has a calming effect. By telling the people closest to you the facts, you can help those same people become strong adult protectors of the children closest to you.
How Many Children Are Sexually Abused?
Three million children! I don't believe it. How can you possibly know that there are exactly three million child victims?" As you begin to tell others the facts, this is the first question they may ask you. The answer: Of course, we don't know exactly.
Children seldom tell. Those millions of children are a secret. They are the secret in family after family after family. Even adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse seldom tell. What we do know from studies of adult men and women is that the number is at least three million. At least three million children are molested before they finish their 13th year. In 1998, there were 103,000 reported and confirmed cases of child molestation. For comparison, at the height of the polio epidemic that struck children in the 1950s, there were 21,000 cases reported in a year. For rubella, there were 57,000 cases reported. For child molestation, those numbers of reported and confirmed molestations are only the tip of the iceberg. For every case reported there are at least two and maybe three more cases that never get reported.
That's why we may never know the exact number of child victims. We do know that if we use the conservative estimate that two in every ten little girls and one in every ten little boys are victims (based on the population reported in the 1999 U.S. Census statistical abstract) well over three million children are victims.
Take a moment to think about that. Three million children is a staggering number of children. That's 46 National Football League stadiums packed with children who are, today, being sexually abused, and who believe they have no adult to go to for help.
How Severe is the Damage?
Some people will say that sexually touching a child does no harm. Some adults will even tell boy victims to "act like a man" and "stop whining." Other adults are unsympathetic about the experiences of adult survivors. They will say that, no matter what happened in childhood, that is the past. You're an adult now, so get over it.
The facts are that sexual abuse does harm the child and that the damage often carries over into the child's adult life.
Studies show that this damage can include:
difficulty in forming long-term relationships;
sexual risk-taking that may lead to contracting sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDS;
physical complaints and physical symptoms;
depression, suicidal thoughts, and suicide;
links to failure of the immune system and to increases in illnesses, hospitalizations, and early deaths.
In addition to the tangible physical and emotional damage that sexual abuse does to the child, that terrible secret that is held so close by two or three family members can go on to tear at the fiber of the family in generation after generation.
Who Is The Child Molester? Who Causes So Much Damage To Our Children?
We want to introduce you to a sexual abuser of children. Keep in mind that far more men than women are abusers. In fact, approximately one out of 20 men, and approximately one out of 3,300 women are sexual abusers of children. Let's look at a man who has molested children. We'll call him George.
George's Story
George was a typical teenager. In his twenties, George emerged from his shell, got married, and had two sons. His parents were proud of him, of the family he had established, of the values he taught his children.
During his thirties, he was promoted to a new position in his company every two or three years. More money, more responsibility, more travel, more stress.
One day when George was on the road, his wife got a call. Her husband was three states away. He'd been arrested in that state for child molestation. By now George was 43.
His wife remembers smiling into the phone. She had a flash image - her telling the story about this mistake. "Can you imagine? Poor George, - the most conservative man in the world." - and how their friends would laugh. She repeated her husband's name, including middle name. She spelled out the first, middle, and last name. His wife was sure it was somebody else with a similar name. After she was convinced that her husband was the George in custody, her next emotion was fury. Who would falsely accuse a fine man like her husband? Would the lawyer's fees bankrupt them? What would his boss say? After 20 years of marriage she knew George, knew he was the last man in the world who would ever. . . .
But did she know George?
Like most people, George's wife, when she considered child molestation at all - thought about it only as a sin or a crime. Her husband was simply not a criminal. He had never even had a traffic ticket. He was a regular hardworking man with a great sense of responsibility. If anything, he was a law-and-order guy. He was, like many husbands, concerned for his family's safety. He was their protector.
His religion was an important part of his life. Their religious beliefs were important to both of them and to their children.
And besides that George couldn't be a child molester, she thought, because they had a vigorous and happy sex life.
Through the months that followed, George's wife and his parents received several shocks. He confessed. Yes, he had sexually molested the 10-year-old girl who accused him, the daughter of a man who'd been his friend since high school. Then she found out there had been other victims. He had molested 23 little girls. The number included two nieces, one the daughter of his wife's sister and, the other the daughter of his own sister. He had also molested several daughters of close friends. His two nieces he had molested over a period of years. Both nieces kept the secret from everybody in the family. In a further shock to his family, he also confessed that when he was 17 and she was in grade school, he had repeatedly molested his stepsister. She also never told.
George's larger family is, of course, destroyed. Neither his sister nor his sister-in-law will ever forgive him for sexually abusing their daughters. They also shun his wife. No matter what she says about her innocence, they believe she knew all along and allowed him to molest. His parents are shocked. Both are devastated by their failure to protect George's young stepsister and their grandchild.
An Unsuccessful "Success Story"
Now that you've read about George's 26 years of molesting, what do you think? Is this a success story? His family says yes.
George's wife believes George when he says he's learned his lesson. He's glad he's going to jail. He deserved to be punished. It's as though jail will be his salvation. Now, it's over. He will never touch a little girl again. In her mind, this severe (and deserved) punishment of a flawed man with a good core is all that is needed.
His minister believes George too. He's prayed with him in his jail cell.
The judge hates these cases. Thank goodness the law is clear. He listens to the parade of character witnesses. George is a stellar employee, a person who does good work with the adults in his community, full of remorse, a changed man. The sentence is long - 20 years, to serve seven.
In George's case, in that old-era way of doing things, we used every old strategy to stop him.
George was a religious man. He knew that molesting a child was a sin. After his arrest, George's wife found a Bible in his car's glove compartment. Sometimes, when he was fighting his strong desire to sexually touch a child, he would recite certain passages and he would use the power of his deep religious convictions to stop that desire. Religion - in George's case - saved a few little girls from being molested. Still, he molested 23 little girls.
George was arrested and sent to jail. This strategy may have prevented more little girls from becoming victims; it did protect his nieces from George molesting them again. Still, he molested 23 little girls.
Many of the people around George believe that George's case is a success. After all, George's molesting has been stopped. He's been arrested; he's been put in jail. Many of the little girls have gone into therapy. So we have punished the child molester, we've treated the victims.
At the core, sending molesters to jail as a solution will always fail our children. Why? Because in order for a molester to be jailed, the criminal justice strategy requires that our children be sexually abused. Without a victim, it can't make a move.
It's the same with treating the victims. As a strategy, it's ineffective until after our children are sexually abused.
What we find horrifying in George's case is the waiting. All the adult protectors of those 23 little girls had to wait, powerless. First, they waited while 23 little girls were sexually abused. Then they waited for a little girl to tell an adult. But that wasn't the end of the waiting. They also had to wait for one of the 23 little girls to tell an adult who was willing to report the case. While they waited, they allowed George to go on molesting little girls for 26 years.
George's family did the best they could, given their options in the old era. Today there is no reason why George's story should be repeated.
Why? Because we have new information all of us can use to stop people like George before he molests 23 little girls.
New Information - A Typical Child Molester
When George's neighbors heard of the first accusation, they took his side. They didn't know who this 10-year-old girl from another city was, but they knew George. Some of them knew his parents.
When he admitted that he had molested so many little girls, their shock reverberated in their stories: "He was the last person you would imagine." "A very unusual case." "I've known this guy since grade school, it's unbelievable."
Everyone who knows George is sure of one thing: George is nothing like a typical child molester.
After all, he comes from a good home. His wife comes from a good home. George and his wife, their two children, and both sets of grandparents live near each other and go to the same church. He was baptized in the church and still attends regularly. He pays close attention to the rules. He pays all his bills a week before the due date. He has a college fund for his two sons. He rotates his tires. He drives within the speed limit.
George's wife and his neighbors believe that it's impossible - or extremely unusual - for an ordinary man in an ordinary family, a hard working responsible, husband and father of two, a man with high moral standards to be a child molester. They mistakenly believe that his family life, his acts of responsibility, his education, his moral values all protect George from becoming a child molester. In fact, they believe that those same things protect his family - and their families' children - from any connection with child molestation.
Is this an unusual case? If you lived in George's community what facts could you tell? You could repeat this fact: George's case is not in the least unusual. George is the typical child molester. He's married, educated, working, and religious.
Most people will tell you that this couldn't be right.
It is.
Researchers asked the 4,000 admitted child molesters in the Abel and Harlow Child Molestation Prevention Study to answer questions about their lives. These abusers were men aged 18 to 80.
How does George compare? George is typical.
First of all, he's married, just like 77 percent of the more than 4000 child sexual abusers in the Child Molestation Prevention Study. George is religious, like 93 percent of the abusers. He's educated. More than 46 percent had some college education and another 30 percent were high school graduates. Like 65 percent of the admitted abusers, George was working. Numerous studies of adult victims have sought to link child molestation victims to lower social class and lower family income. All have failed. Child victims and their abusers exist equally in families of all income levels and classes. And, now from the study, we know that child molesters are as equally married, educated, employed, and religious as any other Americans.
TABLE 2
Contrasts: Admitted Molesters vs. All American Men
Admitted Child Molesters
American Men
Married or formerly married
77%
73%
Some College
46%
49%
High School only
30%
32%
Working
69%
64%
Religious
93%
93%
Sources: The Abel and Harlow Child Molestation Prevention Study and the 1999 U.S. Census Statistical Abstract
Note: All people in both groups were at least 25 years old.
Examining The Facts With Care
Is it possible that the profile of the child molester is this: a man who is married, educated, working, and religious?
Yes. However, we all have to be careful at this point. We have to ask the next question: What does this mean? To answer that we come to another finding from the Abel and Harlow Child Molestation Prevention Study.
Rather than causing a person to molest, being married, educated, working, and religious is who we are as Americans. These are the facts. It's crucial that everyone understands them. In order for adult protectors to stand as a barrier between their children and a child sexual abuser, the protectors have to know what a sexual abuser of children looks like. He looks like George.
And he looks like a lot of other people you know. In analyzing the reports of the 4,000 admitted child molesters researchers found this: in their outward characteristics, matching percentages of child molesters to percentages of all American men, the average child molester closely matched the average American man.
They matched all the outward characteristics listed in Table 2.
Which Ethnic Groups Molest Children?
Are there ethnic groups in which child molestation does not occur? Probably not. Results from the Abel and Harlow Child Molestation Prevention Study suggest that each ethnic group studied has child molesters among them. Once again, the percentages bear a resemblance to the U.S. Census. (See "The Abel and Harlow Child Molestation Prevention Study" for further details about ethnic groups).
TABLE 3
Ethnic Groups: Admitted Molesters vs. All American Men
Admitted Child Molesters
American Men
Caucasian
79%
72%
Hispanic/Latin-American
9%
11%
African-American
6%
12%
Asian
1%
4%
Native American
3%
1%
Sources: The Abel and Harlow Child Molestation Prevention Study and the 1999 U.S. Census Statistical Abstract
Note: 3,952 men who admitted to molesting children were compared to American men of various ethnic groups. Asians were under-represented in the complete sample of 15,508 men. They were 1.2 percent. Native Americans were over-represented in the complete sample. They were 3 percent. Both groups had child molesters in proportions equal to their percentages of representation in the complete sample.
Which Children Are Molested?
Children are most at risk from the adults in their own family, and from the adults who are in their parents' social circle. In fact, 90 percent of abusers target children in their own families and children who they know well. Furthermore, research suggests that the risk is across the board: Child molesters come from every part of our society, and so children from every part of our society are at risk.
TABLE 4
Which Children Do Child Molesters Target?
CHILDREN IN THE FAMILY
Biological Child
19%
Stepchild, Adopted or Foster Child
30%
Brothers & Sisters
12%
Nieces & Nephews
18%
Grandchild
5%
CHILDREN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Child Left in My Care
5%
Child of Friend or Neighbor
40%
CHILDREN WHO ARE STRANGERS
Child Strangers
10%
Source: The Abel and Harlow Child Molestation Prevention Study.
Note: Since sexual abusers of children often molest children in more than one category, the categories total more than 100 percent. The same child molester may have molested his biological child and his stepchild, therefore, we cannot say that those two categories combined represent 49 percent, but must say that they represent a lower number.
Notice that only 10 percent of the child sexual abusers report that they molest a child who is a stranger.
Let's put the facts together:
Child molesters exist in every part of our society.
They molest children close to them, mainly children in their family or children in their social circle.
Most child molesters, 90 percent, report that they know their child victims very well.
We want you to look carefully at that last fact on the list. While there are several facts that you will use as part of The Child Molestation Prevention Plan, this is the most important.
To save the greatest number of children in the shortest possible time, we must turn the current focus of our efforts upside down. Right now, 90 percent of our efforts go toward protecting our children from strangers, when what we need to do is to focus 90 percent of our efforts toward protecting children from the abusers who are not strangers - the molesters in their families and the molesters who are the friends of their families.
And we must ask the next important question: What causes the one member of the family who molests to be so different from the rest of his or her family? To end nearly all child molestation we must focus on the cause.
What are the first three facts you can tell others? Fact one: Today, 95 percent of child molestation can be prevented. We have the knowledge to stop it. Fact two: Today, living in the United States, there are 39 million adults who have survived child sexual abuse. Fact three: Today, more than three million American children are victims. Most of them are children, struggling alone, believing there is no adult who can help them. To help prevent child molestation from happening to the children closest to you, begin by telling others the basic facts.
But why you? Shouldn't stopping sexual abuse be left to professionals - physicians and therapists? Better yet, shouldn't the police and the courts take care of it?
Professionals - physicians and therapists - can never put an end to sexual abuse; neither can the police or the courts. Why? Because they come on the scene too late. By the time they get there, the children have already been molested. Only you can get there in time.
There's a bigger reason why the professionals and the courts can't put an end to sexual abuse. They have no permission to talk to a child about sex - unless, of course, they talk to the child after the fact, after the child has already been sexually abused or has abused another child. Only you can talk to your children before anything happens, before any damage is done - to anyone.
Not In My Family
What if you are certain there has never been a child molester or a molested child in your family? You are probably wrong.
Unfortunately, most of today's children will never tell. They feel ashamed that this has happened to them. They are protecting their abuser because he or she is part of their family. They are protecting other members of their family - saving them from the pain of knowing.
In spite of the millions of victims in our families, many people stick to their mistaken belief that child molestation has nothing to do with them.
An estimated one in 20 teenage boys and adult men sexually abuse children, and an estimated one teenage girl or adult woman in every 3,300 females molests children. Although that's well over five million people, most families mistakenly believe that as far as molesters go, there has never been one in their family, and what's more, there never will be. Add together the child victims, the adult survivors, and the abusers, and that's 15 out of every 100 Americans who have been either a molested child or a molester.
To help prevent child molestation from happening to the children closest to you, begin by telling others the basic facts.
We Start By Speaking The Same Language
If we're going to work together to stop child sexual abuse, we have to speak the same language. We have to mean the same thing when we say "child molester," "child molestation," and even "child."
Moreover, all of us have to understand the basic facts: What exactly is child molestation? How many of our children are sexually abused? How seriously are they damaged? What are the characteristics of a child molester? What causes someone to sexually abuse a child? Which of our children are most at risk?
A child molester is any older child or adult who touches a child for his or her own sexual gratification.
Child molestation is the act of sexually touching a child.
A child is a girl or boy who is 13 years of age or younger.
What's the age difference between a molester and a child? It is five years, so a 14-year-old "older child" sexually touching a nine-year-old is an example. This is the accepted medical definition.
Sometimes, a professional will consider that a molestation act has occurred when the older child is only three years older - a sixth-grader with a third-grader, for instance. The crucial element here is the lack of equality between the two children; the sixth grader is clearly bigger, more powerful, and more "adult-like" than the third-grader.
We avoid definitions that are ambiguous by sticking to the medical definition. We define "child molester" as an adult or child, who is at least five years older than the child he or she has molested.
Telling Others The Facts
If we're going to protect our children from sexual abuse, all of us have to understand exactly what we mean by the act of sexual abuse. Why? Because one of the greatest obstacles we face is people's fear of the facts about child molestation.
For instance, some people who have no idea that sexual touch is vastly different from hugging are afraid to hug a child - especially one who isn't theirs - because someone might think they are child molesters. You can calm their fears by telling them this fact: Hugging is not molesting. Sexual touch is when an adult fondles the child's chest, buttocks, or genitals with the direct purpose of sexually exciting himself or the child.
Can you tell your husband that fact? Can you tell your sister, your cousin, or your best friend? If you can, then you can easily tell others all the rest of the facts.
The less people know, the more anxiety they feel, and the more they want to run away or pretend that today's estimated three million sexually abused children don't exist. Every fact has a calming effect. By telling the people closest to you the facts, you can help those same people become strong adult protectors of the children closest to you.
How Many Children Are Sexually Abused?
Three million children! I don't believe it. How can you possibly know that there are exactly three million child victims?" As you begin to tell others the facts, this is the first question they may ask you. The answer: Of course, we don't know exactly.
Children seldom tell. Those millions of children are a secret. They are the secret in family after family after family. Even adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse seldom tell. What we do know from studies of adult men and women is that the number is at least three million. At least three million children are molested before they finish their 13th year. In 1998, there were 103,000 reported and confirmed cases of child molestation. For comparison, at the height of the polio epidemic that struck children in the 1950s, there were 21,000 cases reported in a year. For rubella, there were 57,000 cases reported. For child molestation, those numbers of reported and confirmed molestations are only the tip of the iceberg. For every case reported there are at least two and maybe three more cases that never get reported.
That's why we may never know the exact number of child victims. We do know that if we use the conservative estimate that two in every ten little girls and one in every ten little boys are victims (based on the population reported in the 1999 U.S. Census statistical abstract) well over three million children are victims.
Take a moment to think about that. Three million children is a staggering number of children. That's 46 National Football League stadiums packed with children who are, today, being sexually abused, and who believe they have no adult to go to for help.
How Severe is the Damage?
Some people will say that sexually touching a child does no harm. Some adults will even tell boy victims to "act like a man" and "stop whining." Other adults are unsympathetic about the experiences of adult survivors. They will say that, no matter what happened in childhood, that is the past. You're an adult now, so get over it.
The facts are that sexual abuse does harm the child and that the damage often carries over into the child's adult life.
Studies show that this damage can include:
difficulty in forming long-term relationships;
sexual risk-taking that may lead to contracting sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDS;
physical complaints and physical symptoms;
depression, suicidal thoughts, and suicide;
links to failure of the immune system and to increases in illnesses, hospitalizations, and early deaths.
In addition to the tangible physical and emotional damage that sexual abuse does to the child, that terrible secret that is held so close by two or three family members can go on to tear at the fiber of the family in generation after generation.
Who Is The Child Molester? Who Causes So Much Damage To Our Children?
We want to introduce you to a sexual abuser of children. Keep in mind that far more men than women are abusers. In fact, approximately one out of 20 men, and approximately one out of 3,300 women are sexual abusers of children. Let's look at a man who has molested children. We'll call him George.
George's Story
George was a typical teenager. In his twenties, George emerged from his shell, got married, and had two sons. His parents were proud of him, of the family he had established, of the values he taught his children.
During his thirties, he was promoted to a new position in his company every two or three years. More money, more responsibility, more travel, more stress.
One day when George was on the road, his wife got a call. Her husband was three states away. He'd been arrested in that state for child molestation. By now George was 43.
His wife remembers smiling into the phone. She had a flash image - her telling the story about this mistake. "Can you imagine? Poor George, - the most conservative man in the world." - and how their friends would laugh. She repeated her husband's name, including middle name. She spelled out the first, middle, and last name. His wife was sure it was somebody else with a similar name. After she was convinced that her husband was the George in custody, her next emotion was fury. Who would falsely accuse a fine man like her husband? Would the lawyer's fees bankrupt them? What would his boss say? After 20 years of marriage she knew George, knew he was the last man in the world who would ever. . . .
But did she know George?
Like most people, George's wife, when she considered child molestation at all - thought about it only as a sin or a crime. Her husband was simply not a criminal. He had never even had a traffic ticket. He was a regular hardworking man with a great sense of responsibility. If anything, he was a law-and-order guy. He was, like many husbands, concerned for his family's safety. He was their protector.
His religion was an important part of his life. Their religious beliefs were important to both of them and to their children.
And besides that George couldn't be a child molester, she thought, because they had a vigorous and happy sex life.
Through the months that followed, George's wife and his parents received several shocks. He confessed. Yes, he had sexually molested the 10-year-old girl who accused him, the daughter of a man who'd been his friend since high school. Then she found out there had been other victims. He had molested 23 little girls. The number included two nieces, one the daughter of his wife's sister and, the other the daughter of his own sister. He had also molested several daughters of close friends. His two nieces he had molested over a period of years. Both nieces kept the secret from everybody in the family. In a further shock to his family, he also confessed that when he was 17 and she was in grade school, he had repeatedly molested his stepsister. She also never told.
George's larger family is, of course, destroyed. Neither his sister nor his sister-in-law will ever forgive him for sexually abusing their daughters. They also shun his wife. No matter what she says about her innocence, they believe she knew all along and allowed him to molest. His parents are shocked. Both are devastated by their failure to protect George's young stepsister and their grandchild.
An Unsuccessful "Success Story"
Now that you've read about George's 26 years of molesting, what do you think? Is this a success story? His family says yes.
George's wife believes George when he says he's learned his lesson. He's glad he's going to jail. He deserved to be punished. It's as though jail will be his salvation. Now, it's over. He will never touch a little girl again. In her mind, this severe (and deserved) punishment of a flawed man with a good core is all that is needed.
His minister believes George too. He's prayed with him in his jail cell.
The judge hates these cases. Thank goodness the law is clear. He listens to the parade of character witnesses. George is a stellar employee, a person who does good work with the adults in his community, full of remorse, a changed man. The sentence is long - 20 years, to serve seven.
In George's case, in that old-era way of doing things, we used every old strategy to stop him.
George was a religious man. He knew that molesting a child was a sin. After his arrest, George's wife found a Bible in his car's glove compartment. Sometimes, when he was fighting his strong desire to sexually touch a child, he would recite certain passages and he would use the power of his deep religious convictions to stop that desire. Religion - in George's case - saved a few little girls from being molested. Still, he molested 23 little girls.
George was arrested and sent to jail. This strategy may have prevented more little girls from becoming victims; it did protect his nieces from George molesting them again. Still, he molested 23 little girls.
Many of the people around George believe that George's case is a success. After all, George's molesting has been stopped. He's been arrested; he's been put in jail. Many of the little girls have gone into therapy. So we have punished the child molester, we've treated the victims.
At the core, sending molesters to jail as a solution will always fail our children. Why? Because in order for a molester to be jailed, the criminal justice strategy requires that our children be sexually abused. Without a victim, it can't make a move.
It's the same with treating the victims. As a strategy, it's ineffective until after our children are sexually abused.
What we find horrifying in George's case is the waiting. All the adult protectors of those 23 little girls had to wait, powerless. First, they waited while 23 little girls were sexually abused. Then they waited for a little girl to tell an adult. But that wasn't the end of the waiting. They also had to wait for one of the 23 little girls to tell an adult who was willing to report the case. While they waited, they allowed George to go on molesting little girls for 26 years.
George's family did the best they could, given their options in the old era. Today there is no reason why George's story should be repeated.
Why? Because we have new information all of us can use to stop people like George before he molests 23 little girls.
New Information - A Typical Child Molester
When George's neighbors heard of the first accusation, they took his side. They didn't know who this 10-year-old girl from another city was, but they knew George. Some of them knew his parents.
When he admitted that he had molested so many little girls, their shock reverberated in their stories: "He was the last person you would imagine." "A very unusual case." "I've known this guy since grade school, it's unbelievable."
Everyone who knows George is sure of one thing: George is nothing like a typical child molester.
After all, he comes from a good home. His wife comes from a good home. George and his wife, their two children, and both sets of grandparents live near each other and go to the same church. He was baptized in the church and still attends regularly. He pays close attention to the rules. He pays all his bills a week before the due date. He has a college fund for his two sons. He rotates his tires. He drives within the speed limit.
George's wife and his neighbors believe that it's impossible - or extremely unusual - for an ordinary man in an ordinary family, a hard working responsible, husband and father of two, a man with high moral standards to be a child molester. They mistakenly believe that his family life, his acts of responsibility, his education, his moral values all protect George from becoming a child molester. In fact, they believe that those same things protect his family - and their families' children - from any connection with child molestation.
Is this an unusual case? If you lived in George's community what facts could you tell? You could repeat this fact: George's case is not in the least unusual. George is the typical child molester. He's married, educated, working, and religious.
Most people will tell you that this couldn't be right.
It is.
Researchers asked the 4,000 admitted child molesters in the Abel and Harlow Child Molestation Prevention Study to answer questions about their lives. These abusers were men aged 18 to 80.
How does George compare? George is typical.
First of all, he's married, just like 77 percent of the more than 4000 child sexual abusers in the Child Molestation Prevention Study. George is religious, like 93 percent of the abusers. He's educated. More than 46 percent had some college education and another 30 percent were high school graduates. Like 65 percent of the admitted abusers, George was working. Numerous studies of adult victims have sought to link child molestation victims to lower social class and lower family income. All have failed. Child victims and their abusers exist equally in families of all income levels and classes. And, now from the study, we know that child molesters are as equally married, educated, employed, and religious as any other Americans.
TABLE 2
Contrasts: Admitted Molesters vs. All American Men
Admitted Child Molesters
American Men
Married or formerly married
77%
73%
Some College
46%
49%
High School only
30%
32%
Working
69%
64%
Religious
93%
93%
Sources: The Abel and Harlow Child Molestation Prevention Study and the 1999 U.S. Census Statistical Abstract
Note: All people in both groups were at least 25 years old.
Examining The Facts With Care
Is it possible that the profile of the child molester is this: a man who is married, educated, working, and religious?
Yes. However, we all have to be careful at this point. We have to ask the next question: What does this mean? To answer that we come to another finding from the Abel and Harlow Child Molestation Prevention Study.
Rather than causing a person to molest, being married, educated, working, and religious is who we are as Americans. These are the facts. It's crucial that everyone understands them. In order for adult protectors to stand as a barrier between their children and a child sexual abuser, the protectors have to know what a sexual abuser of children looks like. He looks like George.
And he looks like a lot of other people you know. In analyzing the reports of the 4,000 admitted child molesters researchers found this: in their outward characteristics, matching percentages of child molesters to percentages of all American men, the average child molester closely matched the average American man.
They matched all the outward characteristics listed in Table 2.
Which Ethnic Groups Molest Children?
Are there ethnic groups in which child molestation does not occur? Probably not. Results from the Abel and Harlow Child Molestation Prevention Study suggest that each ethnic group studied has child molesters among them. Once again, the percentages bear a resemblance to the U.S. Census. (See "The Abel and Harlow Child Molestation Prevention Study" for further details about ethnic groups).
TABLE 3
Ethnic Groups: Admitted Molesters vs. All American Men
Admitted Child Molesters
American Men
Caucasian
79%
72%
Hispanic/Latin-American
9%
11%
African-American
6%
12%
Asian
1%
4%
Native American
3%
1%
Sources: The Abel and Harlow Child Molestation Prevention Study and the 1999 U.S. Census Statistical Abstract
Note: 3,952 men who admitted to molesting children were compared to American men of various ethnic groups. Asians were under-represented in the complete sample of 15,508 men. They were 1.2 percent. Native Americans were over-represented in the complete sample. They were 3 percent. Both groups had child molesters in proportions equal to their percentages of representation in the complete sample.
Which Children Are Molested?
Children are most at risk from the adults in their own family, and from the adults who are in their parents' social circle. In fact, 90 percent of abusers target children in their own families and children who they know well. Furthermore, research suggests that the risk is across the board: Child molesters come from every part of our society, and so children from every part of our society are at risk.
TABLE 4
Which Children Do Child Molesters Target?
CHILDREN IN THE FAMILY
Biological Child
19%
Stepchild, Adopted or Foster Child
30%
Brothers & Sisters
12%
Nieces & Nephews
18%
Grandchild
5%
CHILDREN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Child Left in My Care
5%
Child of Friend or Neighbor
40%
CHILDREN WHO ARE STRANGERS
Child Strangers
10%
Source: The Abel and Harlow Child Molestation Prevention Study.
Note: Since sexual abusers of children often molest children in more than one category, the categories total more than 100 percent. The same child molester may have molested his biological child and his stepchild, therefore, we cannot say that those two categories combined represent 49 percent, but must say that they represent a lower number.
Notice that only 10 percent of the child sexual abusers report that they molest a child who is a stranger.
Let's put the facts together:
Child molesters exist in every part of our society.
They molest children close to them, mainly children in their family or children in their social circle.
Most child molesters, 90 percent, report that they know their child victims very well.
We want you to look carefully at that last fact on the list. While there are several facts that you will use as part of The Child Molestation Prevention Plan, this is the most important.
To save the greatest number of children in the shortest possible time, we must turn the current focus of our efforts upside down. Right now, 90 percent of our efforts go toward protecting our children from strangers, when what we need to do is to focus 90 percent of our efforts toward protecting children from the abusers who are not strangers - the molesters in their families and the molesters who are the friends of their families.
And we must ask the next important question: What causes the one member of the family who molests to be so different from the rest of his or her family? To end nearly all child molestation we must focus on the cause.
Friday, November 23, 2007
Shock, disappointment and disbelief follow popular priest allegations.
Residents rally around priest
Many support Salerno after abuse allegation
By Sumathi Reddy
Sun reporter
November 20, 2007
By 8:30 a.m. yesterday, the first sign had already gone up.
"God bless father Michael Salerno
We love and support you!"
Many support Salerno after abuse allegation
By Sumathi Reddy
Sun reporter
November 20, 2007
By 8:30 a.m. yesterday, the first sign had already gone up.
"God bless father Michael Salerno
We love and support you!"
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
An Open Letter to Rev McGuire from the father of two Victims.
This open letter to Rev. Donald McGuire, S.J., was written by the father of two of McGuire’s victims.
I am posting this letter with the author’s permission.
* * *
OPEN LETTER TO:
November 21, 2007
“Reverend” (?) Donald J. McGuire
The Most Dangerous Priest in America
Oak Lawn, Illinois
Congratulations! You have successfully accomplished much of the work of your spiritual mentor, Lucifer. For at least 40 of your 46 years of Satan inspired priesthood you have ruined the lives of countless of young boys and their family’s with your forced pedophilia. A special place in Hell waits, unless before death, you repent and seek forgiveness. I never imagined so much evil could exist in one individual as it does in you, Donald McGuire! You as well as your cohorts, the Jesuits, have known of your deviant lifestyle for decades, yet have done nothing to stop it. With so many male prostitutes available for your perverted pleasure why do you target young innocent boys from decent families for your lewd and lascivious behavior? Is it because your deranged criminal mind only finds joy in murdering the souls of your countless innocent victims through your evil behavior?
In my October 8, 2007 letter to Judge James L. Carlson in Walworth County (WI) asking for revocation of bond and incarceration, as you certainly deserve, I noted how you have made a mockery of the Sacraments of Holy Orders (Priesthood) and Penance (Confession) as you often molested young boys (including mine) in the confessional. Since then, I’ve discovered your Sacramental Mockery #3 extends to Matrimony (Marriage) - You deliberately drove wedges between husbands and wives and to create an opportunity for you to essentially kidnap our sons for your world wide perverted sexual encounters, including in the convents of Mother Teresa, and continued to traumatize them. Also, your sexual abuse of our younger son, while you were in Phoenix to witness the Marriage of our oldest son (your earlier victim) is unconscionable. Sacramental Mockery #4 (Baptism) – Your eager willingness to baptize our three youngest children and stay at our home was obviously a deceptive ploy to sexually abuse our oldest son again, and again. Sacramental Mockery #5 (Eucharist) – On retreats you typically reserved the Blessed Sacrament in your bedroom at night, where you also sexually abused my sons and other boys. How much more demonic can you be? I can only pray that through your fraudulent and sacrilegious priesthood somehow this Sacrament was invalid.
You dare to tell the few supporters you have left that my sons’ motivation in filing a lawsuit against you and your co-conspirators (the Chicago Province of the Society of Jesus) is “for the money”. Even the Archdiocese of Chicago is getting on this bandwagon. If not money, which “medium of exchange” do you suggest as a trade off for the lonely, silent depression and shame you’ve put my two sons through for the past 19 years and 7 years respectively? It’s still far from being over, if ever. What about the constant, painful reminder we as parents feel that we ever allowed a then, unknown psychopathic child predator into our lives that destroyed forever the innocence of our sons? Are we supposed to sit around a campfire, hold hands sing Kumbia and hope all is forgotten? Whatever the final outcome, it will not have been worth the ongoing tears, anguish and humiliation that you, Donald McGuire, have caused. Certainly you know by now there are multiple criminal complaints filed against you in various counties where your despicable crimes were committed. The U.S. Attorney of Northern Illinois is prosecuting you for your malfeasants (Case #07CR 716).
What baffles me, Donald McGuire, is how in the twilight years of your life you don’t acknowledge your obvious guilt, apologize to the multiple victims, now young men, and their families and help us all begin the healing process. Even Jeffery Daumer, who ironically, had the same criminal defense lawyer, Gerald Boyle, as you did in your Wisconsin trial, sought and received partial forgiveness from some of his victims’ families before his untimely miserable death. You say: “I’m losing friends because people don’t know my side of the story” and “my lawyer says I can’t talk”. You’ve had ample opportunity to tell your story, yet you remain mute with a disgusting smirk. Why? In fact at your sentencing on July 18, 2006 in Walworth County, (WI) you swore on the Bible: “I wish I ignored my lawyers’ advice and testified in my own behalf. Given the opportunity for a new trial I swear I will not remain silent”. Your multiple motions for a new trial were all denied on November 1, 2007. So, now’s your chance; let’s hear your story. Also, you won’t have your lawyer at your side on Judgment Day. What will you do then? You never got permission from parents of your victims to introduce them to gay pornography or to impose your deviant sexual fantasies on them. Why do you now need permission from your lawyer to be contrite? Please let us know when you get the OK from your lawyer to apologize – then do it!
J.R.C. - father of: Victims 5 & 10 (see NPR.com for details, Search - Donald McGuire)
- aka: John Does’ 117 & 118 (Cook County, IL – Civil Case #2007L011952)
I am posting this letter with the author’s permission.
* * *
OPEN LETTER TO:
November 21, 2007
“Reverend” (?) Donald J. McGuire
The Most Dangerous Priest in America
Oak Lawn, Illinois
Congratulations! You have successfully accomplished much of the work of your spiritual mentor, Lucifer. For at least 40 of your 46 years of Satan inspired priesthood you have ruined the lives of countless of young boys and their family’s with your forced pedophilia. A special place in Hell waits, unless before death, you repent and seek forgiveness. I never imagined so much evil could exist in one individual as it does in you, Donald McGuire! You as well as your cohorts, the Jesuits, have known of your deviant lifestyle for decades, yet have done nothing to stop it. With so many male prostitutes available for your perverted pleasure why do you target young innocent boys from decent families for your lewd and lascivious behavior? Is it because your deranged criminal mind only finds joy in murdering the souls of your countless innocent victims through your evil behavior?
In my October 8, 2007 letter to Judge James L. Carlson in Walworth County (WI) asking for revocation of bond and incarceration, as you certainly deserve, I noted how you have made a mockery of the Sacraments of Holy Orders (Priesthood) and Penance (Confession) as you often molested young boys (including mine) in the confessional. Since then, I’ve discovered your Sacramental Mockery #3 extends to Matrimony (Marriage) - You deliberately drove wedges between husbands and wives and to create an opportunity for you to essentially kidnap our sons for your world wide perverted sexual encounters, including in the convents of Mother Teresa, and continued to traumatize them. Also, your sexual abuse of our younger son, while you were in Phoenix to witness the Marriage of our oldest son (your earlier victim) is unconscionable. Sacramental Mockery #4 (Baptism) – Your eager willingness to baptize our three youngest children and stay at our home was obviously a deceptive ploy to sexually abuse our oldest son again, and again. Sacramental Mockery #5 (Eucharist) – On retreats you typically reserved the Blessed Sacrament in your bedroom at night, where you also sexually abused my sons and other boys. How much more demonic can you be? I can only pray that through your fraudulent and sacrilegious priesthood somehow this Sacrament was invalid.
You dare to tell the few supporters you have left that my sons’ motivation in filing a lawsuit against you and your co-conspirators (the Chicago Province of the Society of Jesus) is “for the money”. Even the Archdiocese of Chicago is getting on this bandwagon. If not money, which “medium of exchange” do you suggest as a trade off for the lonely, silent depression and shame you’ve put my two sons through for the past 19 years and 7 years respectively? It’s still far from being over, if ever. What about the constant, painful reminder we as parents feel that we ever allowed a then, unknown psychopathic child predator into our lives that destroyed forever the innocence of our sons? Are we supposed to sit around a campfire, hold hands sing Kumbia and hope all is forgotten? Whatever the final outcome, it will not have been worth the ongoing tears, anguish and humiliation that you, Donald McGuire, have caused. Certainly you know by now there are multiple criminal complaints filed against you in various counties where your despicable crimes were committed. The U.S. Attorney of Northern Illinois is prosecuting you for your malfeasants (Case #07CR 716).
What baffles me, Donald McGuire, is how in the twilight years of your life you don’t acknowledge your obvious guilt, apologize to the multiple victims, now young men, and their families and help us all begin the healing process. Even Jeffery Daumer, who ironically, had the same criminal defense lawyer, Gerald Boyle, as you did in your Wisconsin trial, sought and received partial forgiveness from some of his victims’ families before his untimely miserable death. You say: “I’m losing friends because people don’t know my side of the story” and “my lawyer says I can’t talk”. You’ve had ample opportunity to tell your story, yet you remain mute with a disgusting smirk. Why? In fact at your sentencing on July 18, 2006 in Walworth County, (WI) you swore on the Bible: “I wish I ignored my lawyers’ advice and testified in my own behalf. Given the opportunity for a new trial I swear I will not remain silent”. Your multiple motions for a new trial were all denied on November 1, 2007. So, now’s your chance; let’s hear your story. Also, you won’t have your lawyer at your side on Judgment Day. What will you do then? You never got permission from parents of your victims to introduce them to gay pornography or to impose your deviant sexual fantasies on them. Why do you now need permission from your lawyer to be contrite? Please let us know when you get the OK from your lawyer to apologize – then do it!
J.R.C. - father of: Victims 5 & 10 (see NPR.com for details, Search - Donald McGuire)
- aka: John Does’ 117 & 118 (Cook County, IL – Civil Case #2007L011952)
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Next Monday at 7:30pm. Save the date. Crosses: Portraits of Clergy Abuse, shows the huge, personal price paid by survivors of clergy sex crimes.
On Monday, November 19 at 7:30pm Carmine Galasso, photographer and writer, will speak about his new book: Crosses.Location: Larchmont Avenue Church in Larchmont For more information: Call 914. 834. 2183 or 914.235.2123
With portraits taken over a period of two to three years, here are also the accounts of children, now as adults themselves and in their own words, of a childhood blighted by the violation and horror of sexual abuse at the hands of a member of the Catholic clergy. From countless interviews, emails and phone conversations they recall their experiences of an abuse of power – be they priest, monk or nun - which has followed them into their adult lives.
With portraits taken over a period of two to three years, here are also the accounts of children, now as adults themselves and in their own words, of a childhood blighted by the violation and horror of sexual abuse at the hands of a member of the Catholic clergy. From countless interviews, emails and phone conversations they recall their experiences of an abuse of power – be they priest, monk or nun - which has followed them into their adult lives.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Clohessy Calls UCCB election "a sad day for the American Catholic Church."
TUCSON (AZ)KVOAKicanas elected bishops' VP, draws fire from criticAssociated Press -November 13, 2007TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) - Bishop Gerald Kicanas has been elected vice president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, normally the post leading tosubsequent election as president.Kicanas follows Chicago Cardinal Francis George, who on Tuesday was elected president of the conference.Kicanas led the Tucson diocese through Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization proceedings during 2004 and 2005 in response to a priest sex abuse scandalthat resulted in a wave of lawsuits.The election of both George and Kicanas drew criticism from the national director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, David Clohessy, whocalled it "a sad day for the American Catholic church. It's top two officials have terrible track records on child sex abuse and cover-up."A call to a spokesman for Kicanas seeking comment was not returned immediately.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Snap distraught because wrongdoers (like Cardinal George) in the church hierarchy seemingly get rewarded and promoted.
Survivors Network of those Abused By PriestsP.O. Box 6416, Chicago, Illinois 60680-6416312-455-1499
November 12, 2007: Election of USCCB officers
Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, (314 862 7688, 314 503 0003 cell)
We are distraught because wrongdoers in the church hierarchy seemingly get rewarded and promoted.
Pope Benedict has chosen several bishops and cardinals who ‘severely mishandled’ abuse cases, including Archbishop William Levada of San Francisco (now a Cardinal in a high level Vatican post), Bishop Nicholas DiNardo of Galveston-Houston (recently made a cardinal), Bishop Jaime Soto (from Orange County, named Sacramento’s bishop), and Bishop Walter Hurley of Detroit (now Grand Rapids bishop).
The US bishops have also been supported and promoted wrong-doers. In 2004, they elected Spokane Bishop William Skylstad as their leader, even though he sought bankruptcy protection to avoid having to testify in potentially embarrassing civil trials about how much he knew and how little he did about abusive priests. In 2004, they elected Chicago Cardinal Francis George as their vice president, even though he let a convicted molester work in his archdiocese and live in his mansion. Now, US bishops seem poised to promote George again, despite his duplicity in the recent child molestation cases involving Fr. Donald McGuire, Fr. Daniel McCormack and others.
Other candidates for USCCB positions are similarly compromised and corrupt.
We urge the Pope to avoid promoting complicit bishops, even if it means digging deeper into the pool of rank-and-file parish priests, rather than elevating corrupt auxiliary bishops or bishops into higher positions. We also urge America’s bishops to nominate and support candidates for USCCB offices who have NOT engaged in widespread cover ups of clergy sex abuse cases.
Church officials can’t have their cake and eat it too. They can’t claim they want victims to come forward while promoting the very men who stiff-armed victims, deceived police, stonewalled prosecutors, misled parishioners and protected predators for years. They can’t claim they’ve ‘learned’ and ‘reformed’ while honoring and promoting the very men who continue to be reckless, secretive and recalcitrant.
This kind of callousness rubs salt into the already deep and still fresh wounds of many victims and Catholics who are still in pain because of abusive priests and complicit bishops. It fuels the already intense helplessness and pessimism many victims and Catholics feel about the prospects of a safer church. It deters victims, especially those trapped in shame and self-blame, from reporting their predators and thus protecting vulnerable kids.
And it shows that, despite decades of scandal and a plethora of promises, bishops still refuse to truly reform.
CONTACT
Barbara Blaine of Chicago, SNAP President 312 399 4747 9606
Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, SNAP Outreach Director 314 862 7688
David Clohessy of St. Louis SNAP National Director 314 566 9790 cell, 314 645 5915
Barbara BlainePresident312 399 4747snapblaine@gmail.com Survivors Network of those Abused by PriestsSNAPnetwork.org
Mark your calendar: 2008 SNAP National Conference July 11-13 in Chicago
November 12, 2007: Election of USCCB officers
Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, (314 862 7688, 314 503 0003 cell)
We are distraught because wrongdoers in the church hierarchy seemingly get rewarded and promoted.
Pope Benedict has chosen several bishops and cardinals who ‘severely mishandled’ abuse cases, including Archbishop William Levada of San Francisco (now a Cardinal in a high level Vatican post), Bishop Nicholas DiNardo of Galveston-Houston (recently made a cardinal), Bishop Jaime Soto (from Orange County, named Sacramento’s bishop), and Bishop Walter Hurley of Detroit (now Grand Rapids bishop).
The US bishops have also been supported and promoted wrong-doers. In 2004, they elected Spokane Bishop William Skylstad as their leader, even though he sought bankruptcy protection to avoid having to testify in potentially embarrassing civil trials about how much he knew and how little he did about abusive priests. In 2004, they elected Chicago Cardinal Francis George as their vice president, even though he let a convicted molester work in his archdiocese and live in his mansion. Now, US bishops seem poised to promote George again, despite his duplicity in the recent child molestation cases involving Fr. Donald McGuire, Fr. Daniel McCormack and others.
Other candidates for USCCB positions are similarly compromised and corrupt.
We urge the Pope to avoid promoting complicit bishops, even if it means digging deeper into the pool of rank-and-file parish priests, rather than elevating corrupt auxiliary bishops or bishops into higher positions. We also urge America’s bishops to nominate and support candidates for USCCB offices who have NOT engaged in widespread cover ups of clergy sex abuse cases.
Church officials can’t have their cake and eat it too. They can’t claim they want victims to come forward while promoting the very men who stiff-armed victims, deceived police, stonewalled prosecutors, misled parishioners and protected predators for years. They can’t claim they’ve ‘learned’ and ‘reformed’ while honoring and promoting the very men who continue to be reckless, secretive and recalcitrant.
This kind of callousness rubs salt into the already deep and still fresh wounds of many victims and Catholics who are still in pain because of abusive priests and complicit bishops. It fuels the already intense helplessness and pessimism many victims and Catholics feel about the prospects of a safer church. It deters victims, especially those trapped in shame and self-blame, from reporting their predators and thus protecting vulnerable kids.
And it shows that, despite decades of scandal and a plethora of promises, bishops still refuse to truly reform.
CONTACT
Barbara Blaine of Chicago, SNAP President 312 399 4747 9606
Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, SNAP Outreach Director 314 862 7688
David Clohessy of St. Louis SNAP National Director 314 566 9790 cell, 314 645 5915
Barbara BlainePresident312 399 4747snapblaine@gmail.com Survivors Network of those Abused by PriestsSNAPnetwork.org
Mark your calendar: 2008 SNAP National Conference July 11-13 in Chicago
Monday, November 12, 2007
Give Victims More Time to file Sexual-Abuse Claims By Marcia Hamilton
UNITED STATESNewsdayGive victims more time to file sexual-abuse claimsBY MARCI A. HAMILTONNewsday Issue: November 9, 2007Who would have thought that the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy in Johannesburg, South Africa, could be a place where girls could be physically andsexually abused by one of the dormitory matrons?Winfrey, after all, has been a vocal and active advocate for survivors of child abuse, having experienced this horror as a child herself. You can only imagineher anguish when she heard that the institution she created to nurture girls was doing the opposite.There is a lesson here for everyone: Those who abuse children typically select careers close to them. Whether they choose to be teachers, dormitorymatrons, clergy or Boy Scout leaders, they position themselves to have the greatest access to children.They are scheming and devious to serve their sexual compulsions. Even when the one who is supporting the organization is especially sensitive to childabuse, as is Winfrey, these are people who are very hard to identify.The situation at Winfrey's school could have been worse. After one girl came forward, others followed, and the matron was stopped. But all too often, victimscannot make that public announcement, and the predator and abuse persist, with the abuse spreading to ever more victims.Figuring out who the child abusers are is an intractable, but not impossible, problem. It's incumbent on all of us to find ways to identify predators working withor caring for our children. Because if they aren't identified, they will continue their perverse ways.In the United States, during the past 20 years at least, we've been trying to devise ways to protect our children from predators: Megan's Laws, which createpublic lists of convicted sex offenders; pedophile-free zones, which theoretically keep known predators at a distance from children; and longer prisonsentences and harsher penalties.But there is one key problem with each of these "solutions": They are predicated on the fact that we already know who the predator is.The statistics, though, show that we usually don't know. Only 10 percent of survivors ever report the abuse to authorities.The law has worked to shield predators' identities by keeping victims out of the justice system. Short statutes of limitations - the arbitrary deadlines imposedby legislatures for the filing of lawsuits and prosecution - have been endemic in the law governing childhood sexual abuse, and have shut the courthousedoors to survivors of child sex abuse.All too often, survivors are incapable of pursuing legal action before the state's filing deadline expires. In New York State there's a patchwork of limitations,depending on the offense, some as short as seven years following the abuse. But in many cases victims need decades to understand what happened tothem, and even longer to come forward to loved ones, let alone the authorities.If we don't give the survivor the time he or she needs to file a lawsuit, we may never learn who the vast majority of the predators are.A whole cadre of abusers arrogantly assumes that they will never be made to pay for their actions, because they know the statutes of limitations dramaticallytilt the playing field against the victim. Only by lengthening and eliminating the statutes of limitations governing child sex abuse can we increase thelikelihood that we will learn the identities of more child predators.The safety of our children also demands that expired statutes be waived so that the backlog of unidentified perpetrators will then be publicly identified.In 2002, California passed a one-year window, allowing past victims to file complaints. More than 300 previously unnamed predators were publicly identifiedonce their victims were no longer stymied by an artificial deadline. In July, Delaware put a two-year window into effect.Here in New York similar legislation, introduced by Assemb. Marge Markey (D-Maspeth), has been passed by the Assembly for the past three years with nomeaningful opposition. Sadly for survivors, Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno (R-Brunswick) has inexplicably blocked its movement each time.Markey is planning to put the measure forward again in January. This legislation should be a no-brainer - unless the legislature is inclined to assist thoseentities and individuals who would cover up their own complicity in child abuse. That's a move no elected official should ever be permitted to make.Eliminating the statutes of limitations for child sex abuse is the only tool available to increase the public's knowledge of perpetrators. It will identify not onlythe perpetrators but also the survivors who need our support - when one victim steps forward publicly, others soon follow. That is exactly what happened inCalifornia and at Winfrey's school.It's a shameful fact that most states have had such short statutes of limitations on childhood sexual abuse that the victims have been foreclosed from justicewhile predators enjoyed a system that protected their interests.California and Delaware are showing the rest of the country the more heroic and noble path to follow. New York and the other states must get in step.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------Marci A. Hamilton is a professor of public law at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and author of the forthcoming "Justice Denied: What America MustDo to Protect Its Children."
Events in Westchester this week and next.
Reminder - 2 interesting events
The Upper Room
On Wednesday, November 14, at 7:30 pm Sr. Chris Schenk will speak on Back to the Future: Trends and Traditions - Shaping the Future of the Church.
Location: the Greek Orthodox Church in New Rochelle
For more information: 914.712.0060 or 216.228.0869
Voice of the Faithful - Larchmont
On Monday, November 19 at 7:30pm Carmine Galasso, photographer and writer, will speak about his new book: Crosses.
Location: Larchmont Avenue Church in Larchmont
For more information: 914. 834. 2183 or 914.235.2123
The Upper Room
On Wednesday, November 14, at 7:30 pm Sr. Chris Schenk will speak on Back to the Future: Trends and Traditions - Shaping the Future of the Church.
Location: the Greek Orthodox Church in New Rochelle
For more information: 914.712.0060 or 216.228.0869
Voice of the Faithful - Larchmont
On Monday, November 19 at 7:30pm Carmine Galasso, photographer and writer, will speak about his new book: Crosses.
Location: Larchmont Avenue Church in Larchmont
For more information: 914. 834. 2183 or 914.235.2123
Is the Church really this blind? Jason Berry on George becoming head of Catholic Bishops.
Is the Church really this blind?
Chicago's archbishop is an example of a church hierarchy that still hasn't learned the lessons of the abuse scandal.
By Jason Berry November 11, 2007
In 2004, Bishop Wilton Gregory, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, proclaimed that after two years of relentless investigations into priests who sexually abused children and the bishops who protected them, "the scandal is history."For reporters weary of the scandal's emotionally draining subject matter, Gregory's sound bite invited a retreat. The bishops pointed to the "youth protection charter" they had developed, laying out guidelines for removing predator priests and for treating victims responsibly. They released data showing that they had identified about 4,400 abusive U.S. priests. They had a reform agenda, it seemed, and promised new vigilance in protecting children rather than clerics. In the months that followed, the sexual abuse crisis receded as national news, though civil litigation and criminal prosecutions continued to make occasional headlines.
Chicago's archbishop is an example of a church hierarchy that still hasn't learned the lessons of the abuse scandal.
By Jason Berry November 11, 2007
In 2004, Bishop Wilton Gregory, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, proclaimed that after two years of relentless investigations into priests who sexually abused children and the bishops who protected them, "the scandal is history."For reporters weary of the scandal's emotionally draining subject matter, Gregory's sound bite invited a retreat. The bishops pointed to the "youth protection charter" they had developed, laying out guidelines for removing predator priests and for treating victims responsibly. They released data showing that they had identified about 4,400 abusive U.S. priests. They had a reform agenda, it seemed, and promised new vigilance in protecting children rather than clerics. In the months that followed, the sexual abuse crisis receded as national news, though civil litigation and criminal prosecutions continued to make occasional headlines.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Chicago Cardinal fails to observe charter on sex abuse again. Local head of Jesuits at fault also.
When and what did archdiocese know?
ABUSE Dad says complaints in '02 told of priest sharing bed with son, 'overwhelming' 2nd teen with sex talk
November 11, 2007
BY SUSAN HOGAN/ALBACH Religion Reporter/shogan@suntimes.com
A concerned dad notified the Archdiocese of Chicago in December 2002 that the Rev. Donald McGuire was sharing a bed with his son and "overwhelming" another teen with porn and sex talk.
Letters sent by the dad to the archdiocese also mention a third teen.
ABUSE Dad says complaints in '02 told of priest sharing bed with son, 'overwhelming' 2nd teen with sex talk
November 11, 2007
BY SUSAN HOGAN/ALBACH Religion Reporter/shogan@suntimes.com
A concerned dad notified the Archdiocese of Chicago in December 2002 that the Rev. Donald McGuire was sharing a bed with his son and "overwhelming" another teen with porn and sex talk.
Letters sent by the dad to the archdiocese also mention a third teen.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Clergy Abuse is not just a few. Over 5,400 by the Church's own count which is considerably below the real number.
In this link you will see some of Carmine Gallasso's moving pictures.
AlterNet is pleased to present the above multimedia show from Crosses and an interview with David Clohessy, national director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP).
Nina Berman: There are many cases of individuals who are part of companies, or armies for that matter, who commit horrible crimes, and, invariably, the response by the institutional leadership is ... Well, it's just a few bad apples. How do you respond to the statement that the clergy sex abuse is just a few bad apples?
David Clohessy: First of all, no matter how you look at it, the word "few" is inaccurate. The church's own inadequate, inaccurate self-survey indicates at least 5,400 priests are proven, admitted or credibly accused child molesters. That's just the ones they acknowledge. Second, the crux of the crisis is the complicity of bishops, not the abusive priests. It's not "some bad apples." It's the barrel and the men who built and oversee the barrel.
Put another way, bishops cover up abuse because they can. Victims, parents, witnesses and Catholics who could call 911 instead report clear or potential abuse to church officials, giving those officials the time, knowledge, incentive and opportunity to hide the crimes. Those who instead turn to the justice system -- either criminal or civil -- often fail to expose predators and protect kids because of the archaic, arbitrary and dangerously restrictive statutes of limitations or because of timid, deferential or inept police or prosecutors. In either case, bishops end up, again, with the chance to abuse their power, protect their reputations, hide their assets, circle their wagons, consult their lawyers, and activate their public relations maneuvers and plans.
It is these men, the bishops, and their nearly unchecked power, that is the problem, not the "bad apple" priests.
AlterNet is pleased to present the above multimedia show from Crosses and an interview with David Clohessy, national director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP).
Nina Berman: There are many cases of individuals who are part of companies, or armies for that matter, who commit horrible crimes, and, invariably, the response by the institutional leadership is ... Well, it's just a few bad apples. How do you respond to the statement that the clergy sex abuse is just a few bad apples?
David Clohessy: First of all, no matter how you look at it, the word "few" is inaccurate. The church's own inadequate, inaccurate self-survey indicates at least 5,400 priests are proven, admitted or credibly accused child molesters. That's just the ones they acknowledge. Second, the crux of the crisis is the complicity of bishops, not the abusive priests. It's not "some bad apples." It's the barrel and the men who built and oversee the barrel.
Put another way, bishops cover up abuse because they can. Victims, parents, witnesses and Catholics who could call 911 instead report clear or potential abuse to church officials, giving those officials the time, knowledge, incentive and opportunity to hide the crimes. Those who instead turn to the justice system -- either criminal or civil -- often fail to expose predators and protect kids because of the archaic, arbitrary and dangerously restrictive statutes of limitations or because of timid, deferential or inept police or prosecutors. In either case, bishops end up, again, with the chance to abuse their power, protect their reputations, hide their assets, circle their wagons, consult their lawyers, and activate their public relations maneuvers and plans.
It is these men, the bishops, and their nearly unchecked power, that is the problem, not the "bad apple" priests.
The Need for those Abused to have Healing.
Too many of us are still uncomfortable with the pedophilia scandal. We mistakenly feel it is a threat to our faith not considering the need for healing for those abused. It is important for those abused to speak out so that others may come forth and have healing. As the conclusion to this story points out: "At the time of the 2006 settlement, Cummins said it was "very reassuring" to him when other victims later stepped forward.
"If young kids see that people stand up and say, 'This happened to me,' then it will be easier for them when it happens. And that's what we should take away from it," Cummins said."
Career newsman abused by priest praised for courage
By PAT KINNEY
Waterloo/Cedar Falls Courier (IA) Business Editor
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2007/11/06/news/metro/0511352f9bbec64f8625738b004e4272.txt
WATERLOO --- A Waterloo attorney for deceased veteran Iowa-born NBC News correspondent Jim Cummins praised his courage in bringing the first of what became a series of clergy child sex abuse lawsuits against the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque.
"He was willing to put his name on the line. He felt very strongly about it," Waterloo attorney Tom Staack said of Cummins, who died Oct. 26 of cancer at age 62.
"If young kids see that people stand up and say, 'This happened to me,' then it will be easier for them when it happens. And that's what we should take away from it," Cummins said."
Career newsman abused by priest praised for courage
By PAT KINNEY
Waterloo/Cedar Falls Courier (IA) Business Editor
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2007/11/06/news/metro/0511352f9bbec64f8625738b004e4272.txt
WATERLOO --- A Waterloo attorney for deceased veteran Iowa-born NBC News correspondent Jim Cummins praised his courage in bringing the first of what became a series of clergy child sex abuse lawsuits against the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque.
"He was willing to put his name on the line. He felt very strongly about it," Waterloo attorney Tom Staack said of Cummins, who died Oct. 26 of cancer at age 62.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Theologians Support Voice of the Faithful
THEOLOGIAN PETITIONVoice of the Faithful Has the Right to ExistDrafted by Dr. Thomas Beaudoin, Dr. William Clark, S.J. and Dr. Anthony Massimini
As Catholic theologians, we support the rights and responsibilities of lay Catholics, acting in the grace of their spiritual gifts, to gather in the Spirit of Christ, who dwells within the whole Church.
Their gifts are God's empowerment and blessing of the laity's unique voice for the renewal and up-building of the Church and the world.
These rights and responsibilities of lay Catholics are part of official Catholic teaching, and we encourage all Catholics to read the documents of Vatican II.
Thus, we fully support the right and responsibility of Voice of the Faithful to meet in prayerful discernment of the signs of the times, and to present to the hierarchy for confirmation and implementation what their sense of faith requires them to voice.
"Christ … fulfills His prophetic office … not only by the hierarchy who teach in His name and by His power, but also by the laity …." (Vatican II, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, n. 35)
"They [the laity] are, by [reason of] knowledge, competence or outstanding ability which they may enjoy, permitted and sometimes even obliged to express their opinion on those things which concern the good of the Church." (Vatican II, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, n. 37)
"While preserving intact the necessary link with ecclesiastical authority, the laity have the right to establish and direct [apostolic] associations, and to join existing ones …. [B]y their expert assistance they increase the efficacy of the care of souls as well as of the administration of the goods of the Church." (Vatican II, Decree on the Apostolate of Lay People, n. 19, 10)
Signatories: Dr. J. Matthew Ashley, University of Notre Dame Dr. Richard J. Beauchesne, Emmanuel College, Northeastern University Dr. Tom Beaudoin, Boston College Dr. Eugene C. Bianchi, Emeritus, Emory University Dr. Francis J. Buckley, S.J., University of San Francisco Dr. Francine Cardman, Weston Jesuit School of Theology Dr. William Clark, S.J., College of the Holy Cross Dr. Anne Clifford, Duquesne University Dr. Richard Clifford, S.J., Weston Jesuit School of Theology Dr. Francis X. Clooney, S.J., Boston College Dr. Marie A. Conn, Chestnut Hill College Dr. Paul Crowley, S.J., Santa Clara University Dr. Nancy A. Dallavalle, Fairfield University Dr. James Dallen, Gonzaga University Dr. Margaret A. Farley, Yale University Divinity School Mary Kathleen Flannery, SSJ, Chestnut Hill College Dr. Jeannine Hill Fletcher, Fordham University Dr. Richard R. Gaillardetz, University of Toledo Dr. Roberto Goizueta, Boston College Dr. Thomas H. Groome, Boston College Juliann Kriege Heller, Ph.D. Candidate, Boston College Dr. David Hollenbach, S.J., Boston College Dr. Harold (Bud) Horell, Boston College Dr. Karen L. Howard, Merrimack College Dr. Mark Jordan, Emory University Dr. James F. Keenan, S.J., Weston Jesuit School of Theology Dr. Alice Laffey, College of the Holy Cross Dr. Paul Lakeland, Fairfield University Dr. Brian F. Linnane, S.J., College of the Holy Cross Dr. Robert Ludwig, Depaul University Dr. Carole McCollester, O.P., Loyola University, New Orleans Dr. Gary Macy, University of San Diego Bette Manter, Th.D. Candidate, Harvard Divinity School Dr. Anthony Massimini, Pennsylvania College of Art & Design Dr. Robert Masson, Marquette University Dr. Vincent J. Miller, Georgetown University Dr. Paul Misner, Marquette University Dr. Catherine M. Mooney, Weston Jesuit School of Theology Dr. Margaret Mary Moore, Theology and Life Institute, Inc. Maureen Beyer Moser, Ph.D. Candidate, Duquesne University Dr. Theresa Moser, R.S.C.J., University of San Francisco Dr. Timothy P. Muldoon, Mount Aloysius College Dr. Frederick Murphy, College of the Holy Cross Catherine T. Nerney, SSJ, Chestnut Hill College Dr. Maureen O'Brien, Duquesne University Dr. Kenneth L. Parker, Saint Louis University Dr. Richard Penaskovic, Auburn University Dr. Gaile M. Pohlhaus, Villanova University Dr. Barbara Quinn, R.S.C.J., University of San Diego Dr. Jane Regan, Boston College Dr. Alan Revering, Quincy University Dr. Ann R. Riggs, Rivier College Dr. Virginia M. Ryan, Rivier College Dr. John R. Sachs, S.J., Weston Jesuit School of Theology Dr. Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, Harvard Divinity School Dr. William M. Shea, Saint Louis University Dr. Vincent M. Smiles, College of St. Benedict and St. John's University Dr. Leonard Swidler, Temple University John Switzer, Ph.D. Student, Boston College Dr. Terrence W. Tilley, University of Dayton Dr. John Topel, S.J., Seattle University Dr. David Tracy, University of Chicago Dr. Paul Turner, Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, MO Dr. Edward Vacek, S.J., Weston Jesuit School of Theology Dr. Sally M. Vance-Trembath, University of San Francisco Dr. Cristina Vanin, St. Jerome's University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada Dr. Terry Veling, St. Thomas University, Miami Dr. Johann M. Vento, Georgian Court College Dr. Win Whelan, St. Bonaventure University
As Catholic theologians, we support the rights and responsibilities of lay Catholics, acting in the grace of their spiritual gifts, to gather in the Spirit of Christ, who dwells within the whole Church.
Their gifts are God's empowerment and blessing of the laity's unique voice for the renewal and up-building of the Church and the world.
These rights and responsibilities of lay Catholics are part of official Catholic teaching, and we encourage all Catholics to read the documents of Vatican II.
Thus, we fully support the right and responsibility of Voice of the Faithful to meet in prayerful discernment of the signs of the times, and to present to the hierarchy for confirmation and implementation what their sense of faith requires them to voice.
"Christ … fulfills His prophetic office … not only by the hierarchy who teach in His name and by His power, but also by the laity …." (Vatican II, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, n. 35)
"They [the laity] are, by [reason of] knowledge, competence or outstanding ability which they may enjoy, permitted and sometimes even obliged to express their opinion on those things which concern the good of the Church." (Vatican II, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, n. 37)
"While preserving intact the necessary link with ecclesiastical authority, the laity have the right to establish and direct [apostolic] associations, and to join existing ones …. [B]y their expert assistance they increase the efficacy of the care of souls as well as of the administration of the goods of the Church." (Vatican II, Decree on the Apostolate of Lay People, n. 19, 10)
Signatories: Dr. J. Matthew Ashley, University of Notre Dame Dr. Richard J. Beauchesne, Emmanuel College, Northeastern University Dr. Tom Beaudoin, Boston College Dr. Eugene C. Bianchi, Emeritus, Emory University Dr. Francis J. Buckley, S.J., University of San Francisco Dr. Francine Cardman, Weston Jesuit School of Theology Dr. William Clark, S.J., College of the Holy Cross Dr. Anne Clifford, Duquesne University Dr. Richard Clifford, S.J., Weston Jesuit School of Theology Dr. Francis X. Clooney, S.J., Boston College Dr. Marie A. Conn, Chestnut Hill College Dr. Paul Crowley, S.J., Santa Clara University Dr. Nancy A. Dallavalle, Fairfield University Dr. James Dallen, Gonzaga University Dr. Margaret A. Farley, Yale University Divinity School Mary Kathleen Flannery, SSJ, Chestnut Hill College Dr. Jeannine Hill Fletcher, Fordham University Dr. Richard R. Gaillardetz, University of Toledo Dr. Roberto Goizueta, Boston College Dr. Thomas H. Groome, Boston College Juliann Kriege Heller, Ph.D. Candidate, Boston College Dr. David Hollenbach, S.J., Boston College Dr. Harold (Bud) Horell, Boston College Dr. Karen L. Howard, Merrimack College Dr. Mark Jordan, Emory University Dr. James F. Keenan, S.J., Weston Jesuit School of Theology Dr. Alice Laffey, College of the Holy Cross Dr. Paul Lakeland, Fairfield University Dr. Brian F. Linnane, S.J., College of the Holy Cross Dr. Robert Ludwig, Depaul University Dr. Carole McCollester, O.P., Loyola University, New Orleans Dr. Gary Macy, University of San Diego Bette Manter, Th.D. Candidate, Harvard Divinity School Dr. Anthony Massimini, Pennsylvania College of Art & Design Dr. Robert Masson, Marquette University Dr. Vincent J. Miller, Georgetown University Dr. Paul Misner, Marquette University Dr. Catherine M. Mooney, Weston Jesuit School of Theology Dr. Margaret Mary Moore, Theology and Life Institute, Inc. Maureen Beyer Moser, Ph.D. Candidate, Duquesne University Dr. Theresa Moser, R.S.C.J., University of San Francisco Dr. Timothy P. Muldoon, Mount Aloysius College Dr. Frederick Murphy, College of the Holy Cross Catherine T. Nerney, SSJ, Chestnut Hill College Dr. Maureen O'Brien, Duquesne University Dr. Kenneth L. Parker, Saint Louis University Dr. Richard Penaskovic, Auburn University Dr. Gaile M. Pohlhaus, Villanova University Dr. Barbara Quinn, R.S.C.J., University of San Diego Dr. Jane Regan, Boston College Dr. Alan Revering, Quincy University Dr. Ann R. Riggs, Rivier College Dr. Virginia M. Ryan, Rivier College Dr. John R. Sachs, S.J., Weston Jesuit School of Theology Dr. Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, Harvard Divinity School Dr. William M. Shea, Saint Louis University Dr. Vincent M. Smiles, College of St. Benedict and St. John's University Dr. Leonard Swidler, Temple University John Switzer, Ph.D. Student, Boston College Dr. Terrence W. Tilley, University of Dayton Dr. John Topel, S.J., Seattle University Dr. David Tracy, University of Chicago Dr. Paul Turner, Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, MO Dr. Edward Vacek, S.J., Weston Jesuit School of Theology Dr. Sally M. Vance-Trembath, University of San Francisco Dr. Cristina Vanin, St. Jerome's University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada Dr. Terry Veling, St. Thomas University, Miami Dr. Johann M. Vento, Georgian Court College Dr. Win Whelan, St. Bonaventure University
The Lay Vocation and Voice of the Faithful
Here is an article by Thomas P Rausch, S.J published four years ago. It is very pertinent with reference to the importance of VOTF for the Laity. The rest of the article can be accessed by clicking the link.
The Lay Vocation and Voice of theFaithful
By Thomas P. Rausch, S.J., SEPTEMBER 29, 2003
O ne unanticipated effect of the sexual abuse scandal that has been convulsing the Catholic Church in the United States is a growing realization on the part of the laity of how little real say they have in the government of their church. This was first brought home when many who were aware of situations of abuse went to the authorities and later found that nothing had been done. But as Catholics began talking to one another about their frustration, they began to realize that while this was the most serious case of not being heard, it was not the only one.
What is becoming more evident to many lay men and women is that there are no institutional checks and balances that allow them some say about how authority is exercised in the church, whether at the parish, diocesan or universal level. They have no way to address the problem of an incompetent pastor or an authoritarian bishop, no say over their appointment, no way to bring their own concerns and experience to the decision-making processes of the universal church. There are no structures of accountability. Without them, many feel that the church is treating them as children. And they are more and more coming to see the present crisis as calling the laity to adult status in the church. This was clearly the intention of the Second Vatican Council in its concern to articulate a theology of the laity.
The Lay Vocation and Voice of theFaithful
By Thomas P. Rausch, S.J., SEPTEMBER 29, 2003
O ne unanticipated effect of the sexual abuse scandal that has been convulsing the Catholic Church in the United States is a growing realization on the part of the laity of how little real say they have in the government of their church. This was first brought home when many who were aware of situations of abuse went to the authorities and later found that nothing had been done. But as Catholics began talking to one another about their frustration, they began to realize that while this was the most serious case of not being heard, it was not the only one.
What is becoming more evident to many lay men and women is that there are no institutional checks and balances that allow them some say about how authority is exercised in the church, whether at the parish, diocesan or universal level. They have no way to address the problem of an incompetent pastor or an authoritarian bishop, no say over their appointment, no way to bring their own concerns and experience to the decision-making processes of the universal church. There are no structures of accountability. Without them, many feel that the church is treating them as children. And they are more and more coming to see the present crisis as calling the laity to adult status in the church. This was clearly the intention of the Second Vatican Council in its concern to articulate a theology of the laity.
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Bishop Murphy Acts Against Children Again
Advocacy groups slam bishop on sex-abuse bill
BY EDEN LAIKIN eden.laikin@newsday.com
9:33 PM EDT, November 2, 2007
Members of two local advocacy groups have protested against Bishop William Murphy for using the pulpit to speak out against legislation that would give victims of childhood sexual abuse more time to file lawsuits and seek criminal prosecution.Despite the fact the bill has been stalled in the State Legislature for three years, the two groups said that during the annual Red Mass in Suffolk County -- for members of the legal profession last month -- Murphy questioned whether legislation that would extend the criminal and civil statutes of limitation was intended "to profit lawyers more than victims."The bill would extend the criminal statute in child sex abuse cases by five years, giving the victim until the age of 28 to report the crime to law enforcement. It would also open a one-year window for past victims to file civil lawsuits.
BY EDEN LAIKIN eden.laikin@newsday.com
9:33 PM EDT, November 2, 2007
Members of two local advocacy groups have protested against Bishop William Murphy for using the pulpit to speak out against legislation that would give victims of childhood sexual abuse more time to file lawsuits and seek criminal prosecution.Despite the fact the bill has been stalled in the State Legislature for three years, the two groups said that during the annual Red Mass in Suffolk County -- for members of the legal profession last month -- Murphy questioned whether legislation that would extend the criminal and civil statutes of limitation was intended "to profit lawyers more than victims."The bill would extend the criminal statute in child sex abuse cases by five years, giving the victim until the age of 28 to report the crime to law enforcement. It would also open a one-year window for past victims to file civil lawsuits.
Attorney Charles Molineaux urges the church to cease its opposition to extending statute of limitations.
In a strongly worded speech Molineaux said the Church should take the lead rather than resist bringing justice to those abused by the clergy. The speech by the St. John U graduate was remarkable in that it was given in front of Archbishop Chaput and others who oppose changing the statute of limitations. Here are excerpts. The entire speech is available by clicking the link.
"......In his speech, Molineaux said there are recognized exceptions for suspending or extending the fixed time in which to bring a lawsuit for an injury, he said. These include delayed discovery of the injury or the minor age or mental incompetence of the person potentially bringing the claim. Molineaux mentioned repressed memory of sexual abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder as relatively recent arguments for extending the statute of limitation. "Initially, many loyal Catholics were appropriately skeptical in reaction to what seemed yet more psychobabble to prop up lately appreciated actionable facts," he said. "But there have just been too many verifiable cases which have emerged in different states and dioceses to ignore this development." If the mission of the church is to lead people to Christ, the institutional church should be more than merely apologetic toward victims of errant churchmen, said Molineaux. Quoting the Second Vatican Council document "Gaudium et Spes," the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, he said: "The order of things must be subordinate to the order of persons and not the other way around, as the Lord suggested when he said that the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath." Molineaux said that the "crisis has always had two distinct aspects: abuse and cover-up. The abuse aspect involved a tiny percentage of priests; the cover-up aspect involved a majority of bishops. The overriding policy of the cover-up bishops -- some behaving criminally -- was the protection of the institutional church, its physical assets and the careers of its churchmen." "The institutional church has only acted in response to the legal compulsion of the secular courts and/or in response to media pressure and public outrage," he said. He urged the church to cease its opposition to extending statute of limitations. "Protecting the fiscal and physical assets of the institutional church from justice, via outmoded and arbitrary statutes of limitation, is not a consideration when it clashes with the mission of the church -- the bringing of men to Christ, by word and example," he concluded. "The institutional church should not dodge moral responsibility by invoking pragmatic rules as to the timing of lawsuits or by stalling with secrecy the production of record evidence," he added......"
"......In his speech, Molineaux said there are recognized exceptions for suspending or extending the fixed time in which to bring a lawsuit for an injury, he said. These include delayed discovery of the injury or the minor age or mental incompetence of the person potentially bringing the claim. Molineaux mentioned repressed memory of sexual abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder as relatively recent arguments for extending the statute of limitation. "Initially, many loyal Catholics were appropriately skeptical in reaction to what seemed yet more psychobabble to prop up lately appreciated actionable facts," he said. "But there have just been too many verifiable cases which have emerged in different states and dioceses to ignore this development." If the mission of the church is to lead people to Christ, the institutional church should be more than merely apologetic toward victims of errant churchmen, said Molineaux. Quoting the Second Vatican Council document "Gaudium et Spes," the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, he said: "The order of things must be subordinate to the order of persons and not the other way around, as the Lord suggested when he said that the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath." Molineaux said that the "crisis has always had two distinct aspects: abuse and cover-up. The abuse aspect involved a tiny percentage of priests; the cover-up aspect involved a majority of bishops. The overriding policy of the cover-up bishops -- some behaving criminally -- was the protection of the institutional church, its physical assets and the careers of its churchmen." "The institutional church has only acted in response to the legal compulsion of the secular courts and/or in response to media pressure and public outrage," he said. He urged the church to cease its opposition to extending statute of limitations. "Protecting the fiscal and physical assets of the institutional church from justice, via outmoded and arbitrary statutes of limitation, is not a consideration when it clashes with the mission of the church -- the bringing of men to Christ, by word and example," he concluded. "The institutional church should not dodge moral responsibility by invoking pragmatic rules as to the timing of lawsuits or by stalling with secrecy the production of record evidence," he added......"
Judge Criticizes As Dishonest Report from San Diego Diocese
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Judge's tears, rebuke close case
The San Diego Catholic diocese's eight-month-old bankruptcy case drew to an emotional close yesterday with the judge shedding tears and scolding the church for being “disingenuous” in reporting its finances to parishioners as part of a campaign to fund a $198 million settlement with victims of sexual abuse.Judge Louise DeCarl Adler said she had planned to grant the diocese's request to dismiss the bankruptcy without comment.But then she got a packet in the mail from her former parish asking to help pay the settlement.The mailing, which was recently sent to parishioners in the diocese, included a financial breakdown she said was less than candid.Adler said there is ample property the church could sell or mortgage to fund the settlement, citing parking lots, houses and other holdings listed in court documents.The diocese could have settled the claims without seeking bankruptcy, she added. “Chapter 11 is not supposed to be a vehicle, a method, to hammer down the claims of those abused,” she said.
Judge's tears, rebuke close case
The San Diego Catholic diocese's eight-month-old bankruptcy case drew to an emotional close yesterday with the judge shedding tears and scolding the church for being “disingenuous” in reporting its finances to parishioners as part of a campaign to fund a $198 million settlement with victims of sexual abuse.Judge Louise DeCarl Adler said she had planned to grant the diocese's request to dismiss the bankruptcy without comment.But then she got a packet in the mail from her former parish asking to help pay the settlement.The mailing, which was recently sent to parishioners in the diocese, included a financial breakdown she said was less than candid.Adler said there is ample property the church could sell or mortgage to fund the settlement, citing parking lots, houses and other holdings listed in court documents.The diocese could have settled the claims without seeking bankruptcy, she added. “Chapter 11 is not supposed to be a vehicle, a method, to hammer down the claims of those abused,” she said.
Priest Finally in Jail after abuse of 5 year old
Ex-priest begins jail term in child-abuse case
BY ALFONSO A. CASTILLO mailto:alfonso.castillo@newsday.com?subject=Newsday.com
10:33 PM EDT, October 29, 2007
A Long Island mother smiled outside a Riverhead courtroom Monday, confident that four years after former Catholic priest Barry Ryan struck fear into her 5-year-old son's heart, Ryan now felt terrified as he began his 2-year jail sentence."He deserves to be scared," said the mother of the boy whom Ryan confessed to sexually abusing in 2003. Their names are being withheld to protect the boy's identity. "Now it's time for him to live looking over his shoulder, like my little guy had to do."
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-liprie30,0,702708.story?coll=ny_home_rail_headlines
BY ALFONSO A. CASTILLO mailto:alfonso.castillo@newsday.com?subject=Newsday.com
10:33 PM EDT, October 29, 2007
A Long Island mother smiled outside a Riverhead courtroom Monday, confident that four years after former Catholic priest Barry Ryan struck fear into her 5-year-old son's heart, Ryan now felt terrified as he began his 2-year jail sentence."He deserves to be scared," said the mother of the boy whom Ryan confessed to sexually abusing in 2003. Their names are being withheld to protect the boy's identity. "Now it's time for him to live looking over his shoulder, like my little guy had to do."
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-liprie30,0,702708.story?coll=ny_home_rail_headlines
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Episcopal Bishop Censured for not acting on pedophilia
"PENNSYLVANIA BISHOP CHARLES E. BENNISON INHIBITED!Special ReportBy David W. Virtue http://www.virtueonline.org/ 10/31/2007The Bishop of Pennsylvania, Charles E. Bennison has been inhibited from ordained ministry and must cease all episcopal functions as bishop after November 3 diocesan convention. The Presiding Bishop, Katharine Jefferts Schori inhibited Bennison Oct. 31 from all ordained ministry pending a judgment of the Court for the Trial of a Bishop. The Title IV Review Committee earlier issued a presentment for conduct unbecoming a member of the clergy against Bennison on October 28.The Committee found there was enough evidence to send Bennison to trial on two counts of the presentment centering on accusations that when he was rector of St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Upland, California, he did not respond properly after learning sometime in 1973 that his brother, John, who worked as a lay youth minister in the parish, was having an affair with a 14-year-old member of the youth group. John Bennison was married at the time, according to the presentment."
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