The following editorial first appeared in the Seattle Times:
After decades of silence, deceit and settlements, the Roman Catholic Church’s sexual-abuse scandal might finally be headed where it truly belongs, U.S. criminal courts.
Church leadership has been granted extraordinary latitude in handling epic cases of sexual assault against children who put their innocence and trust in religious figures who violated them, sometimes for years. Again and again, bishops invested more loyalty in the clergy responsible for the assaults than in the people in the pews.
Last week, a $166 million settlement was announced for victims abused by Jesuit priests on Northwest tribal lands and in remote Alaskan villages. Affirmation of their suffering and belated accountability for their exploiters will mean as much as the eventual financial payouts.
But real progress came across the country in Philadelphia, where a judge approved requests by the district attorney to move ahead in a case involving accusations of rape and conspiracy involving clergy, and a subsequent cover-up by a senior church official.
In a related development, The New York Times reports a grand jury in Philadelphia found as many as 37 priests accused of sexual abuse or inappropriate behavior were allowed to continue serving in the priesthood. The church’s local review boards were in the dark about the failures to adhere to decade-old guidelines that came out of a horrific scandal in Boston.
In the U.S. and elsewhere, the church was given authority and deference it did not deserve and repeatedly violated in the handling of cases that date back decades. Instances of abuse are still being revealed. Unconscionable acts with injurious results have been met with the most hypocritical behavior.
The church’s response has amounted to an international cover-up for heinous acts from California to Connecticut, as well as Australia, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, Ireland and Germany.
Worldwide the pattern has been to hide the truth, mount counterattacks about Catholic bashing and stall.
The outside world did not sully a sacred vocation. No more operating above the law. Turn those accused of assault and abuse over to secular authorities. Send the guilty to jail.
Comments (2)
Add commentWholeheartedly agree!
Churches are not above the law. Time to repeal tax breaks for these multi-billion dollar corporations as well.
Thank you Juneau Empire for
Thank you, Juneau Empire, for picking up this editorial. Society cannot in good conscience believe that the Catholic Church will implement any changes that minimize their power and influence. This editorial highlights what is needed: pro-active, aggressive prosecution not sympathetic listening to failed promises and coy wound licking from prelates and parishioners.
After all, this just came in yesterday from Harford, CT: The Catholic Church is reversing its support for a bill (Senator Beth Bye, D-West Hartford) that would remove the statute of limitations for child rape. The senator asked the Catholic representative, Michael Culhane of the Connecticut Catholic Conference, why no other organization except the Catholic Church was opposing this bill. He replied that he "didn't know." Oh, really Mr. Culhane?
Is this obfuscation an example of Catholic "repentance"? No, it is an example of the Catholic hierarchy's intentions to fight, fight, and fight until the last soul accepts their so-called authority regardless of their crimes. They have a mandate and time, historically, has been on their side.
The editorial is spot on about stalling. I will never forget a dinner I once had at the Canton House with a late bishop, less than a year before he died. We talked candidly (as was his nature) about a variety of subjects. Finally, he despaired and was exasperated when we talked about how long real change takes to come out of the Vatican. He told me, "Michael, the Church has nothing but time." We both sighed.
I am embarrassed to have once belonged to this despicable, archaic, superstitious and now obviously, criminal institution. Objecting to a bill about lifting the statute of limitations for child rape? I invite lay Catholics to consider if their own good works have meaning without a Catholic imprimatur saying so. And if so, why do you continue to fill their collection plates? Fear?
Mike