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2004
January 1, 2004
Well, the first day of the year
and I get a phone call from Don “Donnie” DiRusso from Florida. He
had to tell me that he was his aunt’s funeral- Mrs. Dora Bizzatto-
in Westminster. It seemed that after the funeral at St. Edwards his
other aunt-Mrs. Evelyn Delmonico-started telling people in her about
“him” (Fr. Kardas. She was telling about the article in the
newspaper-last February- about McCormick being interviewed by
Kathleen A. Shaw. He said that his Aunt Evelyn was blistering about
me with very strong comments that were “very favorable.”
I told Donne about the article
in that there was nothing new then what was printed in 1995. But,
Evelyn was on a vendetta run with her husband Ralph Delmonico. Let’s
not forget, Ralph was the guy in 1993 going up and down Main
Street-literally-telling everyone that would listen that I stole
$40,000 from the parish. (He was the guy that used to be a “Sunday
Mass Collection” with the long handles poking parishioners taking up
the collection and holding-up the back wall by the main church door
during Mass-refusing to be part of the assembly. These two-Evelyn
and Ralph-had attitude incorporated not only with the church but in
general. They were not fun people to have for breakfast.
But what this did show by the
last February article and clergy media reporting that there was a
“trashing” as one priest told me. It was over and over again and
continued on.
January 5, 2004
I watched a one hour special on
cable of NECN entitled “Father Paul Shanley-Crisis in the Church. I
watched how Shanley was presented as being penury with his court
appearance and interviews. He was shown in an extreme light and
often giggly frugality. Obviously, it was not a positive picture
given in the program. One has to remember that in the early 70s;
Shanley was known as the “Street Priest” in Boston and was lamented.
Here it is 30 years later and the media is feasting on a totally
different presentation.
January 6, 2004
I received a phone call from
“Father Peacock” to ask me to get something to eat before I attend
my Tuesday AA meeting.
What was peculiar was Tuesdays
he was gone on his “day-off.” I always realized he had an angle
working whenever I would get a phone call from him. I know this
sounds paranoid, but I don’t think I am that far-off on this guy.
He proceeded to tell me that he
called Fr. John Paul Gagnon (Administrative Leave). He said he spoke
with him for some period of time. He bluntly said to me that he does
not want to have the dinner that he was hoping to have at his
rectory with 3 or 4 other priest on Administrative Leave with him
hosting the group-included me. I just listened. There was something
else going on where he didn’t want to be identified with this
special undertaking on his part-gathering the “wayward bother
priest.”
I wondered about this whole
thing. What was “Father Peacock” true motive? Thinking about it, he
most of hear from Gagnon that another priest was becoming the
liaison with priest on Administrative Leave (Fr. George Riddick).
“Father Peacock” only did things in the Church to become a
Monsignor. I believe that he thought by getting such a position, he
would have his last chance because of his age to become that
“Monsignor.” There was a reason for that spe9ial dinner being
canceled by him. Father Gagnon was one that knew all the priest
gossip that was not fit to print in the diocese.
I really did min that this was
big cancelled. This was not a group that I would hang-around with
overall besides priestly meetings.
This same meal the conversation
turned somehow where I said: Isn’t it peculiar that my case is
similar toyshop Harrington’s drunk driving accident with a teenager
being seriously hurt in the other vehicle. “Father Peacock” snapped
back at me: “”Your case was sex.” I responded that my case was only
an allegation, not an actual account of Harrington’s fact (slipped
away from the accident by the police department). Nothing more was
said. Actually, the silence was dealing. But, he did come back with:
“No one will fire your case-up because they are fearful of getting
sued.” This was the fear and control factor that “Father Peacock”
would use at times. This occurred mainly when times that he was
frustrated or possibly me coming too close to another issue in his
background. It was very oblivious with his face becoming red with
anger. It was as though the “Ugly American” model of late using
others in an individualistic super-cognitive dualistic manner.
This is like the words in the
song Hotel California: “You can sing out anytime, but you can never
leave.” A number of times, I had people tell me to leave. Where I
responded, it is my vocation you are talking about. I had to realize
that it was “smoking minors” trying to explain to certain
individuals-they really didn’t want to see what it really was.
January 7, 2004
The Sentinel & Enterprise
and the Worcester Telegram & Gazette carried practically the
same front page story on the Worcester Diocese Sex Abuse Audit.
The Sentinel & Enterprise
story “Diocese lauded for abuse outreach: Critics say audit is
superficial, doesn’t address she root of the problem.” Matt O’Brien
reports: “Worcester-An audit found the Worcester Catholic Diocese in
full compliance with the 2002 Dallas Charter on clergy sexual abuse,
a set of mandatory guidelines set forth by the U.S Catholic bishops.
“Church leaders in Worcester
County celebrated Tuesday findings, which praised the diocese for
its outreach work to protect children from sexual abuse, while
critics lambasted the assessment as superficial.
“ ‘The gave themselves a good
report card,’ said Ann Hagan Webb, a New England coordinator for the
Survivors Network of those Abuse by Priests, as she learned about
the national results. ‘They hired auditors that the picked.’
“The review led by two former
FBI officials working for Boston-based contractors, the Gavin Group,
commended the Worcester Diocese for its ‘openness and transparency
in dealing with issues of sexual abuse of minors.’
“The auditors, in a report
released Tuesday also praised the diocese for the ‘protection
involvement’ of a diocesan review committee that began in Worcester
10 years before the Boston clergy abuse crisis erupted…”1
This same day, in addition the
Worcester Telegram & Gazette printed the story “Dioceses
follow abuse reforms.” Denise Lavoie of The Associated Press writes:
“The archdiocese at the epicenter of the clergy sex abuse scandal is
complying with reforms put in place by the U.S. Conference of
Catholic Bishops, according to a report released yesterday.
“Some sex abuse victims and
their advocates said the report, which measured compliance wit a
policy established by the bishops in June 2002, was flawed because
bishops themselves had to much control over the review process.
“The audit praised the Boston
Archdiocese for an aggressive outreach program, which has included
sponsoring a national conference of mental health processionals to
deal with issues related to sex abuse by priests.
“Investigators also commended
Boston for its efforts to give 200,000 churches and school workers,
including priest ‘safe environment’ training to identify and present
abuse, and for establishing a support group for the parents of
people who have been abuse by priests.
“Dioceses in Springfield,
Worcester and Fall River also were found to be in compliance.
“The auditors made
recommendations in seven areas where they said archdiocese had not
gone far enough. Included in those was a call for the church to
better publicize the procedures for filing complaints of clergy sex
abuse, and that the archdiocese should establish a record-keeping
system to document all allegations of abuse reported to state
Attorney Thomas F. Reilly.
“In July, Reilly released a
scathing report saying that 250 Boston-area priests and church
workers had probably molested as many as 1,000 people between 1940
and 2000.
“In their report, the auditors
said Boston had complied with five of the seven recommendations as
of Dec. 1,2003…Some said bishops had too much control over how the
audit was conducted. Auditors were unable to review personal files
that would verify whether bishops were complaining with a ban on
transferring offenders frame diocese to another. The bishops
recommended who the auditors should interview.
“‘Essentially, they
picked the auditors, they chose what to show them,’ said Ann Hagan
Webb, co-coordinator for the New England chapter of the Survivors
Network of Those Abused by Priests.”2
January 9, 2004
We get the same story working
on the front page of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette but by
another reporter than Shaw and Nangle. Luttrell’s story is “Local
diocese reform steps commended: Audit commends diocese” states:
“Worcester-An audit showing that 90 percent of the country’s
dioceses were complying with reforms put in place by the U.S.
Conference of Catholic Bishops commended the Diocese of Worcester
for taking steps to protect young people from clergy sexual abuse.
“The audit, done largely by
former FBI agent, commended the diocese for being in full compliance
with the reforms and offered no instructions or recommendations for
further measures.
“Mary T. Jean of Worcester
Voice, an activist who works with victims of clergy abuse, said the
audit was self-serving and showed no new efforts on behalf of
victims.
“Diocese spokesman Raymond L.
Delise disagreed, as did the head of the auditing firm.
“The audit, by the Gavin Group
Inc., looked at how 195 dioceses around the country complied with
the Chapter for the Protection of Children and Young People, drafted
in June 2002 by the Conference of Catholic Bishops in response to
the pedophile priest crisis.
“ ‘The audit process and the
resulting report underscore that we are committed to healing and
restoring trust by demonstrating our support for both letter and the
spirit of the charter,’ Bishop Daniel P. Reilly, bishop of the
Diocese of Worcester, said in a prepared statement.
“The Diocese of Worcester was
audited as part of the first group of dioceses, from June 23 to
27.the diocese comprises 126 parishes and 26 schools, has 244
priests and 76 deacons serving a population of 390,657 Catholics,
the report says.
“Among areas the audit examined
was the exclusion from ministry of priests and others found guilty
of abuse; conducting background checks on employees, priests and
volunteers and volunteers on how to identify abuse.
“The diocese was commended for
the ‘excellence of the Diocese’s communications policy and
procedures reflecting the bishop’s commitment to openness and
transparency in dealing with issues of sexual abuse of minors,’ the
report states…”3
It is interesting to watch
these reports and the PR issue by the Church. It gets: Who’s on
first and what’s on second. The issue at hand is lost in the word
game.
January 10, 2004
This day we get in the “Local
News” of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette a story by Kathleen
A. Shaw “Legal bills and cemetery costs put diocese in the red.” She
writes: “Worcester-The Diocese of Worcester finished its fiscal year
with a loss of about $800,000, which included major deficits in the
cemetery system and a payout of more that #325,000 for legal fees
and other cost related to allegations of clergy sexual abuse.
“In the fiscal year that ended
Aug. 31, the diocese also had to take more than $288,000 from the
central administration fund to make up for a shortfall in the
Bishop’s Fund.
“The diocese released its
annual financial statement yesterday. Raymond L. Delisle, diocesan
spokesman, said expense exceeded income by $793,996.
“The bulk of money that went to
the central administration fund came from the cathedratiucum, which
is a tax on proceeds from parish collections that go directly to the
diocese. It is assessed according to canon law throughout the
worldwide Roman Catholic Church to provide money to dioceses. In
this diocese, the tax is 7 percent…”4
What I find interesting is a
reporter like Shaw is taking this annual report and making
statements that one has to interpret in context and questions: What
does any one figure “truly” represent. The best one that I heard
when I was taking the “new pastors” course at Anna Maria College
where the professor on economics had the annual diocesan report from
the printing of the Catholic Free Press saying time and time again
on figures: I’m not sure what this figure means? So, drawing that
the diocese ran 2003 in the “red” in regards to what overall factor?
I know that one would say: “Red” means money in deficit nature-
losing money.
My case was settled in 1998 by
the diocese. So, the monies paid out for priest sex abuse figure
would not be included in this 2003 financial report. Therefore, one
had to watch where the lines are in such money matters.
January 14, 2004
The cartoon “B.C.” this day in
the newspaper had “You know” machine giving “Chin answer”: “You know
your trail is heading south when your lawyer objects to your
swearing to tell the truth and nothing but the truth.”5
When I read this in the
Worcester Telegram & Gazette, I, immediately, recalled how my
civil lawyer called me to say: You’re case has been settled. I was
shocked because I never was actually able to give my whole story and
tell the “truth.” The truth was that I never molested these two
girls that claimed that I allegated or anyone for that matter. I was
never given an opportunity to defend myself or for that matter make
those statements besides in my deposition. The case was settled
without my agreeing to settle the suits or anything else. I was,
only, told by Attorney Carey: It is over. I recall saying to him:
What is over?
Oh! This is the second
anniversary of my last contact with anything with my
bishop-appointment at Chancery with Bishop Reilly. This was the
meeting that I asked for help with my “rent” and gave him the list
of “Stolen items from the rectory.” It reminded that I was given a
positive confirmation of hope and list being addressed-end of story
on Reilly’s political part.
What I did notice, again, was
while writing my “journal” and text that my shoulder became tight
and I was feeling more tense than usual. I went outside for my
three-mile walk (approx. 60 min.) to clear my head and find a means
of relaxation in this walking. But, my body was sore at the
shoulders. I kept reminding myself in the walk to relax.
January 15, 2004
“Therapists confer to help
abuse victims: Archbishop says counseling needed” appeared in this
day’s issue of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. Denise
Lavoie of The Associated Press writes: “Newton-Nearly 200 social
workers, psychologist another mental health professionals from a
dozen states came to the epicenter of the clergy sex abuse crisis
yesterday for a groundbreaking conference aimed at finding the best
methods for treating victims of clergy abuse.
“Many of the speakers at the
conference were nationally known experts in treating child sexual
abuse, but they readily acknowledged that clergy sex abuse is a
relative new area for them and one that requires specialized
treatment.
“ ‘We know very little about
the impact of clergy sexual abuse,’ which is different in ‘important
and fundamental ways’ from sexual child abuse, said Terrace Keane, a
professor of psychiatry at the Boston University school of Medicine
and director of The National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder.
“The conference was
co-sponsored by Boston College and the Archdiocese of Boston. The
clergy sex abuse scandal erupted two years ago in Boston with
revelations that church officials had shuffled pedophile priest John
J. Geoghan fro parish to parish even after learning of abuse
allegations against him.
“The scandal widened after
internal church documents showed that dozens of priest were
similarly protected after the church received abuse allegations
against them. The scandal spread to dioceses across the country as
more and more victims came forward to say they were abused by
priests as children…”6
A couple of points must be
recognized as the crisis of the last two year begins to ask: What
was happening to me in 1993? The other point of the “scandal
spread…more and more victims came foreword” is only beginning more
questions: Why now? Do you mean to say that no one spoke out but
when one realized, as the experts say-a new phenomena – we have
people connecting dots to get what we have now. Where would money
play into the formula or agenda against the Roman Catholic Church in
its teachings?
January 16, 2004
John L. Allen, Jr. writes this
day in the National Catholic Reporter with “The Word from
Rome: Rome greets audit with appreciation, reservations.” He writes:
“On Jan. 6, the W.S, bishops issued the first of three
much-anticipated reports on she sex abuse crisis. The report
presented was an audit of American dioceses on their compliance with
the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People adopted
by the bishops in Dallas in June 2002. The report found that 90
percent of dioceses are in basic compliance, a result that player to
largely positive comment in the American press; although victims’
groups argued that since the auditors worked for the bishop it was
not a credible probe…
“At the same time, however,
officials continued to voice reservations about some aspects of the
American approach.
“For one thing,
officials told me, it’s still unclear to them what ‘sexual abuse’
means in the American context. Thus if the John Jay report lists ‘X
number of incidents in Y years,’ these officials will wonder what
the criteria were for classifying something as an ‘incident.’ This
becomes a particularly acute problem if one review board in one
diocese decides that a given behavior constitutes sexual abuse and
thus a priest is removed for life, while I another diocese similar
behavior triggers no disciplinary consequences (What if your bishop
had a drunken driving accident of a teen bodily harm?)
“Second, some
officials still question the ‘zero tolerance’ policy itself which
stipulates that a priest will be revoked from ministry for life for
even one incident of sexual abuse of a minor. These officials
believe that in cases of a less serious offense in the distant past,
priest would, at least in some instances, be able to resume a
ministry.
“A related concern has
to do with due process rights. One hears horror stories in the
Vatican about priest who have been suspended as a result of an
accusation, and then ‘cut off’ by their bishops, with no further
communication and hence no chance for their day in court (Try me
and my story. What I find interesting was that my case was not the
only one that was “cut off.” Rome was aware of the operations of
their bishops and realized how heavy handed some cases were. Yet, I
became a statistic overall.)
“Finally, some Vatican
officials continue to express reservations about the role of the
National Review Board, especially the concept that laity are
exercising a sort of ill-defined authority over bishops
(Shut-out).”7
This one of those rare
times that I read anything of what has happened to me by the
isolation of my situation and the Worcester Chancery “Goon” Squad. I
wondered: What if we-priest- had the Priests’ “Union” functioning?
Another article in
this same issue “Audit avoids basic question: Why? Report measured a
bureaucratic response to a bureaucratic solution, says expert on
abuse crisis” by Fr. Thomas Doyle. He writes: “The lengthily and
detailed report on the implementation of the Charter for the
Protection of Children and Young People contains much to commend it.
There seems little doubt that hits is a good ‘first step’ but it is
far from the end of the road. These bishops and others who believe
that the institutional church and the bishops have turned the corner
are sadly mistaken. While the repots reflects definite progress, the
deficiencies loom and must be both acknowledged and someday
addressed if the so-called ‘corner’ is ever to be reached and the
end of the road-a church of openness, trust and compassing led by a
majority of leaders with similar virtues-is to be seen.
“The
major problem with this report and the prices it describes is that
it seems primarily geared toward re-establishing the lost
credibility of the bishops rather than getting at the root cause of
the sex abuse nightmare and thereby effectively dealing with the
many painful aspects of this nightmare. True, the report examines
the norms of the charter in great detail and at times makes
realistic and pointed observations followed by good recommendations.
The problem is that the entire endeavor only scratched the surface
and this, by design. The purpose of the audit process was to
determine compliance with the charter which tells very little of the
total clergy abuse story. The report is certain to disappoint and
anger victims, survivors, their families and loved one, their
supporters and many other laity, clergy and religious who have been
waiting for an adequate organizational response to this terrible
dark night of Cathol-icism’s corporate soul…The rot of the problem
is not a few thousand dysfunctional clerics. It is far deeper than
that…”8
This is the Father Doyle that
the media credits for started to make public the priests’ sex abuse
crisis in the United States when he was working the Vatican Embassy
in Washington. Doyle was practically “exiled” because he then became
an Air Force Chaplin in Germany.
I received a belated
Christmas-picture card from David Laughrea in California. David knew
me from my first assignment at St. George’s and corresponded
annually with a Christmas card. This year he wrote: “I found out
from my mother and father that you are retired.” This is how certain
people out here have me classified. What I wondered was where did
his father-Jim- get that type of information to tell his son?
January 20, 2004
I have experienced my good
times to write and not so good even at times, I am unable to turn my
computer on to do my book or journal. I call this experience my
“roller-coaster ride” with the ups and downs of life in general.
What I noticed previously and
experience time and again that I am struggling with emotional ups
and downs that I try to adapt where I try to not carry on my daily
routine.
I do experience at times when I
recall a phrase or thought that I recall when I may have been laying
in bed during the night. I was at a point of taking a slip of paper
and pen on my night table to jot it on paper. I’ve changed that
routine because I had to discipline myself to say “sleep time is
sleep time.”
I want to finish writing my
book section and wanting to do this now to move on to project-novel
writing. I noticed that my writing is more objective and rational
style. I have a rhythm going at this time. When I write I try to
block-in a plan of 2 or 4 hour bracket.
January 25, 2004
Now here is a story that is
something we do not have in Worcester Diocese. The closest of
anything as such was in the early 70s with Bishop Flanagan, as the
Ordinary, of a “Priest Association (Union).” It only lasted five
year, mainly due to the fact that it consisted of “curates”
(Associate Pastors). I was a member and recall that Monsignor
Manning and Father Rueger would not even talk at meal time in the
rectory at St. Georges, Worcester. What was peculiar was our bishop
(Flanagan) allowed the “union” to function. The pastors were the
issue. It was a definite need for a “rights” issue. But, it had a
fast-death because the members were experiencing rectory
difficulties-living with the absolute pastor model. It was an
interesting experience that eventually had Rueger be my “executor”
as auxiliary bishop-Harrington’s lap dog.
So, the Worcester Telegram &
Gazette prints this day “Clerical group struggling: Boston
Priests’ Forum trying to define its purpose” by Jay Lindsay of The
Associated Press.
“The article reads: “Boston-A
pioneering group that gained prominence during the sex abuse crisis
as a voice for long-silent clergy is struggling to define its
purpose even as some priests criticize it as divisive and barley
functioning.
“The Boston Priests’ Forum got
its start as a place for clergy to socialize and support each other
and soon found itself rallying around a single issue-concern about
the handling of the church abuse scandal by Cardinal Bernard F. Law.
“Now, a year after Law
resigned, the forum finds itself caught between retuning to its
roots as a fraternal organization or developing the pubic voice it
found during the height of the crisis, said the Rev. Robert W.
Bullock, the group’s president.
“The forum might best serve
priests as an independent vice, but that could also cause major
discord, said the Rev. Thomas A. Mahoney, the group’s treasurer.
“‘That’s why this is a
difficult crossroads to come to,’ he said.
“The Boston Priests’ forum was
founded in 2001 by three priests who began meeting over dinner to
discuss the theology and chronic problems of the priesthood, such as
isolation and overwork.
‘When the abuse scandal broke
in January 2002, group leaders took on a role as a public voice for
clerics who saw church elders as unresponsive to their concerns
about false accusations and plummeting morale…”9
This is the unanswerable
question in my case and I image many others: What if? We will never
know. The hierarchy made sure of that.
January 23, 2004
I came across an interesting
thought in my writing of my manuscript: Sermon style for weekend
liturgies-If you have a comfortable Jesus in you life agenda, it is
not Jesus. Most interesting to have this renewed thought to carry
in the memory bank.
January 28, 2004.
I noticed that writing my
manuscript that I was, another explanation, going through a yo-yo
emotional feelings. I had found it difficult this day and last few
weeks difficult to write, mainly because of related newspaper
stories of late.
January 30, 2004
At times, I felt as though I
was being treating as a ‘welfare case.” I was doing non-priestly
work. But, I had the impression that some people think I didn’t do
anything but get a monthly “salary.” I actually have been told that
I didn’t do anything. Oh? I would get very defensive at times with
this when asked: What have you been doing?
Finally, I became somewhat
smart and developed a standard response: I have a daily routine that
is quite extensive. I realized that manuscript work and writing
wasn’t substituted for living. I was trying to live a normal life
pattern as conditions have been established.
One conversation that I had
with a former parishioner made the remark to me that when a new
bishop comes to Worcester that he would bet me doing something back
in the Church. I didn’t have this hope. I was somewhat resolved to
functioning with my priesthood was going to be in” the cave.” I
think I was pragmatic enough to keep a focus on doing the best with
the conditions that were in my area of living. There were forces
that were pushing me to get a “real life.” But, overall, the
vocation issue of my priesthood was the key to my personhood.
January 31, 2004
The Worcester Telegram &
Gazette front page story in large headlines gives us this day
“Report on clergy abuse released: Conte responds to public concern:
Statements from 113 victims used to investigations.” Roger Leo of
the Telegram & Gazette Staff reports: “Worcester-To assure the
public that has office has followed evidence of clergy sexual abuse
wherever it leads, District Attorney John J. Conte yesterday
released a report of investigation that began in February 2002 and
continue today.
“Mr. Conte’s report showed 17
clerics have been charged with criminal sexual abuse since 1985 and
eight others were to criminally charged but have been removed from
ministry.
“Ten of the accused priests
were charged between 1985 and the mid-1990s, while seven others have
been charged as a result of an ongoing investigation that began in
2002; one of those seven has pleaded guilty and one was found not
guilty. The cases of the other five are ongoing.
“The report also showed that
allegations of a clergy sexual abuse peaked in 1979, when 56
offenses wee alleged, and dropped precipitously after 1989.
“Explaining the unusual step of
releasing information about on-going investigations, the report
titled ‘Report on Clergy Cases January 2004,’ states: ‘This report
is essential to respond to widespread pubic concern about
allegations of sexual abuse by members of the clergy.
“ ‘This information is provided
to encourage victims to come forward, assist victims at
understanding the investigative process, and assure the public that
this office has been following the evidence wherever it leads… To
date, the report states, 113 victims have provided statements to
state police investigators or local police, while another 18 victims
have declined to give statements sot investigate…
“Statements taken to date
(Chart): statements resulting in charges-35; statements asserting
claim barred by statue of limitations-58; statements asserting fact
that do not constitute criminal conduct-4; statements that require
further investigation-7; statements asserting claims that are
outside the Middle District jurisdiction-4; statements asserting
claims against deceased persons-3; statements in which victims
decline to cooperate with prosecution-2; total statements taken to
date-113 (Source: Office of the District Attorney).”10
January/February 2004
The Atlantic Monthly
issue this month had an article by Father Andrew Greeley “Young
Fogy’s: Young reactionaries, aging radicals-the U.S. Catholic Church
unusual clerical divide.” He writes: “The divisions created by
Vatican II are not new, of course. Caught up in the reform euphoria
that followed the council, the lower clergy and the laity almost
immediately developed a new ideology based on respect for women and
for the freedom (including the sexual freedom) of the laity. On
these matters, quietly or loudly, the laity and the lower clergy did
resist the teachings of the Church.
“The backlash was swift, Church
leaders realizing that reform had slipped out of their control, grew
increasingly convinced of the need for Restoration-a movement n
which the upper clergy would close ranks and reassert their
authority. Newly appointed bishops would restore the rules;
theologians who disagreed would be silenced; and, as much as
possible, the old order would be re-established. Even some of the
progressives of the council, frightened by the laity’s exuberant
interest in change and by the declining influence of the Church in
the United States, lost their nerve and joined in the call for a
Restoration. Today’s young conservative priests are rallying to the
call.
“Who are these young
counter-revolutionaries? Several studies are helpful in answering
this question: a 1970 National Opinion study (with which I was
involved); two studies released by the Los Angeles Times, in
1994 and 2oo2; and a 2002 study by the sociologist Dean R. Hoges.
Hoge’s The First Five Years of the Priesthood: A Study of Newly
Ordained Catholic Priests is particularly useful. Hoge reports
that half the newly ordained priests are fundamentally different
from layperson-that he is literally a man apart. Hoge also reports
that almost a third of these priests feel that the laity need to be
‘better educated to respect the authority of the priest’s word.’
These beliefs are strikingly at odds with other of the predominantly
liberal generation of new priests studied in the 1970 NORC survey.
Today’s young priests tend to want to restore the power that the
clergy held not only before Vatican II but also before a large
educated Catholic laity emerged as a powerful force in the Church
after World War II. Older priest today often complain that their
younger colleges are arrogant, pompous, and rigid and that they love
to parade around in clerical dress. The image that comes to mind is
young versions of the old ethnic monsignors of the Depression ear.
“Stark differences exist
between older and younger priest on many major areas of concern
within the Church. The 2002 Los Angeles Times study reveals
that priests of the Vatican II generation overwhelmingly support the
idea that priests should be allowed to marry. In the study 80
percent aged forty-six to sixty-five were in favor, as were 74
percent of those aged sixty-six to seventy-five. Only about half the
priests under thirty-five, however, supported the idea. The study
revealed a clear divide, too, on the ordination of women. Sixty
percent of priest aged fifty-six to sixty-five, and at least half of
those aged forty-six to seventy-five, supported the idea, but only
36 percent of priests under forty-six did. Significantly, even
priests over seventy-five-whose news toll take well before Vatican
II-were slightly more likely to support the marriage of priests and
the ordination of women than were the young priests…”11
I have submitted a significant
amount of print from the article by Greeley to express the great
divide of the “young fogy’s” from my group, ordained in the early
1970s. I even saw this with a young man from St. Edward’s parish,
which was teaching in a Catholic High School, and decided to enter
the priesthood. He was only a lector and would never participate in
anything else in the parish because he was “too busy.” Then, he
would run away. I thought possibly it was a personality issue with
me. So, I asked the parish music director to try to get him involved
with a few projects. He gave the same answer to her. This group of
“young fogy’s” was also known as “sanctuary candle stick polishers.”
They did not mix-it-up with ordinary parishioners.
February 2, 2004
This day the Worcester
Telegram & Gazette prints “Report from DA draws split verdict:
Critics say document lacks details” by Martin Luttrell. He writes:
“”Worcester-Representatives of the Catholic Diocese of Worcester
said a report issued last week by District Attorney John J. Conte
shows that the diocese is working with him to investigate
allegations of pedophile priests, and that the majority of the cases
reported are several years old.
“But advocates for the victims
have misgivings, contending that the district attorney’s report
shows nothing about an investigation into the chancery or how the
clergy abuse problem was allowed to grow.
“ ‘It’s a situation that seems
to have decreased dramatically since 1979,’ said James G. Reardon
Jr., a lawyer for the diocese. He was referring to statistics
complied by the district attorney’s office that showed allegations
of clergy sex abuse peaked at 56 in1079,then feel steadily until
1989, when fewer than 10 cases were alleged to have occurred.
“ ‘I don’t see a lot of these
(victims) coming forward,’ Mr. Reardon said. ‘Most are historical
claims going back 20 years. Something obviously happened to change
the dynamic involved.
“‘Even most of the civil claims
are for allegations more than 20 years ago,’ he continued. ‘The
magnitude of the problem seems to have decreased dramatically. His
statistics bear that out,’ he said of Mr. Conte's report.
“The district attorney’s
investigations began in February 2002 and continue. The report,
released Friday , shows that 17 clerics have been charged with
criminal sexual abuse since 1985 and that eight others were not
criminally charged but have been removed form ministry…”12
I was reading on the Internet a
Catholic segment that reported that the National Catholic
Reporter was going to list “Tracking list of names of clergy
that have been alleged with articles” pertaining to their specifics,
This was a feeling as though I was hit by a punch in my stomach. I
had this experience before that I believe I described as being hit
with a ‘stomach-pit feeling.”
February 5, 2004
Mrs. Connie Rivard died a
massive heart attack at the Westminster Inn pool. I was told she
finished her daily swim and sat on a beach chair and that was it.
Connie was my parish
secretary-did the weekly bulletin- on a totally volunteer bases. She
was doing the bulletin for two other pastors previous to me. She
gave three or four days a week in the office.
She was one person that may
have had the character of New Hampshire old state flag motto: Don’t
thread on me. She was interesting with her questions to me where I
tried to answer them as best as I was able. I believe she knew that.
She was strong natured but very
dedicated to the parish. She did have the knack with her friend to
write letters to the bishop. I mean, she would write “strong”
letters before my time with previous pastors and church situations
and especially when I was removed. She walked with me through a lot
while I was in the parish and after-twice a week went to lunch with
her and Mrs. Vickie Mitchell. They would do their grocery shopping
after lunch. Connie was something. It was good to have her on my
side especially when I was renovating the parish church and building
died the “Faith Community Center.”
I spoke with her the day before
she by phone after I shoveled her walks. Our phone conversation was
my last communication with her. It was a lengthily and nice
conversation of a number of topics.
Connie was precious.
February 6, 2004
I spoke with Attorney Jim
Morarity by phone. It was a general conversation with nothing
specific. We did talk about the priest sex abuse issue. He mentioned
how he noticed that because of Geoghan and Paul Shanley in Boston
that Worcester Diocese was “jumpy and so uptight.” He mentioned that
my case was nothing like the Boston cases. He, also, commented how
the Church was a theocracy and absolute power: “They have all the
cards.” He mentioned how things were not in my control and I had to
be practical. I did respond that I knew I didn’t have any control
over my situation. He said: “It is a mothball situation.”
This reminded how I was taking
a ride with Jack Keena day to NH for his “libation supplies” where
he asked me: “You mean you’re not going to do anything-with the
Worcester Diocese.” I said: “No! Not at this time.” Typical Jack as
a retired salesman had it in his blood to even go into the den of
the devil if it would produce a sale. Jack would rush-in on
situations. I didn’t even go any further with explaining to him
because he was on a different wave length of addressing issues.
Back to Jim, he and I would
speak periodically where he was a parishioner from Westminster. We
would have some interesting “chats.”
I sent a letter to Attorney Ted
Carey in Boston asking for copies of depositions in my case for my
personal file. More times I wanted to check what was said on matters
in my case. I should have requested this immediately in 1995 but did
not believe anything of substance happened in my overall case. Boy!
I was wrong because I now re-read exactly what was said and what
thing were being “frozen” that never were related on my part as
Bishop Harrington treatment and reasons for that conduct.
I was, also, thinking of late
about Bishop Dupre of Springfield (MA) Diocese alleged sex abuse
case by two men some two decades before. I was thinking-did not do-
of sending a note to Rueger saying: He (Dupre) wasn’t lucky as you
were. I would have sent this note with a smiling face of the bottom
of the paper. One huge reason was that Rueger received the
Vatican’s “Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval” of being innocent on
his alleged sex abuse situation.
One of the books that
has been written during this time of upheaval in the Church- Vows
of Silence: The Abuse of Power in the Papacy of John Paul II by
Jason Berry and Gerald Renner and reviewed by Tom Roberts in the
National Catholic Reporter.
Roberts writes: “The church
should read this book not because it contains startling new
revelations and certainly not because it is uplifting or edifying.
It should be read because it will train our focus, in these days of
reports and audits on what we must consider-church leadership and
accountability. It is a must-read because it pulls together, as is
only possible in a reported book of this length, the clear evidence
of how deeply ingrained is the culture of clerical secrecy that
allowed the scandal to flourish. It makes clear that matter how many
new reports and norms are issued, no matter how many Episcopal
apologies are stacked up amid the wreckage of the crisis, the only
real way out of the current mess is to institute bold new mechanisms
for establishing transparency and for holding church leadership
accountable.
“Both Jason Berry and Gerald
Renner are respected journalist whose carriers encompass print and
reporting on myriad subjects but who are probably most widely known
for the groundbreaking work each has done in unearthing the clergy
sex abuse crisis and the culture of clerical secrecy.
“By way of full disclosure,
their work, individually and as a team has appeared in NCR.
Berry’s career is inextricably linked to NCR; his reporting
constituted the major contribution to the earliest reports of the
sex abuse scandal nearly 20 years ago in these pages.
“This book is a dramatic
telling of the deeper story of the sex abuse crisis that has gripped
large segments of the church for the past two decades and that has
hit the elder culture most forcefully in the two years since
publication of The Boston Globe’s investigating pieces. Those
stories led both to a flurry of activity aimed at dealing with the
crisis and the ouster of Cardinal Bernard Law.
“The story is told primarily
through the careers of Dominican Fr. Thomas Doyle, a whistleblower,
who early on urged the bishops to listen to the victims and to stop
hiding abusive priests, and that of Mexican Fr. Marcial Maciel
Degollado, found of the Legion of Christ religious order: Maciel has
been accused of sexually abusing seminarians. Under the norms
enacted in the United States, given such accusations, he would have
been removed from active ministry months ago. However; he remains to
only a priest in good standing but a revered figure in Rome who has
received clear sings of papal approval…”13
What this book does do is show
how there is different strokes for different folks syndrome. I
wonder with the numbers of over 4,00 priest allegated in the United
States, how many stories were that where priest were never heard
from again without a public announcement. There were cases in the
Worcester Diocese. Certain priest just disappeared and no one in the
regular priest population knew anything or would not talk. Most
guys, really, did not know anything. It was a very interesting place
to minister (work) in the 80s and 90s.
February 9, 2004
I wrote a letter to my civil
lawyer in Boston with a simple request: “Dear Attorney Carey, I
would like a copy of each deposition (2) that was taken during the
course of discovery in the matter you represented me. I appreciated
your assistance. If you have any questions, you can reach me at
978-630-2948. Sincerely,…”14
What I, finally, did for I was
to obtain all pertinent legal material concerning my case. It was
time-long overdue- to read the legal facts.
February 11, 2004
I received my weekly issue of
the National Catholic Reporter which had a weekly column
“Washington Notebook: by Joe Feuerherd. He writes: “The Norms
(American Bishops) call on bishops to suspend a pried from ministry
once a credible accusation of abuse is brought forward. If the
investigation bears out the allegation, the priest (with an
exception for the elderly and infirm) is to be removed from
ministry.
“Writing in the Boston
College Law Review, (Fr. Ladislas) Orsy S.J. who spelled out his
objections to the ‘hasty’ legislation.
“‘The Norms offer weak
protection to innocent priests and deacons who are easy target of
groundless accusation,’ he wrote. Meanwhile, the protections that
are offered (the accused, for example, ‘is encouraged to retain
counsel’) mean little because the legal infrastructure necessary to
protect the rights of the accused is almost nonexistent.’ (No
kidding!) ‘A priest is suspended and he has no reliable procedure to
which he can turn,’ says Orsy. ‘It is so slow so convoluted and so
lacking of properly trained personnel-especially in small
dioceses-that it is not enough.’
“ ‘In the law review he put it
this way: ‘The diocesan courts in the United States (and elsewhere)
are limited in their ability to handle criminal cases. The judges
and the offices of the courts were trained primarily for the
adjudication Additional problems:
·
The Norms lack a common definition of ‘sexual abuse.’
Writes Orsy: ‘To assign the ultimate responsibility for the
definition of the crime to the diocesan bishop/patriarch may result
in definitions diverging from place to place and from case to case,
not a sound practice in criminal law.’
·
Similarly, the written policies for dealing with
sexual abuse issues required by the Norms are to uniform. ‘Such an
obvious deficient approach can be explained only by the extreme
concern of the Conference to trespass on the jurisdiction of the
individual bishops,’ writes Orsy.
·
The ‘Norms offer no legal safeguards to prevent the
repetition of misguided actions by bishops’ nor do they give a role
to the ‘college of presbyters [priests]’ in ‘resolving the crisis
and preventing similar ones in the future.’ Says Orsy: “The fact
that a small percentage of them [priests] were sick is not a reason
not to use all the intelligence and energy of the rest.’
·
The ‘zero tolerance’ policy included in the Norms
fails to made ‘critical distinction.’ Writes Orsy: ‘…the law should
have ‘zero tolerance’ toward any crime by proscribing it, but the
judge and jury should weigh and ponder the personal responsibility
and culpability of the accused 9which can exist on different
degrees0 and come to decision accordingly.’
·
The diocesan preview boards established by the Norms
serve at the pleasure of the local bishop and are appointed by him.
‘Had the priests and the people of the diocese been given an
opportunity to have a voice I the selection of the candidates for
the board, the chance to provide wise advice to the bishops would
have been greater.’ Says Orsy: ‘The danger that some bishops may
appoint persons who will ‘never cause any problems’ is obvious.’”
“The clergy sex abuse
crisis, says Orsy, is a symptom of a larger problem: a deeply flawed
centralized church management system. There are no effective
intermediaries between the world’s 2,7000 dioceses or their
equivalents) and Rome. Writes Orsy: ‘They all repot to the Holy See
(Rome)-only. No matter what the administrative apparatus of the Holy
See is-and it is relatively small-it cannot provide preventive
control. By way of comparison, imagine a worldwide corporation with
2,700 local branches and with no intermediate controlling stations
between them and the center, which has a relatively small staff…”15
Jesuit Fr. Ladislas
Orsy is visiting professor of law at Georgetown University. So,
reading this, I never had a chance with Bishop Harrington-my
Ordinary- rattling at me: “You’re guilty till proven innocent.” I
didn’t punt even if it was fourth-down and 99 yards to go. It was a
matter of justice which was only a “mirage” in the Diocese of
Worcester.
This same day the
Worcester Telegram & Gazette gave us by Rachel Zoll of The
Associated Press “Sex abuse by clergy exceeding estimates: Over
1,3000 priests since 1950.”
Zoll writes: “The
scope of sexual abuse accusations against Roman Catholic clergy
since 1950 appears to be much greater than previously estimated by
victims’ groups and the media, an Associated Press review f reports
form dioceses has found.
“The U.S. church will
make an unprecedented, nationwide accounting of abuse claims and
cost later this month, and some bishops already have started
releasing local figures. The AP contacted dioceses across the
country and found that 1,341 clergy members have been accused of
molesting minors, with more than half the dioceses yet to report.”
‘What it’s really doing is showing us in black and white that the
problem is much worse than any of us thought,; said Sue Archibald,
president of The Linkup, a Kentucky-based victim advocacy group.
“Statistics have yet
to be released by some archdioceses that have faced hundreds of
allegations, including Boston and Los Angeles.
“A January 2003 review
by The New York Times counted 1,205 accused priests nationwide over
five decades. Survivors First, an advocacy group compiling its own
list for media reports are lawsuits, has counter 1,800.
“But Paul Baier, of
Survivors First, said he compared the numbers his organization
collected with reports from 41 dioceses and found the dioceses’
local statistic were double what he had counted.
“ ‘If those trends
continue across 195 dioceses, we can see the numbers that’s
self-reported by the bishops being twice as high as the names in our
pubic database,’ Boer said…”16
When I read such
reports, I reflect on Christmas time retail sales and the figures
and media reports that are given out. It is the “Whose on first, and
what is on second.” The merchants and retailers give out
information that I wonder about because they have to satisfy the
shareholders. What is the real story, would we ever know?
February 12, 2004
Stan Giza calls me from Palmer
to tell me about the Springfield Diocese’s “quitting.” He told me he
is saving the newspapers for me to read the whole story.
This day’s front page of The
(Springfield) Republican announces “Bishop quits after abuse
query: Dupre abruptly resigns, enter hospital.”
Bill Zajac- staff writer-
reports: “Springfield-Ad ay after The Republican confronted the Most
Rev. Thomas L. Dupre with accusations that he sexually assaulted two
boys about three decades ago, he abruptly resigned yesterday as
bishop of the Springfield Romans Catholic Diocese, citing health
reasons.
“The bishop’s departure at age
70 left unanswered the series of questions posed to him about the
accusations, which the newspaper has been investigating for months.
The accusations were first brought to the bishop in a letter last
year by the mother of one of the two alleged victims, one of who was
about 13 and the other a pre-teen when the alleged abuse began.
“The woman, a longtime diocesan
school worker, said her letter arrived at the bishop’s residence
weeks before he told The Republican last year he might retire
earlier than the mandatory retirement age of 75 because of heart and
other health problems.
“The woman tried unsuccessfully
for months to persuade her now adult son to publicly press charges.
Her name is not being used in accordance with the newspapers’ policy
of protecting alleged sexual abuse victims.
“Roderick MacLeish, a Boston
lawyer-where have we heard about him-who has handled hundreds of
abuse claims in the Boston Archdiocese, said he has been retained by
the woman’s son strictly to try to protect his anonymity. MacLeish
said he is representing the other alleged victim, who is also trying
to protect his anonymity as he explores legal options.
‘ ‘My client want his
privacy protected and his family’s privacy protected. I hope all,
including the diocese will respect that,’ said MacLeish, adding that
he hasn’t fully discussed legal options with his client.
“ ‘This is a serious
situation,’ MacLeish said.
“The allegations were presented
to the bishop amid a recent flurry of public speaking engagements in
which Dupre urged Catholics to support a constitutional amendment
that bans gay marriages.
“Dupe’s resignation follows tow
years of diocesan problems related to clergy sexual abuse in the
diocese and the Catholic Church.
‘The diocese issued a statement
yesterday stating that Dupre submitted his resignation in November
and that his request was granted by the Vatican on Tuesday.
“Dupre allegedly sexually
abused town minor beginning in the 1970s, according to the mother of
one of the victims. After failed attempts to speak to Dupre about
the allegations, the newspaper submitted a detailed list of
questions via email to diocesan spokesman Mark Dupont Tuesday.
“Within hours, Dupre checked
into an undisclosed medical facility outside the diocese for
undisclosed treatment. His ailments are not considered life
threatening, according to diocesan officials…”17
This same issue of the
newspaper printed a “Timeline: Bishop Thomas L. Dupre of the
Springfield Diocese.” It was an extensive one beginning with Dupre’s
birth-Nov.10, 1933. This issue of the newspapers gave four pages
covering Bishop Dupre.
February 13, 2004
The Springfield Republican
front page had in bold print “DA to investigate bishop: A local
priest told the state attorney general of accusations in November,
but the case was to pursued because the alleged victims didn’t come
forward.”
Bill Zajac-Staff Writer-
reports: “Springfield-The Hampden County District Attorney’s Office
has begun taking steps to investigate allegations that the recently
retired bishop of the Springfield diocese sexually abuse two minors
beginning more than two decades ago.
“As local diocesan leaders
sought to ease the shock of thousands of Catholics in Western
Massachusetts, they were also preparing a report on the allegations
that will be sent to the archbishop of Boston.
“The Rev. Thomas L. Dupre,
whose retirement was, announced Wednesday, has yet to respond to the
allegations first reported yesterday in The Republican. He checked
himself into an undisclosed medical, non-life-threatening illness
after The Republican confronted him with a detailed list of
questions regarding the alleged abuse.
“The Roman Catholic Diocese of
Springfield said Dupre first applied to the Vatican for retirement
in November 2003 and he was notified that it was accepted on
Tuesday. Dupre who has a recent history of heart problems, cited
health reason for his retirement.
“The accusations against the
bishop came from a mother of one of the alleged victims. The woman,
a longtime worker in a Catholic school in the diocese, said her son
was abused by Dupre starting in her son’s freshman year in high
school and that here son’s best friend was abused beginning when he
was a preteen. The alleged abuse started in the 1970s and lasted
into the 1080s…”18
When I was reading this, it
seemed that this chancery had a procedure in place to handle the
media and questions. It was a significant difference than handling
my particulars- We (Worcester Chancery) will get a hold of you. I
waited, waited and waited. Nothing but some five years later I get
to meet the new bishop.
I wonder how many priest
personal and others were involved with time being accounted for in a
Dupre case or for that matter, my situation.
I go back to one of those “hot
house” kitchen interrogations of me where Rueger had a folder that
was stacked with papers that were at least 5 or 6 inches thick. Was
it my file? It was never referred too nor anything but in front of
Rueger on the table- show time.
Our diocesan newspaper, The
Catholic Free Press, had a front page picture and story of
Bishop Thomas Dupre. It was submitted by the Staff and Catholic News
Service entitled “Springfield Bishop Dupre resign; health cited.”
It stated: “Washington-Pope
John Paul II has accepted the resignation, for health reasons, of
Bishop Thomas L. Dupre of Springfield.
“Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo,
papal nuncio to the United States, made the announcement in
Washington Wednesday.
“Bishop Dupre, 70, has been a
bishop since 1990 and head of the Springfield Diocese since 1995,
His successor was not named immediately.
“Diocesan spokesman Mark Dupont
said Bishop Dupre left the diocese Feb. 10 for treatment at a
medical facility. He declined to give detail citing concern for the
bishop’s privacy.
“Last May, in an interview with
The Republican Springfield’s daily newspaper, Bishop Dupre said he
was considering retiring early because of his health. He has a heart
condition and has had back problems.
“The same month in an interview
with his diocesan newspaper, The Catholic Observer, he said for the
last four years he had ‘suffered from a serious heart ailment as
well as other age-related issues.’…”19
One has to read this complete
article because if is so Episcopal orientated (Catholic Free Press)
in its reporting of 21 paragraphs with three paragraphs about
allegations in comparison to practically only allegation story
being reported on the Springfield’s daily newspaper- The
Republican.
The Church has perfected its
approach for bishops- special treatment. Of course, as we all know
for experiences in Worcester Diocese and other dioceses, bishops are
autonomous and can interpret and apply such directives as they see
fit-or simply ignore them-sometimes.
So, we get this day,
in addition to Bishop Durpre’s story, the Catholic Free Press other
front page story “We are on the road to recovery: Report issued on
history of sexual abuse in diocese” by Kevin Luperchio of the Free
Press’s staff.
He writes:
“Worcester-Following more than two years of self-scrutiny on the
issue of clergy sexual abuse of minors, Bishop Reilly has released a
report detailing what the diocese has learned and steps it has taken
to ‘restore the trust that has been seriously broken by the
tragedy.’
The report includes a
pastoral letter from the bishop, published in today’s edition of The
Catholic Free Press, and information on the number and type of abuse
allegations made by year and action taken against accused priests.
“It shows that 45
priests have been accused of sexual abuse of a minor in the 53-year
history of the diocese. (Forty-three were diocesan priests and tow
belonged to other dioceses.)
“The number of accused
priest comes from a total of 1,506 priests, including 775 diocesan
priests and 751 religious order priests or priests from other
dioceses, who ministered in the diocese between 1950 and 2003.
“Twenty-nine of those priests
were removed from public ministry, either through administrative
measures, sick leave or retirement; three were allowed to continue
in public ministry because the allegations against them were
withdrawn and 12 were deceased at the time allegations were brought,
according the report. The remaining priest has been removed –or
excoriated-from the diocese prior to any allegation and is no longer
in public ministry…”20
The Worcester Diocese did
everything to give the impression of Bishop Reilly’s message of
“Creating a Safe Environment.” They really hit on the issue of a
“dragnet going through the water” and all is well.
In addition, this day, the
National Catholic Reporter reports: “No one knows whether James
Kelly’s suicide last October in from of a New Jersey Transit train
in Morristown, N.J., stemmed from the childhood sexual abuse by a
Mendham, N.J., priest or from other problems.
“Still, while gathered after
his funeral on the grounds of St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church I
Mendham-where the abuse occurred more than two decades ago-people
who were abused by the same priest discussed manning their support
group chapter after Kelly, a 37-year-old telecommunications salesman
from Morristown who has recently been laid off.
“ ‘We were must kind of having
an open table discussion,’ recalled Bill Crane, who, like Kelly, was
sexually abused by the former Fr. James Hanley. ‘And it dawned on me
that something really needs to take place that is tangible, to bring
to light thee seriousness of what we endured as children, so it
won’t be forgotten.’
“Crane suggested erecting a
small monument, and received approval from the group and the
church’s pastor, Fr. Kenneth Lasch. When dedicated in April outside
the church’s Pax Christi Center; the 400-pound basalt
monument-shaped like a millstone-will evoked a biblical saying that
is meaningful to Christians who were sexually abused by children.
“In the passage, from the
Gospel of Matthew, Jesus addresses those who would harm children,
saying, ‘It would be better for you if a great millstone was
fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the death of the
sea.’
“The monument apparently would
be the only marker in the nation dedicated to victims of the clergy
sex abuse crisis located at a church. Lasch said it could help
victims fell the church will not forget what happened to them
there…”21
February 14, 2004
The (Springfield) Republican
prints this day “Diocese must ‘come clean’: Interim successor to
Dupre speaks.”
The story goes:
“Springfield-The newly elected leader of the Roman Catholic Diocese
of Springfield said yesterday the church must ‘come clean,’
admitting that an ‘old boy network’ years ago protected priest
suspected of sexual abuse.
“Monsignor Richard S. Sniezyk,
who will lead the diocese until a bishop is appointed by the
Vatican, said church leaders and members are shaken by an allegation
this week that out-going Bishop Thomas L. Dupre molested two boys
more than 20 years ago when he was a parish priest. Dupre resigned
Wednesday, citing health reasons.
“In referring to the ongoing
sex abuse crisis in the church, Sniezyk said church officials must
acknowledge a culture that protected abusive priest existed years
ago.
“ ‘We have to come clean,’ said
Sniezyk, recalling own as a young priest he heard rumors of ‘cliques
of priest’ who molested young churchgoers, that were protected by
church and legal officials, Sniezyk, who was ordained in 1962,said
he never witnessed any abuse. (There was stories as such that I
heard in the Worcester Diocese-The Boys in the Band Group.
“ ‘I think truly an old boy
network existed. We have to admit that no one did anything with it
in those days,’ Sniezyk said adding that priest are now being held
accountable.
“Sniezyk who was elected
administrator yesterday by an eight-member board of diocesan
consulters will oversee the day-to-day operations of the diocese
until a bishop is named by the pope, which could take up to a
year…”22
February 15, 2004
I was struggling to come to
terms with me being put into “mothballs.” I felt that I was made a
scapegoat by Harrington and Gang. I was writing my journal for
myself but also for giving a picture of what this experience looked
as from another side of the issue.
February 16, 2004
The Worcester Telegram &
Gazette reports “Bishop Reilly issues report on sex abuse:
Priests’ names not given.” (Priests names have been printed in this
newspaper.)
Another report of the Telegram
& Gazette Staff-Martin Luttrell reported: “Worcester-The Diocese of
Worcester released its first report on the scope of clergy sexual
abuse of children yesterday, citing 112 allegations of abuse form
1950 through 2003.
“While the diocese found that
only 48 were substantiated and another was considered credible, an
activist who works with victims of clergy sexual abuse said the
numbers are higher than she had thought.
“‘What’s new is that this is
the first time we’ve pulled the numbers together and put them in one
report,’ said diocese spokesman Raymond L. Delisle. ‘Previously, we
had done this one at a time. We were doing this as part of a
national study. We put it together and wanted to share that.’
“Bishop Daniel P. Reilly shared
the text of the pastoral report yesterday with parishioners during
Mass at St. Paul’s Cathedral, which was videotaped and broadcast in
the evening on WCTR, Channel 3.
“According to the diocese
report, $2,280,833 has been paid in compensation to victims in
settlements of abuses between 1950 and 2003. Of that, $1,469,000
came form insurance and $811,833 was paid directly by the diocese.
“An additional $185,879 was
spent for victim counseling, services and therapy, the report sates
“ In the report, Bishop Reilly
emphasizes that the source of funds for any settlement, therapeutic
response or legal fees was the Bishop’s discretionary funds….No
donations to the Bishop’s Fund, or parish contributions to the
diocese known as the cathedraticum, or gifts to the Forward in Faith
capital campaign were used for anything other than their designated
purpose…”23
The numbers become very
interesting to read. But, trying to understand them is another
story. (My settlement with the two “alleged victims” was $95,000-
lawyer’s fees.)
February 17, 2004
I was on the internet to read
The Boston Globe article “Abuse article says 4% of priests in
US accused: Figure is higher than Church officials expected.” It was
written by Michael Paulson of the Globe Staff who was similar to
Kathleen A. Shaw of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette.
He wrote: “About 4 percent of
Catholic priests have been accused of sexually abusing minors over
the past half-century according to a draft of the first
comprehensive study sexual abuse within the Catholic Church in the
United States. The percentage is higher than many people including
church officials, had anticipated.
“the draft of the study, done
by John Day College of Criminal Justice for the US Conference of
Catholic Bishops found that 4,450 of the 110,000 priests who served
between 1950 and 2002 were accused of sexual abuse of minors,
according to CNN, which reported yesterday that it had reviewed the
draft.
“The number of alleged
perpetuators given in the draft study is higher than the tallies by
news media outlets, including the Associated Press and The New York
Times that have tried to count reported allegations nationwide.
“The number is also higher than
that protested by church officials. A top Vatican official, Cardinal
Joseph Ratzinger (father Pope Benedict XV), said in 2002, according
to the Catholic News Service: ‘In the United States, there is
constant news of this topic, but less than 1 percent are guilty of
acts of this type.’
“But the number of
victims is lower than expected by many…”24
This same day The
Republican in Springfield prints “Aid for former priest debated:
Anonymous donors chipped in $100,000 to help support abusive
priests, something that baffles the mother of an alleged victim.”
Staff writes Bill
Zajac wrote: “Springfield-the fund that possibly could provide
financial support for a recently defrocked priest in the Springfield
Diocese represents incredible acts of charity by donors, diocesan
officials said.
“But others are
raising questions, including why the church hasn’t provided the same
amount of charity to victims of sexual abuse (Worcester seems to
settle cases on layer’s fees and offering counseling.).
“In announcing the
laicization of convicted child molester Richard r. Lavigne Jan. 20,
officials of the Romans Catholic Diocese of Springfield said he may
be eligible for financial help from a fund recently created to
financially support priests removed form ministry for sexual abuse.
“At least two people
who want to remain anonymous have contributed about $100,000 I total
for the fund, according to diocesan officials. More than two people,
but no more than six or so, may have contributed to the fund,
diocesan officials said.
“Sandra L. Tessier of
Springfield, the mother of an alleged sexual abuse victim of Lavinge,
expressed outrage that the diocese would facilitate a fund to
support Lavigne-a person accused by about 40 people of sexual
abusing them as minors. Lavigne also is the only suspect in the
unsolved 1972 murder of 13-yer old Springfield altar boy Daniel
Crouteau.
“ ‘What kind of person
wants their money supporting a sexual predator?’ Tessier said…We
Monsignor Richard S. Sniezyk) are a church that follows the
teachings of Jesus Christ. If Jesus Christ was here he would reach
out to Richard Lavigne as he reached out to Judas, as he reached out
to Peter after he denied him, and as he reached out to all sinners,’
Sniezyk said…Lavingne’s current $1,030 monthly stipend and $8,800 in
annual health benefits will end May 31. To continue to receive
financial help, Lavinge would have to ask for charity from the
diocese.
“If he does seek help,
a lay panel of professionals would determine if Lavigne is indigent.
If he were deemed indigent, money would be given to him from the
newly created fund. The amount would be decided by the panel.
Lavigne would also have to agree to cooperate with the diocese’s
clergy monitor…25
This is interesting
reading in due fact of what the Worcester Diocese has me under their
“umbrella.”
Michael Paulson of the Boston
Globe staff wrote “Aubse study says 4% of priest in US accused:
Gigure is higher than Church officials expected.” He wrote in The
Boston Globe: “About 4 percent of Catholic priests have been
accused of sexually abusing minors over the past half-century,
according to a draft of the first comprehensive study of sexual
abuse within the Catholic Church in the United States. The
percentage is higher than many people, including church officials,
had anticipated.
“The draft of the study, done
by John Jay College of Criminal Justice for the US Conference of
Catholic Bishops, found that 4,450 of the 110,000 priests who served
between 1950 and 2002 were accused of sexual abuse of minors,
according to CNN, which reported yesterday that it had reviewed the
draft.
“The number of alleged
perpetrators given n the draft study is higher than the tallies by
news media outlets, including the Associated Press and The New York
Time, that have tried to count reported allegations nationwide.
“The number is also higher
than that projected by church officials top Vatican official,
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, said in 2002, according to the Catholic
News Service: ‘In the United States, there is constant news on this
topic, but less than 1 percent of priests are guilty of acts of this
type.’
“But the number of victims is
lower than expected by many…”
February 18, 2004
The Worcester Telegram &
Gazette foes on this day’s front page “Parish priest placed on
leave: Diocese removes Blackstone pastor.”
Martin Luttrell of the Telegram
& Gazette Staff writes: “Blackstone-The Romans Catholic Diocese of
Worcester has placed rev. James D. Champion, pastor of St. Paul
Church, on administrative leave after allegations of sexual
misconduct.
“Monsignor Thomas J. Sullivan,
diocesan chancellor and director of ovations informed parishioners
of Rev. Champion’s removal during three Masses on Sunday. He and
Worcester District Attorney John J. Conte said that the allegations
did not involve children, nor result I criminal charges.
“Rev. Champion, 58, had been
pastor at St. Paul for 12 years. He has been removed form
ministerial duties and is no longer living at the parish rectory,
Monsignor Sullivan said…
“A report released last month
by Mr. Conte showed that 86 priests, brothers and sisters of
religious order, ordained ministers, as well as three laypersons,
have been accused of sexual misconduct.
“Of these, 37 are living
priests attached to the Diocese of Worcester, and one layperson,
also connected to the Diocese of Worcester; 20 are deceased priests
who were attached to the Diocese of Worcester and one layperson
connected to the diocese who is also deceased.
“A report released by the
diocese Sunday only addressed priests accused of sexual abuse of
children, citing 112 allegations of abuse from 1950 through 2003.
“Both reports indicated that
the instances of alleged abuse peaked between 1975 and 1979, and
that most victims did not report them-either to the church or civil
authorities-for an average of 20 years (Any professionals
investigating those last fact-20 years?).26
What has to be said is
interesting how the Worcester Telegram & Gazette writes an
article of a priest situation, which is usually short if facts and
they run away with a pattern of figures that become the “manta” for
articles for a good period of time as we witnessed in this February
18th article.
Another possibly of such a
technique is that the writer has to submit an 800 words or similar
standard for an article.
I had an interesting
conversation with “Father Peacock” this afternoon. He had to give a
deposition concerning a priest that lived in his rectory when he was
a pastor at another assignment. He knew that I sensed something was
happening with his questioning at one time about depositions. So, he
related that the lawyer-Attorney Goulka- for the diocese who was
driving said to him: “Father ________ is guilty. He did do this
(abuse a boy)” This was very hard to believe that this lawyer made
such a remark to him and being so flippant-if it was said?
“Father Peacock” had to tell me
that on his deposition copy, one question asked him was if he was
aware that the Huse of Affirmation was treating pedophiles? He,
also, mentioned that he was asked if he knew anything about a “sex
ring in Worcester”? I mentioned this one time to him that I was
asked about this when I was at the IOL, Hartford. I made no comment
and kept a poker-face.
He then proceeded to
tell me that after the deposition, a copy was sent to him to make
any corrections or additions. I kept a poker-face and said nothing
because I never was given such a procedure.
What was interesting
was that “Father Peacock” was so “uptight.” What surprised me was
that he had just retried forma three week vacations (retreat) to
Canada. Something was bothering him about “something big,” He
reacted towards me negatively that that last three years he came
back in early February because he had to “face another priest
alleged in the diocese.” Oh? The stories were very conflicting that
he was relating to me. I knew that he never told me anything without
it being calculated.
“Father Peacock” then
put a spin on a story as his interpretation: The diocese now says
all cases of allegation have to be reported to the DA’s Office. It
was not to go anymore to the Worcester Chancery. He told me that the
Fr. James Champion story of an adult accusing him was to the DA’s
Office. I knew that from reading the newspaper. But, it seemed that
this story being told me was as though I would take a while to pull
the diamonds from the min approach. He had to make it a point tome
that the diocese now seems to say that it is not them anymore but
the DA’s Office that is doing the priest-in. My question: Why is he
so stressed by all of this? Oh! He even had to tell me that Attorney
Goulka told him on the ride back to her office from his deposition
said to him: “You did very well.” (He would say something as such
even if it did not happen.).
February 20, 2004
The Catholic Free Press comes
out on its weekly publication on page one “Blackstone pastor removed
form parish.” The paper reports (no staff member):
“Blackstone-Father James D. Champion, pastor of St. Paul
parish for the last 12 years, has been placed on administrative
leave of absence because of allegations of sexual misconduct, Bishop
Reilly has announced.
“The bishop, in a letter sent
to priest of the diocese Tuesday said the allegations do not involve
children or minors or any of the parishioners at St. Paul’s.
“Monsignor Thomas J. Sullivan,
diocesan Chancellor, has been names temporary administrator of the
parish, Bishop Reilly announced today. He will continue as
Chancellor and Director of Vocation with his residence remaining at
the bishop’s residence.
“Msgr. Sullivan told
parishioners about Father Champion’s removal at the Masses last
week-end. He assured them that the bishop would assign a priest to
be responsible for the spiritual and temporal administration of the
parish. ‘The stability and strength of St. Paul’s is very important
to the bishop. All of the regular parish scheduling will them
continue as planned and parish activities will not be curtailed,’
Msgr. Sullivan said.
Msgr. Sullivan told
parishioners that the diocese learned of the allegations against
Father Champion from the district attorney. He said the bishop and
the Diocesan Review Board have investigated the matter and will
continue to | 
