Joe 58593:
I admit I don’t have nearly enough information on the above to really make any statement, but I’d be willing to bet the same is true for many people.
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Not necessarily. And I think that it would be a hard thing to really prove one way or the other. Bishops necessarily rely on other people to do all the work they have to do (especially in large dioceses like Boston or Los Angeles).
Did people in the Church committ heinous acts and make poor prudential decisions? Absolutely. So what else is new?
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It isn’t gossip to say the the Archdiocese of Portland’s settlement with some of the abused victims, and reorganization under bankruptcy has happened.
I have personal experience with the problem; My first parish priest here was a monsignor – a title not gotten lightly – who was accused of covering up what happened in the media.
In reality he was a man who had to deal with parishoners who took his furniture when he placed it too close to the St. Vincent DePaul box during house cleaning and who still had a calm conversation with the person(s) who took it.
Did he know? He was the right hand man of the bishop at the time. When the scandal broke his health failed, and he died shortly thereafter. Was he a bad man – by no means, if he erred in judgement – it is because he thought better of people than he should. His fondest activity was to garden, and do as he was told.
During the 90’s (yes the 80’s-1990’s) pedophile priests were still being moved around long after that monsignor had left his post – he was retired, and the only thing he wanted to do was say mass – and open the door for those who wished eucharistic adoration.
So, to those thinking it is the people under the bishop – well – I’d have to agree. But not one or two really bad ones, rather it is a problem of several people who had a different view of shame and forgiveness and the fear of media exposure.
When someone repents, and the law does not technically require you to turn them in – then what does a priest decide?
There is another thought here – I have spoken to a rather famous deacon in these parts (name witheld) who’s activities in law enforcement tend to make him talk like law enforcement. I asked him if he thought a pedophile could be cured – He said NO he has NEVER seen ONE CASE. It was fun to tell him who my parish priest used to be – the face change was awesome. He later replied with a feeble comment about learning from but not really liking lawers.
I looked at him and said, “I think I know what you mean.”
Do I feel betrayed? YES.
I also asked him about my sister in law who at the time was beating her live in lover – he refused to believe it because “women” don’t act that way.
I used to live next to an ex prison guard who was illegally fired by the police Department of Portland. She was living (of all things) with an ex-convict because she was financially devistated.
My wife and I were next door – first married – one day, the prision guard thought her room-mate had taken some cash – Talk about violent!
P.S. Soon after she won her case against the city and she bought a custom license plate which says “TYPPD” – the first two are Thank You. Guess the rest.
Needless to say, what the good deacon spoke to me, and reality are two different things.
At the time these things happened in the church, and colleges, and high schools, the priests involved were sent to therapy. Some of them (alcoholics mostly) were shipped south to California to be “dried out” after doing some rather irresponsible and violent activities – one of the major reasons I left college at the time – but not the church 13+ years ago.
Were most of these priests in parish work – No.
The pedophile priest at my parish had taught music at a Catholic High School – and that’s where most of his victims were. He apologized to one and essentially gave damning evidence on tape to one of the victims.
Look up who was archbishop of Portland in the 80’s and 90’s – where is he now?
It is quite easy to find out. He isn’t in charge of an archdiocese – per se.
Is it his fault? – there are direct quotes from the archdiocese saying to the effect – we don’t know how that pedophile was put in charge of a parish. The tape recorded conversation explains how it happened – go find the transcription of it.
Is the tape recorded conversation accurate? You bet. Was the priest repentant?
He went to therapy, at least.
I agree that if a bishop knowingly participated in such a coverup, he should be removed. It would certainly be better for him not to be in charge of a whole diocese of souls. …
Why? Did the bishop really do anything wrong, or was he being merciful because psychiatrists thought sex offenders could be cured and didn’t recognize the risk of his decision politically? ( Hindsight is 20/20 ).
God bless you, I think your post is the most reasonable of all those on this thread – you don’t underplay the suffering of victims, nor overplay the requirements of apology of the superiors.
Accuser X will look the other way when he sees the vast majority of saintly clergy, and attempt to prop up the exceptions as the norm.
Looking at my post, I see I did not make myself clear - I was repeated the comments of one of the victims/family members - it was not my comment. I’ve seen similiar ones today - saying that it’s the victims who are shamed. Many people are still very upset. They feel the Church as tried to ignore the problem as much as possible and that this reflects their (the hierarchy’s) belief that the Church is more important than its members.
