Despite warnings, past Buffalo bishops returned abusive clergy to parishes

[1Lord1Faith]

I’d like to hear an explanation as to why these reassignment policies were in place. And where did the guidance for the formation of those policies came from.

Despite warnings, past Buffalo bishops returned abusive clergy to parishes

In 1963, the Rev. Gerald M.C. Fitzgerald wrote to the Vatican stating that he was “not sanguine of the return of priests to active duty who have been addicted to abnormal practices, especially sins with the young.”

Fitzgerald was superior general of the Servants of the Holy Paraclete, which ran a residential therapy program in Jemez Springs, N.M., for “fallen” priests.

“Where there is indication of incorrigibility, because of the tremendous scandal given, I would most earnestly recommend total laicization,” Fitzgerald wrote more than a half century ago. “I say ‘total’ designedly because when these men are taken before civil authority the non-Catholic world definitely blames the discipline of celibacy for the perversion of these men. They argue – right or wrongly – that these men turn to boys because they are denied the right of marriage.”

Two decades later, in 1985, Doyle co-wrote a 92-page report for the National Conference of Catholic Bishops that warned of a looming clergy sexual abuse crisis in the church. The report urged bishops to do further study of the problem. Doyle and his co-authors predicted potential catastrophic awards in civil litigation, loss of insurance liability coverage and huge amounts of negative publicity, if bishops did not develop a cohesive plan for handling sexually abusive priests

 

[angel12]

I’d like to hear an explanation as to why these reassignment policies were in place. And where did the guidance for the formation of those policies came from.

I can’t speak to this specific diocese. But there was a time when psychologists thought that these people could be “cured” (hence the leave for mental health therapy). Some bishops, I have no doubt, truly believed what they were told by the “experts.”

It would obviously have been far better to have exercised more caution and not taken the chance of putting these men back into ministry. And there is absolutely NO excuse for returned to ministry those who abused again after therapy.

 

[KMC]

The Church made a lot of egregious errors regarding the abuse scandal. The good news is that after John Jay studies listed below, the Church instituted numerous reforms. Now the number of credible accusations averages around 7 per year out of 40,000 or so priests. That’s 7 too many, but according to the Catholic League, today you won’t find an institution with less of a problem of abuse than the Catholic Church.
I won’t excuse any past behaviors / actions, but the issues have been dealt with and corrective actions instituted.

*The Nature and Scope of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests and Deacons, 1950-2002
Published in 2004 by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice (City University of New York)

*The Cause and Context of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests in the United States, 1950-2002
Published in 2011 by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY)

 

[1Lord1Faith]

but the issues have been dealt with and corrective actions instituted.

I don’t think Bishop Cistone of the dioceses of Saginaw MI got the memo. His office was raided a few months ago.

Local law enforcement says his bishop, Joseph Cistone, and the diocese are not cooperating with the investigation. That led to police raiding the bishop’s home last month, as well as the offices and the cathedral rectory of the Diocese of Saginaw.

This is not the first time a priest sex abuse scandal has been connected with Bishop Joseph Cistone.

He was an auxiliary bishop in Philadelphia when that archdiocese, and its late Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua, came under immense scrutiny for an apparent effort to cover up sexual abuse committed by its priests. A grand jury report strongly condemned the archdiocese for its handling of sexual predator priests.

https://www.michiganradio.org/post/face-scandal-saginaw-bishop-cistone-has-history-protecting-institution-church

 

[TheLittleLady]

In earlier generations, the psychological community, the best professionals, instructed that those with hebephilia or ephebephilia and even pedophilia could be treated and cured.

Families for the most part simply wanted the matter closed, they did not want to bring shame or public humiliation on their sons or daughters. They were not looking to see their names in the paper or as the spectacle of a trial.

This was true for scout leaders and school teachers (in fact, until the 80’s the idea of a high schooler having an affair with a teacher was romanticized! Heck, you could not have a hit with “Hot For Teacher” these days)

I know it is hard to understand that times and practices change, but, they do. There was far less smoke filled room plotting to hide criminal behavior as there was simply following what the experts and the families wanted.

 

[KMC]

Like I stated, the number of credible accusations is 7 per year. I certainly don’t want anyone to think the “problem is solved”…which won’t happen until there are 0 per year.

To be very clear about my position: I will not defend predator priests nor any bishop who covers up their activities. I tend to post on this kind of topic because news agencies post stories in 2018 about activities that happened decades ago, but act like it just happened (while ignoring the plague of abuse in public schools).

 

[1Lord1Faith]

In earlier generations, the psychological community, the best professionals, instructed that those with hebephilia or ephebephilia and even pedophilia could be treated and cured.

What century are you referring to. The article that I’ve posted up thread about Buffalo talks about these things happening in the 1990’s.

The other article I posted upthread is about Saginaw. It’s referring to the current bishop not cooperating with a civil investigation about recent abuse and coverups.

 

[TheLittleLady]

From 1973-2000

That was the time frame of the original story.

The Church made a lot of egregious errors regarding the abuse scandal. The good news is that after John Jay studies listed below, the Church instituted numerous reforms. Now the number of credible accusations averages around 7 per year out of 40,000 or so priests. That’s 7 too many, but according to the Catholic League, today you won’t find an institution with less of a problem of abuse than the Catholic Church.
I won’t excuse any past behaviors / actions, but the issues have been dealt with and corrective actions instituted.

*The Nature and Scope of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests and Deacons, 1950-2002
Published in 2004 by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice (City University of New York)

*The Cause and Context of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests in the United States, 1950-2002
Published in 2011 by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY)

The John Jay report is very important to read. Quoting to emphasize.

The Buffalo story may be an older story? This says that the Bishop is “naming names” (and yet we must remember, everyone is presumed INNOCENT until proven guilty.

https://buffalonews.com/news/local/under-pressure-buffalo-bishop-names-42-priests-accused-of-abuse/article_15f72835-4218-5a96-9363-d3c3fc50d83b.html

 

[1Lord1Faith]

So you’re saying that, up until the year 2000, the Catholic Church in the US believed that pedophilia could be cured with some therapy? Then a study came along that changed everything?? You’re kidding right. You actually believe that? There is enough info in the article about Buffalo to refute that notion.

 

[KMC]

The John Jay Studies detailed the scope of the problem and the causes of the problem.

Saying “The Catholic Church believed…” is a bit broad. Certainly some bishops did. The study spurred the USCCB to take specific actions to help prevent further abuse.

 

[1Lord1Faith]

The study spurred the USCCB to take specific actions to help prevent further abuse.

I guess I don’t really buy that. I think it was more likely that the jig was up due to the public becoming aware of it, and the bishops couldn’t go on doing what they probably already knew was wrong, so the USCCB comissisioned a study to “reveal” what was happening.

I don’t think these scandals will be over until the Church comes clean about it.

 

[KMC]

I’m not going to claim to know people’s motivations…I can only speak to the facts (like the John Jay study), statistics of incident rates etc. I want justice for the abused, and justice for the innocent, and I want the guilty to go to jail.

There is a really difficult aspect to “until the Church comes clean”. In the book “Catholic Priests Falsely Accused”, the author cites that approximately 32% of accusations against priests are false. I don’t have the answers, but how do we get justice for the abused and not slander 32% of the accused? Do we expect the Catholic Church to be held to a higher standard than say the US public school system, which has reports of higher abuse rates than the Catholic Church? (The abuse rates in the CC mirror the abuse rate in society…approx 4%). Seems to me the best way is to investigate each case individually…which presents more difficulties since many of the accused are dead.

Its a difficult issue…we all need to pray for justice.

 

[TheLittleLady]

The John Jay Studies detailed the scope of the problem and the causes of the problem.

Saying “The Catholic Church believed…” is a bit broad. Certainly some bishops did. The study spurred the USCCB to take specific actions to help prevent further abuse.

Answered succinctly. Read the Jay Report is my best advice for @1Lord1Faith

 

[Annie]

Not until 2000, no. But in the 1950s and 60s, yes, that was what the APA, et al, were saying. And probably before that as well.

One reason why people have the idea that doctors have a “God complex.”