The Other Innocent Victims

[commenter]

Nine priests have died by suicide after false claims of abuse, says cleric who was also wrongly accused

NINE priests who were wrongly accused of abuse have died by suicide, a cleric who was the subject of false accusations has claimed.

www.irishnews.com

In my diocese there seems to be mobs glued to the media, practically lurching with a noose around every rectory and the cathedral, eager to believe every rumor and accusation, which they pass on with gusto. Formerly recognized sins, such as calumny, detraction, slander, are so common they are no longer recognized.

 

[Hereiam]

Formerly recognized sins, such as calumny, detraction, slander, are so common they are no longer recognized.

Agreed. Yet we have to walk a fine line and must be careful that one sin is not used for justification of another.

 

[Zaccheus]

Innocent children were made victims. Now it’s innocent men–priests and bishops who suffer for the sins others committed.
The Devil is the Father of Lies. The lie is his weapon of choice. He comes to rob and kill and destroy.

Pray for the victims.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

The question on my mind is, how are these priests getting into a situation where someone might accuse them of abuse?
A priest I know recently recounted how some years ago, an altar server didn’t have a ride home and in order to give this kid a ride he had to round up two other adults and all three of them drive the child home in order to follow the policy. If priests are following these types of policies, then it would keep them from even being credibly accused, I would think.

I can understand a falsely accused person being driven to suicide, but unfortunately many people will see that and assume the priest was guilty on the basis that innocent people don’t commit suicide. A number of priest suicides in the USA have involved priests with multiple accusations, a lot of evidence against them, charges or a conviction - they didn’t look innocent.

 

[commenter]

The question on my mind is, how are these priests getting into a situation where someone might accuse them of abuse?

A few decades ago, not just on the Church but everywhere, there were far fewer precautions. A public school teacher, a scout leader, might well be in situations they would not put themselves on now

I once worked in sex abuse investigation. Allegations are far, far more common than you may think.

Almost all receive no publicity. A priest accused, even with no credible evidence at all, is treated worse than most offenders with proven cases.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Yes, but the priest in the article was accused in 2008.

 

[pnewton]

It is of no comfort to the family of these priests, but the one who bore false witness will have the blood of that priest on his hands, as if he had killed him out right. Bearing false witness is a mortal sin and one of the Ten Commandments for good reason.