Catholic League Seeks To ID The Archbishop’s Alleged Victim

[Hobbes42]

Read this one more time:

On what basis are we to dismiss the police chief’s comment?

That comment was in relation to previous cases. Past tense.

What we are talking about is going on now. There is no need to claim that I am advocating dismissal of the comment, however it does not apply in this case because there has been no evidence or statement that the Archdiocese has been acting in such a manner in this particular instance.

 

[po18guy]

minnesota.cbslocal.com/2013/12/18/catholic-league-seeks-to-id-the-archbishops-alleged-victim/

Openly identifying sexual abuse victims who are minors – this is disgusting. There are (excellent) reasons why the law has resisted this sort of approach.

This allegedly occurred during a confirmation, and at that, four years ago. That “minor” would now be of legal drinking age in all 50 states. Whatever happened to the presumption of innocence? Can you cut enough slack to admit that the Catholic League may just smell a rat?

 

[George_Stegmeir]

minnesota.cbslocal.com/2013/12/18/catholic-league-seeks-to-id-the-archbishops-alleged-victim/

Openly identifying sexual abuse victims who are minors – this is disgusting. There are (excellent) reasons why the law has resisted this sort of approach.

I am not going to debate you or anyone else about this subject. I will ask, however, what sort of naive world do you live in? Don’t you realize that most non-Catholic attorneys will take and publicize such a case, regardless of its merits, to get a financial settlement without ever going to trial. The more prominent the accused person, the more willing they are to settle-usually for megabucks. With an Archbishop they hit the Jackpot. What they didn’t expect was that the Archbishop would fight back!
As for the Chief of Police’s statements, aren’t you aware that that is a politically sensative job, and the Homosexual Lobby is particularly powerful in Minnesota. They are ruthless and are particularly hateful against the Archbishop because he rallied his Congregation against their gay marriage legislation.
As for Mr. Donahue…I think that in this case he, and his organization is acting in the stead of a private detective. Without the information he and his organization can dig up, how is the Archbishop going to defend himself?
Never forget, youths can and do lie, and they lie in Courts of Law, especially when under the influence of corrupt attorneys and other adults.
What distresses me about this thread is that someone who calls themselves a Catholic would automatically assume that the Archbishop was guilty solely on the basis of a newspaper report. Haven’t you learned that in the US, the editorial policy of most newspapers is anti-Catholic? Just look at the press in NYC, Chi., A and San Francisco!

 

[adrift]

Read this one more time:

On what basis are we to dismiss the police chief’s comment?

Archbishop Nienstedt steps aside as police investigate allegation, say church not cooperating in other cases

You believe the Chief’s comments than you must believe

Smith said his comments about the archdiocese’s lack of cooperation did not pertain to the Nienstedt matter.

 

[ccmnxc]

Gracepoole, let’s pretend for a moment that you have a sibling that is a teacher. Teachers (far more than priests) have been accused of sexual assault/pedophilia, and many have been covered up (it creates a bad image for the school and the district, so this makes sense). Now suppose a student who graduated four and a half years ago comes forward and says that while your class was being dismissed and everyone (including your sibling) was leaving the room for lunch, your sibling inappropriately touched him on the buttocks while they were all leaving the room together. A comment like this would be apparently justified:

“Good, good… Yes, let’s place the needs of the [teacher/school] over a child whom the law assumes was legitimately abused. Let’s applaud the man/woman who advocates for setting back victim rights for minors and believes these rights shouldn’t apply to this boy because he dared to accuse a [teacher].”

Obviously, there would also be nothing wrong with publicly defaming your sibling, making their name public, forever ruining their reputation, and allowing people to attack and accuse them with very little information present to the public.

This is what your methodology comes across as.

 

[gracepoole]

I’m getting the distinct impression that folks 'round these parts aren’t familiar with the many reasons victims often wait to speak up after abuse has taken place: rejection by family, blaming themselves, inability to publicly speak about the abuse, viewing the aggressor as unimpeachable, etc. None of us can know why this individual waited to come forward – but we can certainly state that waiting is not an inevitable sign of a false claim. Additionally, as noted in the links I provided earlier, the Catholic League and Bill Donohue are being sued by at least one individual who claims he was publicly defamed by CL for accusing a priest. So the organization has a history of smearing the names of those who allege abuse. Finally, no one has yet explained why Donohue and his organization should be involved in this matter in the first place, even if the accused is given this information.

 

[AdvanceAlways]

Because both parties have rights. Either name both names or name neither. This particular case has lie written all over it. You think that in a confirmation with hundreds of people present the Bishop would do something like this? And after 4 years there is no way to prove anything. If the allegation is false, the accuser deserves to have every penny taken from him in civil court. This has set up written all over it.

 

[Dawnia]

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This is a difficult letter for me to write to you. This past weekend I learned of an allegation from a young man whom I anointed in the Sacrament of Confirmation who alleged that he believes I inappropriately touched his buttocks during a public photo session following the ceremony. Please allow me to say that I normally stand for those photos with one hand on my crozier (staff) and the other either on the right shoulder of the newly confirmed or on my pallium (the short stole), which hangs from my chest. I do that deliberately and there are hundreds of photographs to verify that fact.

I do not know the individual involved; he has not been made known to me. I presume he is sincere in believing what he claims, but I must say that this allegation is absolutely and entirely false. I have never once engaged in any inappropriate contact with a minor and I have tried to the very best of my ability to serve this Archdiocese and the church faithfully, with honor and due regard for the rights of all, even those with whom I disagree.

I have taken strong stands on the moral teachings of the Church and been criticized for it. I would not have done so if I did not believe those teachings and was personally bound to living up to them in practice.

True, I am a sinner, but my sins do not include any kind of abuse of minors. I have met victims and I know the lasting damage that such abuse causes.
The psalms from the Liturgy of the Hours have had a special echo in my heart these past weeks as I pray for those in distress. “But God does hear the cries of the poor. Blessed be the Lord.”

I hope that the investigations can be thorough but quick. I already long to be back in public ministry—to be able to serve as the Lord has called me to serve.
I regret this will be my last column until the present investigations are complete. These days will give me the time to pray for you and the individual involved. I ask that you pray for me too.

With every good wish, I remain
Cordially Yours in Christ,
The Most Reverend John C. Nienstedt
Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis

 

[Hobbes42]

So the organization has a history of smearing the names of those who allege abuse. Finally, no one has yet explained why Donohue and his organization should be involved in this matter in the first place, even if the accused is given this information.

So, simply because they are being sued, they’re automatically guilty?

Wow… I am very glad I don’t live in the same Guilty-until-proven-innocent world that gracepoole does…

 

[maryjk]

Dawnia:
Thank you for the letter, Dawnia. It tells us a lot about what even the Archbishop knows.

I wonder when, the Archbishop will be able to know the name of his accuser. How is he suppose to mount a defense?

Aren’t we, as Americans, allowed to confront our accuser?

Or is that only if you aren’t a Catholic Priest?

 

[Dawnia]

Thank you for the letter, Dawnia. It tells us a lot about what even the Archbishop knows.

I wonder when, the Archbishop will be able to know the name of his accuser. How is he suppose to mount a defense?

Aren’t we, as Americans, allowed to confront our accuser?

Or is that only if you aren’t a Catholic Priest?

I don’t think they have to release the name until charges are pressed. So far it’s just an investigation.