2005

January 1, 2005

                I had this piece of paper in my breviary that began my day and New Year with this quote from “The Word from Rome” from the National Catholic Reporter by John L. Allen, Jr. of January 16, 2004: “A related concern has to do with due process rights. One hears horror stories in the Vatican about priests 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.”

                I still have this piece of paper in my breviary which I recite daily and look at this quote at different times. I guess I carry this for the simple fact that the hierarchical system must be on the same page as the Worcester Diocese had done with me- no day in court or anything else.

                I, also, thought how the Bishop Harrington hierarchy operated with his “words” of wisdom when he showed more of his overall personality that Hartford-IOL would have experienced for an “evaluation.” One of those “hot house kitchen” interrogations of Harrington, Rueger and Tinsley going at me with Harrington once saying: “We thought there was going to be 1,500 people outside this Bishop’s residence protesting for your return.” It was Harrington at his classic style of being in your face-sarcastic remarks. When I was going through this, I looked at Harrington and recalled how his code-name by priest in the diocese was “bulldog.” Then I recall one elderly priest tell me that at time Bishop Harrington “was sometimes irrational.” These experiences at the Bishop’s Residence were an experience that I would not wish on anyone. 

January 3, 2005

                We read in the U. S.  News & World Report reports “Struggling to Keep the Faith: Reverberations from a sex scandal still roil the Catholic Church.”

                The article reads: “Nearly three years after a series of staggering revelations of sexual abuse but its clergy, the Romans Catholic Church is still working its way through the fallout, with equal amounts of pain and hope. In Boston, where the story first broke, the archdiocese faces financial ruin. More than 80 churches are slated to be closed as church authorities fight a $10 million annual deficit, brought only dying parishes and a 50 percent decline in donations since 2002. Yet for all their anger, area Catholics seem to be clinging eve more tenaciously to their faith, with many parishioners fighting to have the closings reversed. That would include people like Ian Driscoll of St. Anselm I Sudbury, one of eight parishes staging 24-hour protest vigils. Ian is 12. After school, he goes home to eat, do his homework, and practice the trumpet. Then he goes to the church, where he sleeps every night, usually accompanied by his mother. He made plans to skip a Boy Scout trip last weekend so he could spend the night at the church as part of a celebration marking the vigil’s 100^th day. ‘When you have something, you don’t care about it as much,’ he says. ‘But once you’re going to lose it, you like it more.’

                “A lot of American Catholics are reacting like Ina. In Boston, an $85 million settlement with more than 500 victims exacerbated and existing crisis for an overextended archdiocese in need of an overhaul.”1

One observation at this time in that so many things and circumstances have changed with the Catholic population and overall aspects of faith as the general society has changed.

An article in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette by Kathleen A. Shaw on the front page reports “Church healing sought: Area Catholics want openness.”

She writes: “Worcester-Worcester Diocese Voice of the Faithful plans to pursue an aggressive agenda during 2005, in hopes of bringing healing and restoring trust in the church and its leaders, and to begin involving lay people in more decision-making for the diocese.

“A planning meeting has been scheduled for 7 p.m. Jan. 18 in the Hogan Conference Center at the College of the Holy Cross. David J. O’Brien, a processor at Holy Cross active in the organization, said in a letter to members and prospective members that the group plans to elect interim officers, set a meeting schedule and decide on short-term and long-term projects.

“Voice of the Faithful was founded in 2002 in the Boston area during the burgeoning sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic Church; a chapter opened here that year. It is now a national organization…’There is a tremendous amount of healing that needs to be done.’ (Daniel Dick-Voice of the Faithful Victim Support Coordinator)

 January 4, 2005

                I noticed that I was going through the “old-poor-me” against when I was not getting phone calls at my place form the regular people that would have called to see what I was doing. I thought how this was the American way of life where situation happen and we immediately “move-on” after a week or so. There is very little time spent on an issue because we are known to be people moving in a very fast track. Actually, it was somewhat better for me to have some private time. I made use of my time to do some research with materials I had accumulated and “professional” reading from my library. 

January 7, 2005

                I would look at my daily calendar which was Life’s Little Instruction Calendar Vol. X: Remain optimistic-all hope depends on it.

                Besides recalling such phrases, I had the daily experience of the scriptures especially the Gospel and the Daily Divine Office for quotes that would inspire me in my day.

                I keep this in my memory bank especially when I would get the “poor-me” time.

                A picture is printed in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette entitled “Giving power to victims of sexual abuse.”

                The story with this picture: “Andover-Diane Williams Galebach, right, her husband, Stephen Galebach, and tow of the their children, Adele, 20, left and Time 21, pose yesterday in their home with computer screen displaying their newly launched Web site, VictimPower.org, which enables sexual abuse victims to report crimes with anonymity. According to the site’s mission statement, the creators of VictimPower.rog are ‘united by a desire to help victims by connecting them to law enforcement and other authorities in way that protects victims and witnesses, while holding accounting those in positions of authority.’ “3

                “The Word from Rome” in the National Catholic Reporter   this day has John L. Allen, Jr. reporting: “In the last column before my hiatus, I noted that Pope John Paul II had recently praised Fr. Marcial Maciel Degollado and the order he founder, the Legionaries of Christ. With respect to the accusations of sexual abuse logged against Maciel, I wrote: ‘I think the only honest answer is that the pipe and his senior aides obviously do not believe the charges.’

                “That comment brought a response from Jason Berry, who along with fellow journalist Gerald Renner co-authored the book Vows of Silence: the Abuse of Poser in the Papacy of John Paul II, which is in part about the Maciel case.

                “Berry writes: I’m sorry, but there are more honest answers than that. It is just as likely that John Paul II and Cardinal Angelo Solano don’t care if the charges are true. The view the Legion as an asset to protect. The pope has a long record of refusing to punish powerful churchmen who abuse the young, which you fail to mention. John Paul’s support of Maciel is consistent with the response to other men of flawed morals or compromised judgment.

                “’Cardinal Bernard Law resigned after a catalytic role in an epic scandal. John Paul rewarded him with a basilica in Rome. In 1995, he let Vienna’s Cardinal Grover ease into a position at a shrine when he resigned in disgrace as a prederast. As the scandal escalated John Paul would not discuss it in public. When American bishops Symons Ziemann, Sanchez, O’Connell, and Ryan resigned under similar clouds Hon Paul did not remove any from the priesthood. Each is a bishop, albeit as diocese to diocese, today…”4

                Is this how Worcester Diocese treated Rueger’s case of allegations? 

January 8, 2005

                “Stanley’s last accuser decried: Lawyer says alleged victims’ memory came after consultation” by Theo Emery of The Associated Press appeared this day.

                He wrote: “Cambridge-Paul Stanley’s layer said yesterday that the defrocked priest’s last remaining accuser remembered being molested only after he consulted with the Boston law firms that represented hundreds of alleged victims of clergy sexual abuse.

                “Lawyer Frank Mondano said court documents show the accuser contacted the law firm of Greenberg Traurig before the claims to have remembered bring molested by Shanley a key figure in the clergy sex abuse scandal. The man says he recalled being abused by Shanley after the scandal broke in the Boston Archdiocese in early 2002.

                “‘I submit that the reason it looks like a textbook case (of recovered memory) is because it came right out of a textbook,’ Mondano said during a pretrial hearing. ‘People are trying real hard to obfuscate the fact that the cart came before the horse.’

                “Shanley’ lawyer has asked Judge Stephen Noel to let him question the accuser before the beginning of the criminal trail, now scheduled for Jan. 18 in Middlesex Superior Court. The judge did not immediately rule on the request…”5

                Here is “recovered memory” issue which is very infrequently mentioned in print or dealing with anything of the sex abuse cases that has flooded-out into the last decade. It is an issue that is such a negative factor to even attempt to have included in the legal and hierarchical church in regards to allegations of sex abuse. Is “recalled memory” may be such used, why is it not addressed in physical or emotional abuse?

                An article in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette by Kathleen A. Shaw “Diocese cuts its fiscal losses: Deficit reduced by more than half from last year.”

                She writes: “Worcester-The Diocese of Worcester ended the 2004 fiscal year with a loss of $271,300.

                “Although the diocese finished in the red, the losses were significantly less than the previous year, when the diocese had a loss of nearly $800,000…The diocese continued to pay for services related to the clergy sexual abuse scandal. A number of the pending civil lawsuits related sot alleged incidents of sexual abuse were settled in the past year. Several are still pending, and six new suits were recently filed. The diocese said it paid out $131,875 for all legal series it incurred during 2004. The Office of Healing and Prevention received a total of $170,845…”6

                Figures are always interested to read and study. Here is another story.

                I was watching “Saturday Night Live” with Debbie Downer. It immediately came to mind that this character was “Father Peacock” in my journey. It had opened my eyes of who I was facing. 

January 11, 2005

                “Group want names listed on Internet: Organization targeting known, alleged molesters” appeared in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette this day.

                Beverly Wang of The Associated Press wrote: “Manchester, N.H. - A national support group for victims of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy is demanding that church leaders post the names of known and suspected molesters on the Internet.

                “The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP, also want bishops to encourage victims to come forward by visiting communities where abusive priests served.

                “Yesterday, the group presented its demands-including that bishops also lobby to eliminate the statue of limitations on reporting abuse-to the Rev. Edward Arsenault, a Diocese of Manchester spokesman.

“The group is focused on New Hampshire Bishop John McCormack and four other formerly deputies of Boston Cardinal Bernard F. Law, who resigned two years ago…”7

                I’m not sure what the point is about publishing names on the Internet. They are all over the internet. I’m not sure that some of these people don’t realize that there are laws on the books that they most likely don’t want to know about. Is this the pick-and-chose mentality getting the media coverage? Questions should be asked in many ways than they are now with this area of news. 

January 13, 2005

                What I have learned of late is to watch “time line” of an issue and realize that there are six reasons for anything that happens. My writing is to get my story out. It is like a bottle bobbing in the ocean, where someone will pick it up and read it.

                I have been reading a couple of works of Carrie Fisher as Postcards from the Edge and The Awful: A Novel. She writes about her addiction battle. I read with a response to some of her issues in her journey.

                Another issue I’ve notice since Bishop McManus has been Ordinary of the diocese: No weekly schedule is printed in the Catholic Free Press of himself or Rueger. This used to be a regular feature of the paper with Bishop Reilly and Rueger’s schedule of “official” activities.  Interesting? Another feature is in the: ”official” clergy announcements are the term “Medical Leave of Absence.” Nothing else is printed about the persons leave. The person becomes history. But, it does getting interesting watching this because the Chancery signals with their “flag” that there is another story here on that individual. It gets the clergy “hot-line” buzzing. 

January 14, 2005

                “The Word from Rome” this week had this segment by John L. Allen, Jr. in the National Catholic Reporter.

                “Rocco Buttinglione, the Italian politician whose nomination as the Justice minister of the European Union was derailed because of his Catholic views on abortion, homosexuality and the family, has become a cause celbre for those who feel that a ‘new inquisition’ is afoot in Europe…In American, Buttinglione said, the stet accepts that it needs values that by itself it cannot procure. In Europe, he said, under the influence of Rosseau and others, the tendency is towards treating the state itself as a civic religion. Further, he sad, American is ‘more modern’ than Europe, in that is that has reached the peak of secularization and the sexual revolution, and has cycled back to more traditional values. He predicted the same thing will happen in Europe in ten years. .. On the American Catholic church, Buttinglione sad that he felt it has been divided between a wing that was corrupted by secularization, like the mainstream Protestant denominations, and a wing that resisted, like the evangelicals, ‘and said that this wing of the church ‘has acquired a greater capacity to give more orientation to the American people.’

                “The sex abuse scandals, Battalion said, ‘are a last consequence of the invasion of the ideology so sexual permissiveness in the 1960s and 1970s.’ He said he hopes ‘they will soon be over, and will leave the church purified.’…”8 

January 16, 2005

                Reading a Ziggy cartoon this day with Ziggy saying: If life’s a game, was having a really long halftime.

                I guess I might say the same with Bishop Harrington telling me: “We’ll get hold of you.” 

January 17, 2005

                I met a former parishioner from St. Edward’s at the Gardner Wal-Marts. Stephanie was involved at the parish. He comment: “There is another side of the story about you. We all knew that most priests are alcoholics. Fr. Andy is gay. But, not you. We just didn’t believe the story about you.”

                I listened and only said to her that she should pray for the priest and send my best to her husband, Roland.

                What I missed the opportunity in this encounter was to ask her about the lawsuit of the Westminster/Princeton Fire Department. Both Stephanie and Roland were firefighters in Westminster and they were not anymore. This would have the one to find-out about the lawsuit issue in town. It would have been interesting to hear the politics of this situation.

                I realize that I have a peculiar mix of confidence and fear operating to keep me on edge. I had to realize that this was the priest-clericalism life style that I experienced since I entered the college-seminary in 1962. I was thinking about this in that I thought and acted as a counterweight of priest power especially to depressed clerics that I had to encounter. I wondered and search for vices that showed mind changes. It was a search that I even continue to this day to learn from their experiences and insights.

                “‘Street priests’ facing criminal trial this week: Shanley accused of child rape 30 years ago” by Denise Lavoie of The Associated Press appeared on the second page of this days Worcester Telegram & Gazette/

                Lavoie writes: “Cambridge-He’s 73 now, and unrecognizable as the  hip ‘street priest’ known more than 20 years ago for wearing long hair and blue eyes and reaching out to Boston’s troubled youth.

                “Paul Shanley is a senior citizen now, frail-looking with thinning white hair and deep lines in his face. His has become perhaps the most recognizable face of the clergy sexual abuse crisis that has shaken the Catholic Church for the past three years.

                “This week, Shanley goes on trail on child rape changes in one of a handful of criminal cases in which  prosecutors have been able to bring against priest accused of sexually abusing children decades ago…”9

                This was the guy that I used to read about in the 70s and his ministry. I recall a story in a Boston paper and pictorial that I had in my file for years before cleaning some of those article and making room in my files. I wondered what ever happened to him. Well, here is “Father Shanley.” 

 January 20, 2005

                There are those little details that come to mind in writing my daily journal. This time was the issue that I was not changing my pajama tops during the night due to preparation. I realized it was all due to nerves and living on the “edge.” It seemed to be better for me to get some quality rest and inner peace.

                I was reading on the crawl of MSNBC how comedian Bill Cosby denied allegations of a woman in Florida of sexual abusing her. Crosby’s lawyer and spokesperson said that they were “categorically false.” Similar story was used to accuse him in March of 2002. Allegations and suits were a part of the radar screen for many people in this day and age.

                But, it was something that from a civic point of views that Westminster-Princeton, Massachusetts Fire Departments had a joint-issue that they kept of the media and lawsuits screen. It never made any news. But, it was something that I mentioned with I spoke with Stephanie at Wal-Marts a previous few days. When something as such happens in a small town, it gets one thinking of a cover-up that would rate as “first-class.” Lewis Black, comedian, would appropriately use one of his trade mark statements: “I’m mad as hell!!!” 

January 21, 2005

                I read in the National Catholic Reporter this interesting article on authority “Leadership and the three-legged stool.

                Paige Byre Shortal writes: “In our kitchen we have tow tall stools where we sit and eat our breakfast. The other day we had to fix one of the stools-one legs was shorter than the other and as a consequence the other tow legs were become weak. One can manage on s stool with uneven legs for a while, even just two legs for a very short time; but for the long haul, three even sturdy legs are best.

                “Leadership is like a stool, dependent on three legs-three sources of authority for the leader to be effective .Like the stool, its best if all three legs are even and sturdy.

                “The first leg or source of authority is from within. It is manifested in desire, gifts, talents, passion, imagination, drive, interest, a vision that won’t go away, an idea that keeps surfacing. I think this is what Christians think of as the call from God and is the first sign of a vocation.

                “The second source of authority comes from above. It is the authorization form the institution, the laying on of hands, the go-ahead from the company, the manger, the employer, the pastor, the bishop, the president, the political party. Very often this source is manifested in a title, office, salary and recognition.

                “The third source comes from below. Those who are under the authority of the leader must be willing to be lead, to cooperate, to not allow their disagreements with the leader to undermine the leader’s authority. For this to happen the people must sacrifice some of their own self-interest and the leader must inspire trust and confidence.

                “I’m no familiar with the world of my church and it’s not difficult to think of church leaders who have two out of the three…In the short run, what we do we do in our parishes with all these unsteady stools? This may be when my metaphor breaks are down-or at least my knowledge of carpentry-but it seems to me that it would be theoretically possible to join several unsteady stools to form one sturdy platform, suitable for resting or reaching higher. Collaboration is the obvious way.”10

                I even had a “Mission Statement” at St. Edward’s that had “collaboration” in word and philosophy. But, here I sit in my “cave.” 

January 22, 2005

                I had picket-up on Bloggers (Blog) of late. I realized how they combined firsthand report, opinions and links to articles about a news topic or related topics as mayoral races to neighborhood meetings. What I have learned is that bloggers first began writing on one’s web about whatever popped into ones head: What kind of day the person was having, the craziness of things like the weather etc. Sometimes, a blogger would comment on a new story that caught ones attention and provided readers with a link to the story.

                What had my attention was that I was doing as such with my daily journaling in a much smaller scale. One thing that I have changed in my journaling is that I immediately type on the Word Program. Previously, I was writing daily on pen and paper and then input it on the Word Program. I guess I was finally getting smart in my old age.

January 25, 2005

                I was reminded today by a former priest classmate of the term “red rash.” It was a label in the seminary and priesthood that a student had the goal of becoming a bishop or strive to become a Monsignor. I heard from one priest of late tell me: You have to give the people what they want. This guy was always on his ego trip in the priesthood. Suddenly, he is using such language. We, priest, used to watch how this guy wanted certain positions-voluntary to be in the chancery with the bishop at meetings. He had the “red rash” to become a Monsignor. One had to watch these characters because they usually did very little pastoral work but meetings in the chancery. Parish duties by these guys were usually delegated to parish staff with practically no new innovations.

                We used to have a manta phrase in the deanery I was in with St. Edward’s parish of guys striving in the “red rash” way: Gamache, Genette and Gariepy.  

January 26, 2005

                “Vatican accepts retirement of Auxiliary Bishop Rueger” appeared on the front page of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette.

                Kathleen A. Shaw writes: “Worcester-The Vatican announced yesterday that Pope John Paul II has accepted the retirement of Auxiliary Bishop George E. Rueger.

                “Bishop Rueger, who turned 75 on Sept 3, is retiring because he reached the mandatory retirement age for bishops. He said he intends to stay in the area and will continue to assist at the chancery and participate in Confirmation ceremonies throughout the diocese.

                “The Vatican did not say whether a new auxiliary bishop will be appointed.

                “The dioceses ahs had two auxiliary bishops: Bishop Timothy J. Harrington, who served with Bishop Bernard J. Flanagan, and Bishop Rueger, who served with three bishops…

“In 2002, Bishop Rueger was named in a civil suit by a Shrewsbury man, Sime M. Braio, alleging sexual misconduct. The case was dismissed at Mr. Braio’s request in 2003, after no evidence surface indication that Bishop Rueger had done anything improper or had been where the alleged incidents occurred.

                “He is named in a Texas lawsuit in which tow men, named only as John Doe and John Doe II, allege sexual abuse by the Rev. Thomas Teczar, a priest of the Worcester Diocese. The allegation is that Bishop Rueger helped get Rev. Teczar moved to the Fort Worth, Texas, diocese after Rev. Teczar was accused of sexual misconduct with minors in the Worcester area.

                “Correspondence shows that the late James G. Reardon, diocesan layer at the time, wanted Rev. Teczar moved out of the state and quickly incardinated into another diocese to remove liability for the alleged misconduct from the Worcester dioceses. That suit is ongoing. 

January 28, 2005

                Then we get from the Catholic Free Press-front page headlines “At 75, Bishop Rueger steps down: Served as Diocese’s auxiliary for 18 years, under three bishops.”

                The story reads: “After 47 years of service to the Diocese of Worcester, 18 of them as its auxiliary bishop, Bishop Rueger has resigned.

                “But he still will be coming to work.

                “‘I’ll be around,’ he said Wednesday. ‘As time goes on there will be some adjustment of the work load....’

                “The bishop submitted his resignation to the Vatican after he reached the mandatory age of retirement 75, on Sept. 3, 2004. This week the papal nuncio for the United States Archbishop Gabriel Montalyo announced that Pope Paul II accepted the resignation.

                “Upon learning of the Vatican’s acceptance, Bishop Rueger noted, ‘I am most grateful to God for the many years He permitted me to minister both as a priest and bishop. Today, I thank Bishop McManus and Bishop Reilly for their kindness, all of my brother priests and our religious for their support and the wonderful laity in our diocese. I will continue to assist at the Chancery and participate in the Confirmation and ceremonies in the Dioceses.’

                “‘Today, the Diocese of Worcester has reached another important point in its history,’ Bishop McManus said in a written statement.

                “ ‘After nearly 18 years of faithful and dedicated ministry as auxiliary bishop, our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, ahs accepted the resignation of His Excellency, Most Reverend George E. Rueger, D.D., turned 75 years old, the mandatory age of retirement age for bishops.

“‘Since my installation as the fifth bishop of Worcester, Bishop Rueger has been exemplary in helping me to become acquainted with the Diocese of Worcester. As a native some, respected priest, and zealous auxiliary bishop, Bishop Rueger has provided the People of God in the Diocese of Worcester years of devoted pastoral ministry…”12

                The rest of this article was the regular run-down of Rueger’s assignments, titles-chairperson and awards-Bishop Rueger Fund for the Poor. Nothing was mentioned of the law suits as the T & G had in their article on Rueger. I was not surprised with any of that seeing The Free Press was the bishop’s paper.

                This same paper had a small section-article “Four priests in Boston Archdiocese are laicized.”

                It reads: “Boston (CNS)-The Vatican has laicized four Boston priests who were accused of sexually abusing minors, the Boston Archdiocese said Feb 11. It said Rev. Robert D. Fay, Kelvin E. Iguabita, Bernard J. Lane and Robert A. Ward Jr. may not ‘function in any capacity as a priest with the exception of offering absolution to the dying,’ and they ‘cease to receive any financial support form the diocese.’ Laicization is removal from the clerical state. Iguabita, 36, has been imprisoned since 2003, when he was sentenced for he rape of a teenage girl, Lane, 70, was removed form parish ministry in 1993 as a result of alleged abuse of minors I the 1970s but returned to limited ministry in a retired priests’ home until his own retirement, Fay, 68, had been on sick leave since 1988 in wake of accusations from the 1970s and ‘80s. Ward, 58, was suspended in 2002. He reportedly had a single allegation of abuse of a minor against him, but according to The Boston Globe church records also indicated drug abuse and use of child pornography from the Internet.”13

                Then the National Catholic Reporter “Word from Rome” by John L. Allen, Jr. wrote: “Most Americans probably regard the sexual abuse norms adopted by the U.S. bishop’s in2002, the heart of which is the ‘one strike’ policy, as by now more or less written in stone, a permanent part of the church’s response to the crisis. In fact, however, those norms ere approved by the Vatican only for two years and that trail period are up in March. What happens next is unclear. (Besides the bodies already floating in the Tiber)

                “A ‘mixed commission’ of Vatican officials and American bishops to discuss the norms will meet in Rome in the offices of the Congregation for Clergy, Jan. 31-Feb. 1.

                “Concerns linger about the norms-about the fairness of the ‘one strike’ policy, the definition of the ‘sexual abuse,’ the routine lifting of the statue of limitations and various due process issues-though opinion is divided both in Rome and in America. Some canonists and Vatican officials, and most American Bishops, believe the norms are working and should be continued largely as they stand. Other Vatican officials, however, and many overseas bishops, remain opposed.

                “Sources told NCR I late January that the meeting of the mixed commission is not necessarily expected to produce a decision, but to air experiences and concerns on both sides.

                “‘It’s a follow-up and evaluation,’ a senior Vatican official told NCR Dec. 28. This official said that this meeting mayor may not produce a document, depending on how serious the revisions decided upon by the group turn at to be.

                “One open question is what happens to the existing norms if March comes and goes without Vatican reauthorization. Some canonists say the new American rules would thereby expire, ‘and we would returnee to the status quo ante, though a lot older and wiser,’ as one put it. Under the previous standard, you were not uniform national legislation, and no guarantee of a ‘one-strike- approach. (No kidding: Guilty till proven innocent. We’ll call you.-Bishop Harrington)

                “Others, however, believe the norms would stay in force until revised or formally withdrawn…”14

                Then Commonweal published in their January issue “A Gay Priests Speaks Out: the Vatican, homosexuals & holy orders” by Rev. Gerald Thomas.

                Thomas writes: “Sometimes in the next few months, the Vatican will issue much-anticipated documents addressing the issue of whether gay men can be ordained priests. The policy is being written by the Congregation for Catholic Education in preparation fro the upcoming Vatican ‘apostolic visitation’ of seminaries in the United States, the in-dept review that is part of the Vatican’s response to the sexual-abuse crisis.

                “Exactly what Rome will say is unclear. Some observers predict an outright ban on admitting homosexuals to seminaries and religious orders; others foresee less drastic restrictions. No one, however, expects the Vatican to issue a warm welcome to gay men who feel called to the priesthood. But while banning or severely restricting gay men in orders would surely delight those U.S. Catholics who blame gay priests for the sexual-abuse crisis or have been railing against the ‘gay subculture’ in the clergy, to a gay priest like myself, the imminent release of this document looms like terrible, if not entirely unexpected, news from the doctor.

                “It is also represents a serious moral error.

                “Few doubt that the impetus behind the Vatican’s proposed statement is the sexual-abuse crisis that has convulsed the Catholic Church in America for the past three years. And if American Catholics took note that the crime overwhelmingly concerned priests proving on young boys and adolescent males, those in Rome drew unwarranted dedications form those facts, prompting some Vatican officials to take aim at all homosexuals in the priesthood. As Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said in March 2002, ‘People with these inclinations just cannot be ordained.’

                “Yet many men with such ‘inclinations’ are already ordained. To be sure, no reliable data exist about the number of gay priests in the United States, and estimates very widely. Many bishops and religious superiors who are either embarrassed by the presence of gay priests under their jurisdiction or who deny their existence, and understandably skittish about conducting research that would confirm the presence of homosexual priests in the church. (My completely anecdotal impression is that probably 25 percent of priests are homosexual.) Still, even if research were conducted, it is unlikely that gay priests would feel comfortable participating. Fran answers might jeopardize their ministry, especially since some bishops seem to equate homosexuality with pedophilia. ‘We feel a person who is homosexual-orientated is not a suitable candidate for the priesthood, even if he had never committed any homosexual act,’ said Cardinal Anthony Bevilacoqua, archbishop of Philadelphia, in April 2002.

                “In addition to the lack of data, a strict code of silence concerning homosexual priests has been imposed. Bishops and religious superiors have forbidden many priests from speaking, writing, or preaching about their homosexuality. (This is the reason I am using a pseudonym for this article: I have been instructed not to speak publicly about my sexual identity.) Thus gay priests like me are caught in a double bind. If we speak the truth and discuss freely our existence in the church, and, more important our experience of leading fulfilling lives as celibate men, we will be censured or removed from ministry. If we remain silent, thought, we guarantee that the positive example of the celibate gay priest will remain hidden. Voiceless, the gay priest cannot defend himself with the church. Stereotyped, he cannot escape the suspicions of society at large.

                “Yet on this subject, as in so many other areas, the church needs to embrace more transparency, not more silence. Fro celibate gay priests, priests, like all of God’s people, have an important story to tell…”15

                One observation has to be inserted here by me: I was a heterosexual priest that had to struggle with a “culture” that was not normal living in a rectory with my ministry-start story (gossip or otherwise) about an individual that branded or crippled one’s priesthood. One never had an inner peace living in those conditions. 

January 30, 2005

                I came across this in my reading this day: We could have 70 days without food, nearly 10 days without water, 6 minutes without air, but not all without hope.

                My idealistic priesthood was a reality check as losing “hope” of some nature. My attitude in writing this work was finally having an ignition of revised hope in my life.  

January 31, 2005

                I have done a substantial amount of recreation reading on Modernism period in the Catholic Church (1907- ) of Fr. George Tyrell, S.J. and Edmond Bishop (layman) writings and biographies. It was opening insights that I sue to hear about in my studies that were realities in my present days. The promises and perils of present-day activities were predicted by these people and a number of others in the Modernism controversy.

                I spoke with a guy this day that was telling me information that he spoke to me about the previous day. I listened and realized that he did recall telling me the same information-exactly- the day before at dinner in his home. It was, on his part, informing me of a situation for a first time. I was in a “blackout” yesterday and this day.

                I was looking and listening to him and thinking: Oh! My God. This was me many years back. I was in blackouts and functioning professionally and personally. It scared me.  

February 3, 2005

                I noticed that I was writing with more clarity in my reflections and insights. It was something I noticed in my overall thinking of my experiences. I was disciplining myself to write in between 2 to 2 ½ hours at a time. My shoulders and back were sore. I needed to do something else away from the computer to do some stretching or walk. I needed to clear my mind. But there were times that I struggled to do any writing. Other times, I would be in what I called a “roll” with a good attitude to accomplish some quality time. I was disciplining myself to develop a method and overall style. It affected my personhood to exemplify honesty, quality and steadfast purpose.

                There are times that I wonder about the whole church things with this sex abuse crisis and my experience. It is a situation, I believe, is like a fart in a spacesuit. 

February 4, 2005

                We get this day in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette “Super Bowl ad pulled by Ford.
                David Bauder of The Associated Press writes “New York-Ford Motor Co. on Wednesday abruptly yanked a planned Super Bowl advertisement that depicted a clergyman tempted by a new pickup truck after some clergy sex abuse victims complained the ad made light of their trauma.

                “The company wants to keep the focus on its new tuck model rather than controversy, said Sara Tatchio, spokeswoman for Ford’s Lincoln division.

                “The ad shows a set of car keys placed on a collection plate; the clergyman then finds a new Lincoln Mark LT truck in the parking lot. When the car’s owner shows up, his little girl smiling and poking her head from behind, the implication is that the child had dropped the keys in the plate.

                “The clergyman hands over the keys, ad is then shown adding the letters L-T to a message board advertising an upcoming sermon-on lust.

                “The Chicago-based Survivors Networks of those Abused by Priests believed the little girl’s presence in the ad with the clergyman and the worked ‘lust’ had sexual overtones, and that Lincoln was playing off news of religious sex scandals to sell cars. The survivors group urged Ford to pull the ad and within hours of their complaint the company obliged.

                “‘It shows their compassion and I think will spare lots of people a great deal of pain,’ said Barbara Balne, Snap’s president…”16

                The National Catholic Reporter today carried the story Vatican prosecutor weighs in on sex abuse: Article calls for end to statue of limitations in abuse cases.”

                John L. Allen, Jr. writes: “While many of the church’s judicial proceedings occur in secret, the Vatican’s chief prosecutor, in a rare public commentary, ahs called for the elimination any statue of limitations on sex abuse offenses, and had classified the possession of child pornography as a form of ‘sexual abuse.’

                “He also suggests that sexual contact with a post-pubescent adolescent, albeit a minor under 18, may call for a different legal and pastoral response than the sexual abuse of a young child.

                “The comments from Msgr. Charles Scicluna, promoter of justice for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and hence the Vatican official with primary responsibility for handling sex abuse cases, came in an article published in the September 2004 issue of the newsletter of the Canon Law Society of Great Britain and Ireland..

                “In the article, Scicuna, a Maltese priest, outlines his office’s procedure for handling ‘grave delicits,’ meaning serious offense under the Code of Canon Law, which as of a 2002 motu prorio, meaning a documents under the pope’s own authority, includes the sexual abuse f a minor. Scicuna also offered interpretation of various points.

                “Church law has never clearly defined ‘sexual abuse,’ but Scicluna explains the practice of his office in evaluating cases.

                “An offense ‘does not mean only physical contact or direct abuse, but includes indirect abuse also (for example: showing pornography to minors; lewd indecent exposure in front of minor),’ Scicuna writes…”17

                Then another article in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette “Shanley jury begins deliberations: Accuser’s recovered memories of sex abuse debated by lawyers.”

                Denise Lavoie of The Associated Press writes: “Cambridge-A jury briefly deliberated the fate of defrocked priest Paul R. Shanley yesterday after hearing lawyers in the case clash over the validity of the repressed memories his accuser sad came to him decades after the sexual abuse allegedly took place.

                “The jury deliberated for all of 30 minutes when the judge sent members home from the day. They were to return to Middlesex Superior Court today to resume deliberations.

                “Earlier yesterday, Shanley’s lawyer in closing arguments contented the accuser’s allegations were orchestrated by personal injury lawyers, while a prosecutor argued the man’s memories of the alleged rape and molestation were too agonizing to be lies.

                “Shanley’s lawyer said the alleged victim’s 20-yeasr-old memories of being raped by Shanley as a young boy were planted by a friend, who also had accused Shanley of abuse, and then exploited by lawyers who filed a lawsuit for him.

                “‘The core facts in this case are just not true,’ said lawyer Frank Mondano.

                “The man, now a 27-year-old firefighter in a Boston suburb, testified Shanley began raping him while he was in the second grade, taking him out of religious-education classes for discipline and raping him in the confessional.

                “But Mondano po9nted to the testimony of two of the man’s Catholic religion instructors, who said they didn’t recall Shanley ever pulling students from class and that students didn’t go to confession until fourth grade.

                “Monano said the man contacted personal jury lawyers soon after he recovered his memories in February 2002. The lawyers filed a lawsuit ion his behalf three months later. The man received $500,000 in a settlement with the Boston Archdiocese last May…”18 

February 7, 2005

                I visited my relatives in Maspeth-N.Y. City. It was the regular “What happened in your case?” conversation at the kitchen table having a cup of coffee. My cousin’s husband, David, was pressing the topic. I mentioned the “blackout” experience. David immediately said: “Than, you did it (allegations).” He took his coffee and left the table. I was not able to explain anything more nor did I try. The next two days were testy in my visit with him. It was a learning experience of what to talk about with those allegations and the bigger picture. People had there minds made-up. Oh! These relatives, I had not heard from nor seen for over 30 years until that visit. 

February 11, 2005

                I was listening to the radio with news from Worcester about an interview with Bishop McManus. The point I was somewhat taken-back with was that the bishop said priest on Administrative Leave are not able to wear their Roman Collars in public. It was something that I had the “pit” feeling in my stomach. What is ironic was that I didn’t wear the collar unless I was doing priestly ministry as saying Mass, visiting the sick in the hospital. It did affect me. I was somewhat surprised with this “pit” feeling.

                Against, nothing is ever addressed about the “priest victim” in being treated by the hierarchy and the medial

                The National Catholic Reporter carried a book review entitle “The intractable Catholic church” of Faith That Dares to Speak by Donald Cozzens.

                This book was reviewed by Dennis M. Doyle who wrote: “Fr. Donald Cozzens, a well-respected figure in contemporary Catholic circles, reflects deeply on the state of church in the wake of the sex abuse crisis. He contemplates first the internal fears and external structures that keep people from speaking out and making needed changes. He then turns to consider broad-scale changes already set in motion.

                “Fr. Cozzens’ powerful writing displays his mastery of skills in spiritual direction, pastoral counseling and conflict resolution. He spent time fostering and maintaining in his reading a meditative state of consciousness. He wants to encourage people to listen humbly and attentively and to speak courageously and frankly.

                “As bad as or worse than the actual sex abuse committed by priests has been the response of secrecy and transfer and cover-up by some bishops and those who assisted them. Fr. Cozzens links these behaviors with a culture of clericalism rooted in the continuance of feudal structures. The practices needed to maintain this culture include paternalism, blind loyalty, authoritarianism and insensitive disregard of those not in the club. Pope Pius X articulated the underlying vision when he described the church, in essence, as a society of unequal.

                “Fr. Cozzens sees the vision of Vatican II as one of a community of co-equals disciples. (I was educated and believed this concept. Totally false in reality.) All the baptized are member of the people of God. Any distinctions in roles are made within this basic framework and should take nothing away from this sense of mutuality. In Fr. Cozzens’ judgment, however, powerful forces within the church have been retreating from the councilor vision. The road ahead lies in empowering the laity through changes of heart and structure. The church of secrecy and cover-up and abuse of power needs to be overtaken by the church of openness, dialogue and respect…Fr. Cozzens tends to dichotomize between humble people who want needed changed and arrogant people who fearfully reject change…”19

                Kathleen A. Shaw wrote this day in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette “Bishop Gay’s abuse by clergy was ‘great injustice’ to victims.”

                She stated: “Worcester-Bishop Robert J. McManus of the Catholic Diocese of Worcester yesterday acknowledged that a ‘great injustice’ was done to victims of clergy sexual abuse in this diocese, and he pledged to continue working for healing and restoration of trust.

                “His remakes came as he announced that a recent audit done at the behest of the National Review Board of the United States Catholic Bishops has found that the diocese is in full compliance with the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.

                “The Gravin group of Boston, which audited every diocese in the United Stated for the past tow years, gave no recommendations for improvement. The group conducted the audit here Dec. 6 through 10. The first audit was done June 23 through 27, 2003.

                “‘At the conclusion of this compliance audit, the diocese was found to be compliant with all articles of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People,’ the audit states.

                “ ‘I am pleased to see that this audit has once against confirmed the commitment our diocese has made to healing for those who seek the church’s assistance and restoring trust to the faithful community as a whole,’ the bishop said.

                “‘A great injustice was done to those victims of sexual abuse by members of sexual abuse by members of the church. While there is no simple answer on how to foster healing in their lives, we join with the rest of the church in expressing our sorrow for the pain which was inflicted upon them and their families,’ Bishop McManus said…”20

                In the Worcester Telegram & Gazette section “People’s Forum” printed a letter from Daniel E. Dick of Worcester: “Many Catholics press for self-determination: I hope the Catholics were paying attention to the president’s State of the Union speech, in which he talked so forcefully about the aspiration of people for self-determination, about a direct role in choosing the form of government, and a real voice in writing and ratifying the constitution on which that government is based.

                “As growing number of Catholics are pressing for such a government in their church. The days of arbitrary and capricious decision-making by a self-chosen select few are drawing to a close.

                “The bigger obstacle in the way has been the current pope and the members of the hierarch who gave him blind obedience.

                “In the early days of office, the pope came at strongly in support of the worker movement in his native Poland to overthrow the dictatorship in place and replace it with a democratic form of government. Since then, however, he has turned about-face by trying to stifle similar movements for freedom in the Americas, has stubbornly opposed the needed reforms in the church and has persisted in denying women their rights given in baptism.

                “The good he has done will unfortunately be tarnished by this record of suppression.

                “Catholics how live in the modern world will not wait for a papacy to wake up. As Lee Iacocca said, ‘If you can’t lead, follow, and if you can follow, get the heck out of the way.”21

                On had to watch just this day of the NCR and the “letter” that one needs something as they had in World War II-Pacific Theater- the Navaho Indian Code makers to carry on a campaign of renewal.  

February 13, 2005

                I was reading on the Internet Ron Rolheiser, OMI this timely column of his: ”Gethsemane-a Place to learn a lesson.”

                Rolheiser writes: “…there’s nothing wrong with wanting health, success, beauty, power, glamour, money or fame. Of themselves, there are good and can, if used properly help God’s glory shine through in ordinary life. But they can also be dangerous and can just as easily corrupt, inflate, and weaken rather than strengthen character. We want these things, but they aren’t always good for us.

                “Ironically, the reverse is also true. We don’t want failure, humiliation, sickness, powerlessness, poverty, or inferiority of any kind. Yet these, more than success and glamour, are what produce character and dept inside us. We see this, for instance, in a family who has a handicapped member. It’s this person who gives the family character and dept. The son or daughter who’s the professional athlete or the wonderfully beautiful fashion-model bring glory into eh family, but not necessarily character. Character comes from something else.

                “If we examine ourselves with courage and honesty, we will see that almost all the things that have made us deep and given us character are the very things we’re often ashamed of: a plain body that won’t let us stand out in a crowd; a quirky family whose habits can only be understood from the inside; a frustrating job where our real talents can never merge because we don’t have the right education or the right opportunities; a troubled history within which there have been too many instances where we were the dumb one, the weak one, the sick one, the excluded one, the fat one, the slow one, the one chosen last when sides were drawn up, the one who without a date on a Friday night, and the one who got beaten up on the playground. Beyond that, we’ve also been forever the frustrated one, the one who despite the burning ache for the greatness, has never and will never create the masterpiece, write the symphony, or dance on a world stage.

                “But character and dept aren’t given for scoring goals in the World Cup, for winning Oscars in Hollywood, or for being so successful or beautiful that you become an icon for an adoring public. Character and kept are given for coping with powerlessness, inferiority, and humiliation that are for. For finding that deeper place inside of you where you can make a happy peace with the fact that your mother is too fat, that your father never blessed you, that you were abused, that the school bully humiliated you in front of your friends, that you were always the outsider, and that even today you live a life of quiet desperation wherein sickness, addictions, dark family history, loneliness, and inadequacies of every kind are barely kept at bay. There’s an innate connecti0on between attaining a certain level of dept and having experienced a certain level of humiliation. That’s one of the lessons of Gethsemane…22

                This does fit into my journey of late. I needed to read such an article. 

February 18, 2005

                “Listening to victims is key, speaker says” appeared on the front page of the Catholic Free Press.

                Tanya Connor reported: “Worcester- Listen to the victim survivors.

                “Whether you’re a bishop, a mediator or a member of a parish.

                “That’s what a former judge who gets victims and offenders together advocated last week in a talk at the College of the Holy Cross.

                “Janine P. Greske, a law professor and director of the Restorative Justice Initiative at Marquette University Law School, spoke Feb. 9 about ‘Restoration Justice: A Model for Response to Clergy Abuse.’

                “The former Wisconsin Supreme Court judge’s talk followed one about the laity by Judge Anne Burke. Judge Burke is the former interim chair of the United States Bishops’ National Review Board for the Protection of Children and Young People. The Center for Religion, Ethics and Culture at Holy Cross sponsored both talks, which were part of the series ‘Beyond Brokenness: Healing, Renewal and the Church.’

                “Judge Greske set the stage for her comments about the clergy sexual abuse crisis by talking more generally about how she uses a restorative justice process to get victims and offenders together. The idea is to help victims and offenders together. The idea is to help victims heal and to help offenders understand the harm they have caused and do something about it.

                “When a crime occurs, harm is caused and thee is a breach of relationship, she said. The victim, community and offender, and people connected with them are all affected. Restoration justice works toward restoration by getting the three parties involved with each other as much as possible, she said.

                “She used the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa as an example, and said New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and most states in the United States have sort of restorative justice program…”23

                Why is it when I read this that I think it is all about money, money and money and/or an agenda against the Catholic Church.  It is very noble cause in another place. Check the circumstances here in Worcester Diocese with authority and power in a classic fashion of a feudal system with paternalism personified using a Poster Boy model.  

February 19, 2005

                I was visiting my tax-man, Joseph Simoncini in Shrewsbury office. He made an eye-opening comment to me where he said the priest sex abuse scandal in the Worcester Diocese was: “It’s all political.” Why I was surprised to hear him was the fact that I know he plays golf with a number of diocesan clergy.

                I was reflecting on my attitude: Keeping strong and “hope” going where I am 61 but thinking young. Love is in my thoughts as being very important of loving life. Trying to get a more appropriate aspect of self-esteem with some hard exercise. I realized my deep sense of belonging. I’m finding this in my weekly AA meetings-Tuesday and Thursday- and friends that I visit or call. Assuming the best is yet to come.

                I had a very interesting phone call from Mrs. Lola Leger of Westminster. She was talking that she was talking today with a person that is a parishioner of St. Edward’s that “likes you.” I always realized that being a pastor there was the 10 percent rule: 10 percent liked you, 10 percent disliked you and 80 percent say “Who?”

                So, Mrs. Leger tells me that this person told her: “If you’re not gay, they, the diocese won’t do anything for you.” Now, I’m not sure why this was told me or what the contents that this individual was relating this to Mrs. Leger. The issue was that I had my parish removed from me. It was a death: Shock, disbelief, denial, denial, emptiness, anxiety, guilt, anger and pre-occupied with memories of my years as pastor of St. Edwards was daily my roller-coaster.

                So, I listened but made sure not to say anything that would be used against me. It was a time where even if one is careful in such a story of mine that people pass on stories that were not of my making but that individuals perception and own talking.

                I was working my research and writing of not assuming things but listen, read and ask questions on issues of this crazy time of “The Priest.” 

February 22, 2005

                Kathleen A. Shaw gives us this day “Dicoese faces conspiracy suit in abuse case: Healing is Thursday in Texas in case involving Rev. Teczar.”

                She writes: “Two Texas men have accused the Catholic Diocese of Worcester and the Diocese of Fort Worth, Texas, of conspiring to help the Rev. Thomas H. Teczar slip in and out of tow states to avoid arrest on criminal charges of sexually abusing underage boys.

                “The pair filed suit in Tarrant County District Court in Fort Worth alleging the Rev. Teczar, who was a priest in the Worcester diocese, sexually abused them while he was serving parishes in Ranger, Texas.

                “The dioceses of Worcester and Fort Worth have submitted a motion for summary judgment to dismiss the suit. They argue that the suits were filed after the statue of limitations had expired. A hearing on that motion is scheduled for 9 a.m. Thursday in the Fort Worth court.

                “Rev. Teczar, who now lives in Dudley, denied the allegations and said he does not know the man identified in court documents as John Doe II.

                “‘I never met him. I never even talked to him. I never touched him,’ he said in a telephone interview yesterday. Rev. Teczar, who previously refused to publicly discuss accusations against him, is representing himself in the suit.

                “He sad he has read the material submitted in the case and that when taken line by line, the lawsuit is pathetic.’

                “‘He said he knows the man identified as John Doe I ‘only from the gas station’ in Ranger, a small town in northern Texas where the sexual abuse is alleged to have occurred.

                “Rev. Teczar, who remains a priest but is prohibited by the church from performing any priestly duties, reminded a questioner that the American legal system is based on the premise that an accused man is innocent until proven guilty. The two men have submitted no evidence suppurating thief claims that they were abused, he maintained.

                “The suit names both dioceses, Bishop Joseph P. Delaney of Forth Worth, individually and as bishop, Rev. Teczar, and Auxiliary Bishop George E. Rueger of Worcester as an individual, accusing him of intervening to help get Rev. Teczar moved to Fort Worth diocese. The auxiliary bishop, who is due to retiree from that position in September, has denied the allegation…”24

                What had my eyes open wide was that Teczar was representing himself in court and he was giving such statements to the press? I’m sure we will get more stories on this story. 

February 25, 2005

                “The Word from Rome” in the National Catholic Reporter by John L. Allen, Jr. reported” Beyond my own talks, the Congress gives me a chance to hears presentations by a wide array of Catholic luminaries, many, many of them friends and colleagues.

                “This year, for example, I sat in on part of Suspicion Fr. Gerald Coleman’s session on the sexual abuse crisis. Coleman brings an informed perspective, having served for 16 years as President/Rector of St. Patrick’s Seminary and University in Menlo Park, Calif. And is currently on sabbatical at the Carmelite Monastery in Carmel, Calif. Coleman has written a number of books on moral and pastoral theology as well as medical ethics.

                “Coleman offered a detailed overview of the American crisis, making a number of interesting observations along the way. Fro example, he noted that virtually none of the accusations lodged so far concerned behavior while a candidate for the priesthood was in the seminary. The abuse happened once the abuser was out in the field, under much less supervision and often with little ‘support system.’ Obviously, a seminarian is not quite the authority figure an ordained priest is, and perhaps has less capacity to act on the impulse to abuse, Granted, too, the formation offered in seminarians’ point is that by and large the seminary system managed to ‘keep things under control,’ suggesting that the isolation and lack of supervision of priestly life is one of the factors that fueled the crisis.

                “At the end of his talk, Coleman suggested that what’s needed is a balance between the presumption of innocence and protecting the good names of accused priests, alongside an aggressive commitment to ensuring that children are not abused. He argued that permanent removal from ministry, under the terms of the American procedural norms, is not so much a matter of ‘punishment’ as it is about protecting the church, and especially children, from the risk of recidivism.

                “At the same time, Coleman introduced a neologism into the debate- ‘charter creep,’ referring to the tendency to treat any accusation of sexual misconduct against a priest as if it were sexual abuse of a minor, ever when it’s matter of acts between consenting adults. Obviously, Coleman was to calling for laxity regarding violations of the knows of celibacy, but he insisted that legally and morally, the abuse of a child, and a sexual act with a consenting adult, are different situations calling for different remedies…”25

                To cut to the chase, as soon as any priest was allegated they were gone. There were a very, very few exceptions overall. It was a death-sentence for a priest to be allegated by anyone’s word.  

February 26, 2005

                Kathleen A. Shaw gives us this day “Teczar awaits ruling on psychologist” in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette.

                Shaw writes: “A judge in Fort Worth, Texas, yesterday took under advisement testimony taken during the last tow day on whether to accept as expert’s two clinical psychologists being called in a civil lawsuit against the Catholic dioceses of Worcester and Fort Wroth and tow bishops.

                “Two Texas men, Listed as John Doe I and John Doe II, allege they were sexually abused by the Rev. Thomas H. Teczar, a priest of the Worcester diocese in 1988 and took an assignment in the Fort Worth diocese. Khan Merritt, the lawyer for John Doe II, alleged in the lawsuit that the Worcester and Fort Worth diocese conspired to get Rev. Teczar in and out of both dioceses after misconduct allegations were made.

                “Ms. Merritt of Dallas, the lead lawyer in the suit, wants to call John Daignault of Braintree and Rycke Marshall of Dallas, both forensic clinical psychologists, to testify on behalf of the men bringing the suit. They believe it is possible for a victim of sexual abuse to repress memories of traumatic events…”26 

March 1, 2005                  

                I was trying to streamline my writing technique. I approached the researched articles that I saved in my file to sue if they were more direct to the subject matter of the Worcester Diocese and area. I included an article of world-wide viewpoint to put light on an incident in the diocese. I used more “letters-to-the-editor” after reading all of them before I would start writing the text format.           

                I have been using the split-screen of the Word Program in writing the text. It has been most helpful in cross-referencing and forcing me to pick-up the temp of my writing.

                Since, I adapted this streamlining; I have long-hand written my footnotes to input in a future time. This will be the tedious part of this writing.  

March 3, 2005

                I was “just thinking” how the present society is living in being geared for “results” and not “process.” It is the political atmosphere of the right having dominance of saying one thing but, in reality, doing something else. I sense that we can forget any process of personhood developing through the atmosphere of the day. I have made an effort to read Fog of Facts: Searching for Truth in the Land of Spin by Larry Beinhart. It helps me with my theory: Where is the string that goes around the corner attached too. 

March 4, 2005

                This we get from the National Catholic Reporter “Editorials: ‘Full compliant’ doesn’t equal accountability.”

                It states: “Catholics should be grateful for the release of the 2004 Annual Report on implementation of the Charter fro the Protection of Children and Young People Combined with last year’s report, the 2004 John Jay College of Criminal Justice study on the ‘scope of the crisis,’ and the so-called Bennett Report on its causes, the survey of diocesan child-protection programs released Feb. 18 sheds additional light on diocesan efforts to combat sex abuse.

                “It is a good thing it does, given that more than 1,000 allegations of se abuse by priest and deacons were made last year, according to data gathered by Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate that was included in the204 Annual Report.

                “It takes nothing away from the survey of diocesan child-protection programs, however, to note that such documents have been repeatedly misused by those who want to say or imply that the ‘crisis is over.’ The danger, as it has been with each of these reports, studies and surveys, is that the findings will be oversold. Which is exactly what is happening?

                “Throughout the country diocesan public relations professionals went into full spin mode. Headlines in church papers trumpeted the findings: ‘Archdiocese Found in Full Compliance with U.S. Bishops’ Charter (St. Paul-Minneapolis The Catholic Spirit), ‘Full Compliance and Commendation Result From Gavin  Group Audit of Archdiocese’ (The Georgia Bulletin, newspaper of the Atlanta Archdiocese), ‘L.A. Urged to be in Full Compliance with Bishops’ Charter (The Tidings). And so on and so on and so on.

                “Much of this is hooey.

                “First ‘full compliant’ is simply oversell. It is like being ‘fully pregnant.’ You either or you are not. The advert is added for public relations purposes, designed to reassure a skeptical public.

                “Next, the work of the Gavin Group and Boston based firms hired by the bishops to review diocesan programs, is neither ‘independent’ nor an ‘audit,’ at least to the extent that the words are combined. These precise terms of art in the according world have been adopted to create an impression of objectivity and competence... A certified public accounting firm claiming ‘independence’ of an ‘audit’ faces sanctions based on well-established industry standards based on well-established industry standards if it fails to live up to the claim. Not so with the Gavin Group, which is not an accounting firm and is not required to abide by any external independent audit guidelines?

                “In fact, the bishops Office of Child and Youth Protection recruited the Gavin Group because its principal, William A. Gavin, combined a reputation for excellence with a good price. ….IN the church community, after all, the body f the church doesn’t get the opportunity to vote out an offending bishop or fire a lousy CEO.”27

                This editorial is blistering with “accountability.” But the issue of “power and authority” is the issue that I have been addressing in this work. One had to live in it to see another view that many would not think may exist in this day and age-mainly a feudal system.

                I also think about one family in Westminster-the Robuccio’s- who told me one day that they go to church, but then go home and do what they want to do. This was one of the most honest comments I heard in my time at St. Edward’s.  

March 5, 2005

                I have noticed of late that I do not bear the fear and unpleasantness of going to area flea markets or stores of late. I have always been a sensitive person. It has been some time since 1993. I have struggled in wondering what I would say is I met someone I knew. I developed a few phrases-about time- to respond to any questions that would come my way. Ex: Question-What have you been doing? General answer- I’ve been busy with a number of projects. Question-Where do you live? I’m listed in the telephone book. Question-Are you still a priest?  Yes. Period. No other comment.) Question-Is the Worcester Diocese paying you? I’m living off my investments.

                What I have come to realize that those feelings-isolate- of ’93 and ’94 will be part of my life journey. I have to deal with them and move on. I realized that I was blinded with rose-colored glasses that I donned at ordination with the Second Vatican Council in an effort to renew the Catholic Church with a challenge to all branches and baptized. There was a hope that I recall Fr. Greeley saying certain writers of the Church do not remember that hope. So writers of this generation procure works that they view as objective but not understand what some of the present figures of the Church in Rome and the United States have tried so hard to destroy that hope.

                I noticed this day in my research and writing that my back was very sore. The sore back was a pain that I noticed I experienced when my body would experience stress. It was mainly mental. But, it was occurring more often of late. I was thinking of late about my moving from my present studio apartment to the second floor. I only heard about this the previous day but that is where I noticed that an issue has, what I call, the 24 hour reaction time on me. I experience something and then 24 hours I feel it with the stress element of a sore-lower back reaction. I believe it is all in the mind working with major concern and my back gets tight.  

March 6, 2005

                My fear bucket started to fill-up watch the local evening TV news with Father Shanley’s picture being shown and Attorney General Reilly saying he is going to review abuse cases after talking to “victims” in Shanley’s case and getting rid of the “statue of limitation.” I recall hearing that Reilly was talking of this issue but that it would not be retro-active. Reilly’s story was not being told by all the medial in the same fashion. Some sources said that Reilly was going to “look into changing the law.” What I realized was that this was another political move by Reilly because the “statue of limitation” affects not only priest sex abuse. It covers a wider range of law in general.

                We are living in a society that proclaims: There’s gold in then, there hill. Allegate a priest.                

March 7, 2005

                In a letter of the “People’s Forum” of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette by David J. O’Brien, Professor, Holy Cross College, Worcester: “VOTF was invited to Holy Cross-The Voice of the Faithful is dedicated to assisting victims of sexual abuse by priests, supporting the vast majority of priests who serve their church with fidelity and dedication, and reforming the church to allow all its members, including lay people, to share responsibility for its common life.

                “In particular, VOTF advocates for he full implementation and appropriate reform of existing structures of shared responsibility, especially parish and diocesan councils and finance committees. Daniel Dick, cited by Richard R. Blanchard’s letter to the editor (Telegram & Gazette, Feb 21), has rendered generous service to logical victims, of whom there are many, and he has strong views on church reform. But VOTF, as an organization, was badly misrepresented by Mr. Blanchard. As for his question about Holy Cross, VOTF members have met occasionally at the college, at my invitation, for which I gladly accept responsibility.”28

                Blanchard was a letter writer to the Worcester Telegram & Gazette and Catholic Free Press in the 70s and 80s. He was constantly giving especially Bishop Harrington a run for it. I recall that his name was never mentioned in public or at the dinner table in the rectory. The priest silence was most interesting. There is a whole separate book on that guy and the Worcester Diocese. 

March 11, 2005

                John L. Allen, Jr. writes in the National Catholic Reporter “Vatican asks Rice for help in sex abuse lawsuit.”

                The article states: “Alongside predictable exchanges on Iraq, the Middle East and religious liberty, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in her Feb 8 visit to the Vatican received an unexpected request-to intervene in a U.S. lawsuit naming the Holy See as the defendant in a sex abuse case.

                “Church sources told NCR that Rice asked by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the Vatican’s secretary of state, whether the U>S. government could stop a class action lawsuit currently before a U.S. District Court in Louisville, Ky., that, seeks to hold the Vatican financially responsible for the sexual abuse of minors.

                “Sources told NCR that Rice explained that under American law; foreign states are required to assert claims of sovereign immunity themselves before U.S. courts.

                “Vatican spokesperson Joanquin Mavarro-Valls, asked by NCR for comment, responded March 2: ‘It’s obvious and reasonable that the Holy See would present its positions as a sovereign entity to the American State Department, and recall the immunity for its acts that international law anticipates.’

                “It’s not the first time, according to observers; that the Vatican has asked the State Department for help on a legal matter.

                “Most experts say that lawsuits against the Vatican in American courts, such as the Kentucky case that prompted Sodano’s request, are a long shot. At least two dozen previous attempts have gone nowhere, not only because the Vatican is a sovereign state, but also because American courts are generally reluctant to deal with religious matters on First Amendment grounds.

                “Yet Sodano’s decision to raise the matter with Rice suggests concern in Rome that sooner or later its immunity may give way, exposing the Vatican to potentially crippling verdicts…”29

                It is big money where one has to try to figure out where the string is tied to around the corner. 

March 10, 2005

                The Catholic Free Press had a supplement document published by the Diocesan Review Committee of the Roman Catholic Diocese “Policies & Procedures for the Protection of Minors.”30 It was revised and reissued this day-March 10, 2005.

                What I found interesting was that this committee consisted of 20 members. My first thought was that it is a mob with such a number. A priest called me and said count the number of priest-5. The issue this priest was caring a message of resurging clericalism.  

March 12, 2005

                Kathleen A. Shaw followed the release of this document of March 10^th with “Diocese policy on handling sex abuse allegations updated.”

                She wrote in her column: “Worcester-the Diocese Review Committee of the Catholic Diocese of Worcester has made changes in how it will deal with allegations of sexual abuse by clergy or diocesan workers and has set procedures for reporting past abuse.

                “Bishop Robert J. McManus also announced this week that the Rev. George J. Ridick, now pastor of St. Catherine of Sweden Parish, has been appointed liaison of priests on leave. Rev. Ridick holds advanced degrees in theology and psychology.

                “Eight priest have been placed on administrative leave since 2002 when allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced and others are on leave after allegations wee made in previous years. The policy states that in accordance with canon law priests on leave will continue to receive support from the diocese.

                “According to the new policy, anyone alleging they were abused years ago as minors, but are now adults, should call the Office of Healing and Prevention at (508) 929-4363 to begin the reporting process.

                “In addition, anonymous complaints will not be viewed as showing ‘reasonable cause to believe abuse has occurred,’ according to the new policy…”31

                Reality has developed since even Bishop Harrington telling me that I was “guilty till proven innocent” statement and the language of the hierarchal church and media- no one has a chance to be restored from an allegation. However, what has proven a fact that a hierarchy is the only ones proclaimed “immaculate.”<