How much transparency is needed in dealing with abuse cases?

[essie7777]

I absolutely agree that victims ought to be protected. I also believe that the innocent have the right to be protected against false accusations. I don’t think that Catholic bishops and Catholic diocese have in general been unfair to victims. The Catholic League—a lay organization—has taken a more hard line stance and a more zealous stand in defense of the Church, than the bishops and the diocese.

But even the Catholic League has never advocated being soft on abusers or protecting them from prosecution.

My main concern is that in any case in which public frenzy is deliberately cultivated and prosecutorial careers can be advanced, the prospect of large settlements—even any settlement–can entice false claimants to come forward for a piece of the pie.

There was outrageous prosecutorial frenzy in the child abuse cases alleged against workers at a daycare center recounted by Rabinowitz in her book “No Crueller Tyrannies.” Innocent people went to prison for crimes which never occurred.

And I think that innocent priests have gone to prison as well No, I don’t doubt at all that child abuse occurred and happened to many victims, and that it was inexcusable, and that the perpetrators ought to be prosecuted. I accept that data contained in the John Jay Report. I wish the public were more aware of the actual data in that report instead of the hype.

I forgot to post a link to the case of Fr. Gordon Macrae. This was a case that Rabinowitz wrote an article about in the Wall Street Journal. Parts One and Two of that article can be found here:

gordonmacrae.net/priests_story.htm

Child sexual abuse is abhorrent. It’s also abhorrent when the prospect of financial settlement brings forth false claims against the innocent. Even if the innocent are cleared, the stigma can never be removed.

Great post – There isn’t anything you have written with that i disagree with.

As a Catholic who, like everyone else, is very proud of their faith and as outraged as anyone when there is abuse (especially against children by a person they should trust , whether that be a priest a school teacher etc.) i worry that a general disgust with an organization such as SNAP can become the focus of sensational headlines about specific actions they take when it’s not really the true picture of what is happening.

To be able to effectively demonstrate to our opposers on this issue all Catholic organizations, (even lay organizations) need to ensure their actions are beyond reproach. I am not suggesting that the Church doesn’t defend itself and our clergy.

Simply that before we in turn create a frenzy through sensational headline that we check to ensure we are on point.

My nature is (unfortunately) extremely analytical; i like to make sure i have all sides of a discussion before i make an opinion, it also helps me debunk certain positions is i fully understand what they are saying! I’d rather go to the original sources cited to find out the complete picture. Admittedly, i have been called a little obsessive about this issue, but it is what it is.

In this case my comments are not directed generally across this issue, but specifically on the information in the OP posted article.

The first skim of the article makes its content seem more than reasonable and completely on point. I simply believe that on the information i found concerning the specific contents of the actual lawsuits behind this article make that content not so clear cut, as i explained in a previous post. And in this very specific case there may be call to questions the hard line approach of these two archdioceses.

If as a Catholic i can find something to question by looking a little deeper- i worry that it makes it so much easier for those who oppose the Church’s response to these cases to go and run rampant with justifiable criticism, and hence goes the vicious circle of media frenzy against the Church.

Maybe I am more optimistic than i should be about human nature.

I simply believe that more people will listen to our thoughts and reporting on this issue if we don’t hand them the opportunity to attack us for “manipulating facts” (not my words a paraphrase from sites that attack this particular article off the web) in our reporting to make headline. This detracts from what we are saying. I believe someone who can’t argue factually on our content may not agree with us, but will respect us for having the moral fortitude not to play the media game. And this itself, will then bring them to question their perceptions of the Catholic Church.

…
I have found all the information put on this thread by other posters very useful and informative. I have read as much as i can. It all raises very valid points that need addressing i just don’t want to misunderstood that i don’t mean my remarks to be taken beyond this particular article.

 

[JimG]

I should have included this link to a Dorothy Rabinowitz interview on “Booknootes” with Brian Lamb. Here it is: booknotes.org/Watch/175675-1/Dorothy+Rabinowitz.aspx

In this interview she discusses her book “No Crueler Tyrannies,” concerning many cases of false conviction with respect to child sex molestation cases. The most famous involved child daycare workers, but there were others. The most remarkable aspect of these cases is that the crimes alleged did not happen, yet the accused were convicted and sent to prison for very long sentences.

Ms. Rabinowitz at one point in the interview, when discussing the “evidence” says this:
“I saw what the jury did not see.”

What she saw were the complete transcripts and audiotapes of the interviews of children, who mostly did not say what the prosecutors wanted them to say. When they finally said something the prosecutors could use, it was that tiny, and usually imaginary, piece, which was seized upon. It was the ONLY piece that the jurors heard.

It is much easier than one might expect for prosecutors to filter evidence, and to obtain wrongful convictions.

Her book has nothing to do with allegations against priests. She did however, write a piece about Fr. Gordon MacRae, called “A Priest’s Story,” which can be found here:
prayergear.com/prieststory.html

Father MacRae’s own writings can be found here: thesestonewalls.com/gordon-macrae/when-priests-are-falsely-accused-part-1-the-mirror-of-justice-cracked/