Pedophilia, Lies and the Church
May 1, 2010
There are unforgivable sins.
Sexually abusing a child is one.
I was taught Catholic values — or so I thought. I attended Catholic grade school and graduated from a Catholic high school. I was taught that honesty and integrity matter. I was taught that lying, cheating and covering up problems was wrong. I was taught that you should always tell the truth, and if you make a mistake to admit it, accept your punishment, do your penance (five Hail Marys and 10 Our Fathers, at least) and try to be a better person.
Yet, as I have watched over the years, some within the Roman Catholic Church have attempted to mislead me and every parishioner and the rest of the world. The church has maintained a code of silence and covered up for a sin that comes as close to “unforgivable” as anything I know — harming children. No, let’s call it for what it is — child rape.
Could the Catholic Church, built on the revelation of truth and faith, fall apart due to lies and deceit?
There are some in the church who want to make this issue a problem of “faith” when it is one of transparency, truth, accountability and right and wrong.
There are also those who argue that anyone who raises these issues is “anti-Catholic.” I am not.
Priests who sexually abuse children are not “confused souls,” they are criminals. People who shield and cover up for criminals are charged with obstruction of justice.
Clearly, not every allegation against a priest has stood up to scrutiny, and it can be assumed that a few of the accusers are fabricating stories of abuse in an attempt to heap scorn on the church and extract money.
Yet, the seemingly pervasive, systematic, deceitful actions have, in the eyes of many, stripped the church of its historic moral authority.
Let’s be clear, the charges are lodged against some, not all priests and bishops. There are many good men and women, both ordained and lay people, in the church.
Yet, the sex abuse scandal in the Catholic Church continues to roll on in numerous countries.
In March Pope Benedict XVI sent a letter to Irish Catholics in which he apologized to the victims and expressed “shame and remorse.”
In early April the English and Welsh bishops condemned the actions of abusive priests and, according to a New York Times story, they also said higher church authorities had failed to act. “We recognize the failing of some bishops and religious leaders in handling these matters,” the statement said.
In late April the third European bishop in three days, a German, offered his resignation after admitting he sexually abused a child 25 years ago. Pope Benedict XVI quickly accepted the resignation, which is unusual because the Vatican typically takes weeks or months before acting against bishops accused of sexual abuse.
The accusations of an institutional cover-up and efforts to pressure the victims, their families and independent witnesses into not reporting criminal acts to civil authorities go much wider and deeper and, in the eyes of many, show a pattern of deceit.
Ugly shadow
What the pope knew (both as archbishop in Munich and later as a cardinal heading up the Vatican morals office), when he knew it and what actions, if any, he took to stop the abuse is casting an ugly shadow over him and the Catholic Church as this scandal continues to swirl.Victims have called for the pope to take responsibility for the systemic abuse of children that many feel may have touched the highest reaches of the church. They believe the secrecy and culture of hiding the problem allowed priests to molest children at will for decades. The Vatican strongly disputes this assessment.
The Vatican only recently published guidelines instructing bishops to report abuse to civil authorities where laws require it. While the Vatican explains that has long been church policy, it has never before been a written policy.
Yet people are concerned because many offending priests operate in countries that do not have the civil and criminal laws we have in the United States. The church has a moral and spiritual responsibility to act regardless of a particular country’s civil or criminal laws.
Years after these crimes were seemingly known to the Catholic powers that be, the church now refers to them as “A Plague.” The pope admits — now — that “grave errors of judgment were made and failures of leadership occurred.”
Now there is a high-priced-lawyer, PR-consultant spin for you. Be clear, crimes occurred and responsible “religious” people did nothing and allowed it to continue.
Further, to suggest that these crimes are “a plague” would lead one to believe that they are time limited and that pedophilia will run its course as plagues have done historically; either because a cure has been found or because the most vulnerable with the least resistance have died. Without vigilance, prosecution, incarceration and treatment, these crimes against children will continue.
The priests’ pedophile behavior — having sex with children — is not an isolated incident; it’s wrong morally, spiritually and legally. Yet if there is such a thing as a “worse sin” or a greater crime, it is reserved for those higher up in the church hierarchy, potentially up to and including the man who is now pope, who concealed and covered up this evil. If this is proven, the pope should resign.
Cover-up
It is said that the issue of child molesting was hidden to protect the church. What were they protecting the church from, the truth? These actions are just so vile, sick and disgusting they are unforgivable.Some, trying to spare the church further embarrassment or worse, are describing this scandal as a “reprehensible indiscretion of a few to cast a shadow on the church as a whole.” Nonsense.
This is a problem the church has brought on itself by looking the other way, buying silence in what appears to be an attempt to be above God’s law and that of man. What transpired, over generations and around the globe, is wrong, evil and criminal. It could and should have been stopped, yet was allowed to fester — not by people outside the church but from within.
There are lessons in this sordid story for all organizations. The truth has a way of eventually coming out and the cover-up often becomes worse than the original problem. (Richard Nixon and Kwame Kilpatrick come to mind).
It is documented that some bishops transferred known child molesters to different parishes, allowing these sick, criminal individuals to harm more children. If there is a more despicable act, I cannot think what it is.
This is truly a story of a deep failure of a religious institution. The individual priests who perpetuated these crimes and all who helped cover them up by looking the other way, or by not taking direct action, should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law (and ought to rot in hell). There should be no statute of limitations to prevent such prosecution.
There are lessons for government, business and religious leaders — the cover-up often has a way of eclipsing the original crimes.
Truth
The pope and all the church’s leaders ought to come clean about what they knew and when they knew about these crimes against children. It’s past time to stop hiding behind the robes of the church and the high-priced lawyers they are hiring to defend the indefensible.Edmund Burke, the great political writer and statesman who believed that political, social and religious institutions “represented the wisdom of the ages,” captured the heart of this scandal best when he said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
I was taught that “every man is a sinner” and the greatest gift is “forgiveness.” Yet there are things that are unforgivable. Covering up a crime that allowed additional children to be sexually molested is such an unforgivable action.
Pedophilia is a crime. It is also a mental illness. As hurtful as this crime and illness is to the victim and the victim’s family, because of my religious teaching I may be able to find it within me to forgive the individual criminal priests for their transgressions. I cannot, nor should the public, Catholic believers or not, forgive the church’s hierarchy for its complicity in allowing priests to be transferred to other parishes.
A religious institution that would allow such actions to continue across continents and across decades is not worthy in the eyes of God or man.
There is no amount of money or punishment that can repair the harm these priests and the Catholic Church have done to countless children and families. I only wish there were.
How can the institution of the church stand for anything when it did not stand up for the rights of children?
A start at redemption would be for the pope to establish a multi-billion-dollar foundation dedicated to the prevention, prosecution, imprisonment and treatment of child molesters around the world. Child abuse — sexual, physical or mental — is an evil that exists not only in the Catholic Church, but in societies across the world. It would be fitting if the church put its spiritual and financial wealth forward to combat it.
Innocence, once stolen, cannot be replaced. The Roman Catholic Church has stolen innocence from the world’s children. It appears the church put its needs ahead of its flock. This is an unforgivable sin that billions of dollars and no amount of Hail Marys and Our Fathers can restore.
I know this to be true, because good priests and nuns taught me so.
The pope has it within his power to address this evil head-on and to let the healing begin. He and the Catholic Church need to be held accountable.
Tom Watkins is an education and business consultant in the U.S. and China and served as Michigan’s state superintendent of schools from 2001-2005.
84 responses so far ↓
1 peter bittel // Apr 30, 2010 at 3:49 am
Watkins reminds us that we have forgotten our outrage. we are remined that the most horrific of crimes are against children – where is the outrage from Catholics whose leadership betrayes its children and our communities.
2 Jack // Apr 30, 2010 at 5:59 am
Watkins does a nice job of calling out the real issues regarding this matter. How is it that these criminals escape the judicial system time after time after time? This is child rape and that is a capital crime. For the RCC to cover it up is just unbelievable. Perhaps through episodes like these, more and more people will realize the true nature of the RCC. What does it stand for any more? Bigger coffers, more “tithes”, more buildings, more unaudited cash? Or does it stand for the principals of its founder who instructed us not to build “bigger barns”. The institution is beyond control and has run amok in its righteous indignation.
3 annette ward // Apr 30, 2010 at 6:11 am
tom watkins had a knack for telling it like it is. Most of us Catholics know the church has problems but few are bold enough to say it out loud.
Way to go Tom!
4 jack telray // Apr 30, 2010 at 6:13 am
The Catholic church has been at the forefront of so much of our history that it is difficult to call them out on things even as egregeous as this. But Tom has done so.
He is brave to say what needs to be said out loud
5 Jack Finn // Apr 30, 2010 at 6:16 am
Finally, I can agree with Tom! I wrote about this in the state-wide “CATHOLIC TIMES” newspaper, and was deemed a heretic by some fellow non-religious/laity members. Oh well, as I wrote, we listened to the nuns and not the Bishops, at Detroit St. Ambrose! Jack
6 Ed Rivet // Apr 30, 2010 at 6:40 am
Except for the heretical statement that he begins with, “There are unforgivable sins” Tom expresses well the outrage we Catholics are entitled to feel over this scandal. Horrendous criminal actions occurred, and crime deserves punishment. I hope Tom, who has lots of experience with the public school system, will demand the same kind of accountability from school districts, and organizations of very kind that have done the same as the Church. I do hope he would not pretend that this is a problem exclusive to the Catholic Church. What disturbs me is that I only seem to see the media calling the Church to account. What about everyone else? What about those child victims?
Tom, do go back and check your Catechism and the Bible. Jesus himself pronounces only one sin as unforgivable – blaspheming the Holy Spirit. As a father of six children, I cannot think of a more despicable crime then child rape. What I believe is true, however, is that God’s Divine mercy far exceeds our human capacity to forgive.
7 Karen Brill // Apr 30, 2010 at 7:08 am
Accountability…transparency…truth…why should the Catholic Church be exempt from the values and behaviors we expect and demand from the rest of society? Kudos to Tom for having the moxie to put into print what others think but dare to say!
8 bruce boujet // Apr 30, 2010 at 7:17 am
Watch out Watkins– you saw what happened when you spoke the truth to power back in when you were state superintendent!
You pointed out what was denied then — and is “truth” today—- that the public education funding system was broke — and any new money (and there was little of that — went to fund — rising health care and pension costs. You pointed out the current system was unsustainable, that we needed to consolidate school districts, share serives and address the health care and pension issue– or it would bankrupt our schools and communities.
You called for the folks with power to review the situation and take reasonable and sensible action—- what happened — they shot the messenger! The powers that be– took you out!
You were right then– and are right on again.
Once again, you lay out the issue in a fair and rational way– but, that is not the isssue———— you will be attacked again– watch and see!
In the long run, truth cannot be silenced— thanks for having the courage to speak out
9 Al Panther // Apr 30, 2010 at 7:30 am
As a Catholic– this hurts– as the truth often does!
As someone who watched Tom Watkins’ career as state mental health director and state superintendent he was and is just as outraged about abuse of vuneralble people– regardless of the setting.
He has stood up to abuse in state insitutions, adult foster care homes and in our schools.
He has put his career on the line many a time with his willingness to say what many think— but sit in silence.
His quote from Edmund Burke– says it all.
10 Mike Mayer // Apr 30, 2010 at 7:37 am
What would Jesus do? Would he obfuscate? Blame the disciples? Silence the sheep?
Jesus reserved His most severe rebukes for those who would hurt children, mislead those attempting to be faithful, and those who were the “religous” of the times. Our outrage should be no less. When the Pope came to the US several years ago he effectively excommunicated me, someone who had seriously considered being a priest, becasue there could be no “cafeteria Catholisim” and I could not accept that the Pope was infallible. I grew up in Catholic schools and we all knew this was going on in the 60′s and 70′s…especially when the church organist was suddenly not there or a “favorite” priest was suddenly transferred. I knew that the Pope could not be infallible if that was allowed to be the way problems were dealth with.
Please do not lie to us again and pretend that you did not know that this “plague” has been with us for decades. I know two priests who left the church over the failure of the church to address it as it should have been.
When King David was confronted with his sin he repented and was called a man after God’s own heart. That did not mean that he had no consequences – as his house/family was a mess for years to come – but the birth of Solomon was a turning point for all mankind nonetheless. It is time for the Church to recognize their sin and to do what must be done to restore their place as a moral voice.
Tom, when you speak truth to power, even when done in love, you must expect the stones to fly. Thank you for standing for truth. I stand with you and hope the first stone hits me and not you the prophet that has the guts to say what many of us have been thinking – and grieving over.
11 ron j. stefanski // Apr 30, 2010 at 8:15 am
Tom raises the specter of what is really at the heart of the Catholic Church’s “epidemic” of child abuse cases– honesty and transparency. There remain a great number of chaste, caring clerics out there, but their virtue (along with the Church’s reputation) are clouded by the continuing scandal. Why? Because Bishops and church leaders continue to equivocate on bringing justice and transparency to light in these matters. Abusing our children is beyond reprehensible. At the same time, a failure to embrace these crimes, create zero tolerance policies, and show real care, concern and support for the victims should be at the forefront of the church’s current calling. Protecting priests and abusers, moving them around to other parishes, and projecting more concern and caring for the priests than the victims has exploded this scandal– getting out in front of this issue with honesty, transparency and zero tolerance is the real recipe for the church’s ultimate redemption here.
In many cases, it has come to light that victims were far more interested in getting an apology and admission from the clergy than in financial recompense. Isn’t this a big bold sign– come clean, put the church’s vast resources to work on supporting victims and create an open environment, and take the first meaningful step toward moving past this mess? Church leadership needs to heed this call– or watch the church continue to lose members, and its moral standing.
12 cindy wu // Apr 30, 2010 at 9:16 am
As a Chinese, I find this problem sad and perplexing.
Why do Americans always talk about China being open, transparent, democratic and just–when in this situation and others— you do not seem to be living up to your own advise and standards?
How could this go on for so long with no one in the church and the government doing anything to protect the children?
Sometimes I do not think I understand America.
13 Yveline Marcon // Apr 30, 2010 at 9:28 am
I take issue with Watkins’ assertion that pedophilia is a mental illness. Calling sexual violence against children a sickness opens the door for excuses and gives those who abuse children an excuse. The horrible truth is that those who sexually abuse children are frighteningly normal – except for the fact that they like having sex with children. They defy rehabilitation and have no place in society. The actions of child rapists amount to nothing less than spiritual murder and the survivor of such crimes spends a lifetime trying to find a way to feel whole and clean again. The punishment for such crimes should be, at minimum, the loss of freedom for the rest of an abuser’s life.
14 Bill Cecil // Apr 30, 2010 at 9:59 am
I appreciate Mr. Watkins’ remarks/suggestions on this troubling topic. It is hard for me to believe that the such horrors can happen in the church and even harder to believe that some leaders are trying to cover it up. When reading this article, I found myself thinking about the “WWJD” (What would Jesus do?) craze a few years ago. Everywhere you looked, you saw people wearing “WWJD” t-shirts, wristbands, and necklaces. I can’t help but wonder what Jesus would do about this situation. My guess is that he would ask us to confront it head on with love, compassion, and possibly forgiveness in our hearts. However, I’m confident he wouldn’t encourage these church leaders to sweep it under the rug or ride it out until a larger scandal outside the church becomes the next media lead story and gets all the headlines so that people forget about THIS scandal. If the leaders of the church can’t do the right thing than who can we trust!
15 Elmer Cerano // Apr 30, 2010 at 11:39 am
Nice job Tom. This took guts.
It is not Catholism on trial here, but the men who lead the Catholic Church who must be held accountable.
16 Ben Starling III // Apr 30, 2010 at 12:35 pm
Catholic or not, abusing children is a crime. No one is above the law.
Jesus told us to be wise, and harboring folks who prey upon ‘the least of these’ is sin, and it is illegal.
God will judge the soul and the heart, but the justice system will judge the misdeeds. May God have mercy on those that abuse children; and may the courts have no mercy on child rapists.
17 Tom Stokes // Apr 30, 2010 at 12:50 pm
Well said Ed Rivet, even God chooses not to pass final judgement on us before the end of our days. To do otherwise is to place yourself above Him.
18 Bill Cecil // Apr 30, 2010 at 1:07 pm
Tom Watkins is dead on with his thoughts/suggestions regarding this terrible scandal. I keep thinking of that popular saying “What would Jesus do?” regarding this situation. I am pretty sure he would encourage us to move forward in addressing this situation with love and compassion. However, I am also confident that Jesus wouldn’t be encouraging the leaders of the church to sweep this under the rug and ride it out until the next big scandal outside the church pulls the focus away from this issue long enough that we forget about it. This must be resolved so it cannot happen again!
19 tom // Apr 30, 2010 at 1:25 pm
In response to Ms. Marcon in comment # 13–
Be clear, I am not suggesting, as I believe this essay clearly demonstrates ( and the pull out quotes below show ) that I believe Pedophilia is a NOT a crime .
I do not believe in denying facts — nor am I making excuses for this criminal behavior.
Pedophilia is a crime. It is also a mental illness.
Be clear, I do not want these sick, criminal individuals to be able to hurt another child. I want them removed from society and to be punished and treated.
Highlighted quotes from the essay:
Priests who sexually abuse children are not “confused souls,” they are criminals. People who shield and cover up for criminals are charged with obstruction of justice.
Be clear, crimes occurred and responsible “religious” people did nothing and allowed it to continue.
Years after these crimes were seemingly known to the Catholic powers that be, Without vigilance, prosecution, incarceration and treatment, these crimes against children will continue.
Further, to suggest that these crimes are “a plague”
allowing these sick, criminal individuals to harm more children
The priests’ pedophile behavior — having sex with children — is not an isolated incident; it’s wrong morally, spiritually and legally.
The individual priests who perpetuated these crimes and all who helped cover them up by looking the other way, or by not taking direct action, should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law (and ought to rot in hell). There should be no statute of limitations to prevent such prosecution.
…these crimes against children
Pedophilia is a crime. It is also is defined as a mental illness.
20 KP CHEN // Apr 30, 2010 at 2:26 pm
I am perhaps not as harsh as Tom and others … what I think it went wrong, perhaps, is our singular understanding of what the word ‘sexual’ means relating to our Catholic clergyman …
If you take Buddhism as an example, in Japan, Monks are permited to have man/woman family life, in China, it is, most likely, still not a reality.
In 2010, a grownup man (woman) is exposing himself/herself to too much sexual hints, suggestions or temptations …
Any one of those stimuli is a seed whose later surface could potentially cause a good man to fail morally …
We must look into our human deep roots … what makes us sexual is also what makes humane … to overlook that prime source, one could incidentally mis-represent Gold Sands as Dirt Sands.
21 Bethany Sloan // Apr 30, 2010 at 5:04 pm
Sorry, as much as you would JUST like to make this sick act a crime– it IS a mental illness– as well.
I refer anyone that is interested to the DSM-lV of the American Psychiatric Association page 244 Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders 302.2 –Pedophilia.
I won’t quote the entire thing here– but, the author is correct to refer to “pedophilia” as both a crime and a mental illness.
As for Tom Stokes post # 16 and Ed Rivet # 6 above— God is obvious a better soul than we mere mortals.
God can forgive the people who committed these terrible acts on children and those higher ups in the church that allowed it to continue by moving these sick priest around so they could harm additional children. However, I am with the author and like most “normal” people–let God forgive– it is hard for me to forgive these horrible acts.
You would think that someone with power some where in the church ( and in other institutions– as the author notes– this behavior is not confined to the Catholic Church) would have said– “this is wrong, it must stop!” Yet, it did not over many generations and around the globe — something is terribly wrong when this behavior can continue and be tolerated.
22 Bob Leonard // Apr 30, 2010 at 6:14 pm
I my view the focus should be on where the Church goes from here. The high ground would be for the Church to not only fess up and clean up it’s act..but to become a world leader in a pedophilia eradication campaign. Lord knows this heinous crime occurs well beyond the halls of the Catholic Church. The Church could do the world (and perhaps themselves) a huge favor by seizing upon the exposure of other powerful people who have this sickness.
23 Sergio Garcia // Apr 30, 2010 at 8:53 pm
At the root of this sick act lies the cause… celibacy. Most Catholics do not know church history and fail to understand that it was not always like this. Luther broke away for lesser sins yet teh church ignores our problems. Hard to continue with the status quo
24 Wilde Oscar // May 1, 2010 at 10:31 am
Such hand-wringing and chest-beating. Why not name the true culprit, the unnatural celibate priesthood.
As someone once said, “Never trust anything run by old bachelors wearing dresses, slippers and red beanies”.
25 Gary Doyle // May 1, 2010 at 11:02 am
I applaud Tom Watkins for writing this article. The Catholic Church should have stepped-up to this problem decades ago, but chose to re-assign pedophile priests and cover-up these crimes against children instead. True Christians would never side with those who abuse children!
26 Reggie T // May 1, 2010 at 11:28 am
I have noticed a trend from this author on Dome and in other publications where I have read him– he is willing to tell the truth, take on tough and delicate issues that most ( and certainly in the risk adverse Lansing culture) like to ignore– until they can be ignored no longer. For this I say hooray. I have been around Lansing for a long tme– and we could uses a lot more “truth telling.”
I agree with the writer– the act of child rape is terrible– but the fact that it was systematically hidden and covered up by church leaders over a long period of time is just plain perverse.
Too Garcia above– you got to be kidding me– right? To suggest the priest vows of celibacy are a cause for this seek behavoior is laughable. A normal person wanting sex– finds an age appropriate partner– NOT a child!
To raise these issues is not anti church or Catholic–but they are pro right and wrong and pro child.
27 Deb // May 1, 2010 at 1:59 pm
I read this piece a couple of times and found myself thinking about it. I thought about it while I was driving the 40 minutes or so home from work, during the course of a couple errands I was trying to get done, after dinner when I was standing alone in the kitchen putting dishes away. I realized that I was thinking about it in much the same way that I have continued over the past four decades to experience unexpected and intrusive recollections of the person who molested me when I was a five year old girl. I believed him over a two-year period when he instruct me not to tell my mother, that she wouldn’t understand and would really be mad at me and in doing so, I allowed him to become a lifelong constraint in my relationship with my mother – how could she have allowed this to happen to me? My older brother once hinted that this man, an upstanding anesthesiologist and hospital chief of staff in a community where we lived, had molested him, too, but he would never speak of it again. The person’s artful photo still hangs in a hospital foyer, among a long line of distant chiefs of staff where he peers out with a proud look of respectability that masks the truth of who and what he was, a pedophile and a thief who stole the innocence of children. I remember vividly the first day of second grade walking into class and feeling an overwhelming sense of being dirty and ashamed. The Catholic Church seems to believe that we victims of childhood sexual
abuse somehow just get over these things.
Five decades later, I am easily filled with fury and rage toward this “man” and toward the continuing intrusive recollections I experience of the childhood abuse I endured. There is in Michigan a house bill currently pending, HB 5699, that extends the statute of limitations for reporting these crimes against humanity as they should be viewed as nothing less. I strongly believe that the statute of limitations should be abolished in its entirety. Perpetrators who have previously used knowledge that children had time limitations for reporting to their advantage, should have to live out the rest of their lives looking over their shoulders in fear that young victims are all grown up now and seeking retribution. The person who molested me once gave my mother a copy of his “curriculum vitae” and in it he states that for his services as a member of the royal Canadian navy, he once was knighted by the queen of England. Imagine that, what a guy.
28 SL // May 1, 2010 at 2:27 pm
This was a powerful piece. Tom Watkins should be commended for having the courage to speak the truth. The act of abusing children is horrible enough but the cover up that occurred was and is inexcusable.
29 icbyd // May 1, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Thank you for speaking out on this topic, I wish more Catholics would do the same.
I am not Catholic, but most of my friends are. I wonder why they stay members of the church. I have even asked them why and it was not a pleasant conversation to have.
I realize most of the priests and bishops and members are fine, men and women who are repulsed with the rape of children and the cover-up. But for me, unless you leave the church and stop sending tithes to Rome, you are still part of the problem.
I say this as a victim of child molestation myself and as a parent and as a human being. I just don’t get how one keeps supporting the Catholic Church.
I do hope that with these new stories coming out, that finally once and for all, something will be done. If not, I will still wonder why people remain members of this organization.
30 Craig // May 1, 2010 at 8:19 pm
To Deb, number 25 above– I am so sorry what has happend to you and so many other young boys AND girls.
Thank you for having the courage to share your pain.
Often with these discussions about child rape– and it has happened here as well, the focus is on the offender– the Church, Priest, Bishops and perhaps even the Pope– when the focus should be on the victim– the young child that has been raped and molested. They should be the focus– the support and healing for them and those that love them—
and the offeder should get his just punishment now and in hell.
These selfish adults who do this to children impact them, their families and their relationships for a lifetime. They rob children of their childhood and their life. As Watkins points out– the only thing sicker than the rape itself is the folks above these criminals covering it up and moving these sick dogs to another parish, boys club, cub scouts etc to do their dirty deed again and again.
Research shows, seldom do these perverts strike just once and stop— oh know, if there is one victim– there are likely to be hundreds!
As Deb points out– as we see in the Catholic Church– these SOB’s come in every shape and socio economic group. It is sick that they can parade around in the light of day as “fine upstanding citiizens” while they creep around in the darkness raping kids.
If there ever was a reason to bring back the death penalty ( slow and painful) this crime is that reason.
There should be NO statue of limitations on these crimes. These sick dogs should have to worry every minute for the rest of their lives that someone could knock at their door and make them stand trail for their crime against children and all of humanity.
Our laws and system should not let these people have a free pass– just because the passage of time. Clearly, as Deb demonstates above– time does not heal the pain they have inflicted on a child– that goes on hurting for a lifetime.
Perhaps the author or editor of these site can BOLD or otherwise highlight the Michigan bills that Deb mentioned and make sure this article and the p0werful comments get to the legislative committee that is taking up this legislation.
Again, Deb, thank you for your courage and please know that there are good men out there and we are sorry for what these animals have done to you and other children.
May God give your strength and haunt those that did this to you.
If you are a priest molester, or their protectors– read Deb’s words and turn yourself in to the legal authorities- perhaps you will get some peace in this life or the hearafter.
31 tim // May 1, 2010 at 8:39 pm
See Christopher Hitchens article–
Bring the Pope to Justice —
in NEWSWEEK
Published Apr 23, 2010 From the magazine issue dated May 3, 2010
http://www.newsweek.com/id/236934
32 tim // May 1, 2010 at 8:54 pm
Will filmmaker Michael Moore take on Catholic Church child sex-abuse scandal?
He is the man for the job– go to his website and ask him to take on this task Michaelmoore.com
See article in– IrishCentral.com
Will controversial Irish American filmmaker http://www.Michaelmoore.com –be turning his unforgiving lens on the child sex-abuse scandal roiling the Catholic Church?
If a woman whose sprawling http://cityofangels8.blogspot.com/describes herself as a \survivor of pedophile priest crime\ has her way, then the director behind \Roger & Me,\ \Bowling for Columbine\ and his biggest hit, the mockfest \Fahrenheit 9/11,\ will soon be on the job.
A quote from the little girl that says she was raped by a priest:
\I was age five when the bishop stood over me and said, \Stop babbling about what the priest did to you.\ Forty years later, I started babbling.\
Check it out– http://cityofangels8.blogspot.com/
33 Tom // May 1, 2010 at 9:06 pm
For help for the victim of sexual abuse check out this website: National Sexual Violence Resource Center– http://www.nsvrc.org
Pedophiles Can Be Anyone!
For info on a Profile of a Pedophile
see: http://crime.about.com/od/sex/p/pedophile.htm
34 adam j // May 1, 2010 at 11:28 pm
Tom: you are so wrong.
The Cathoilic Church has it right,,, it is the wrong path of some rogue prieststhat have led it astray..
Tell the whole story!
35 jody w // May 1, 2010 at 11:30 pm
Tom W — you are wrong.
The Cathoilic Church has it right,,, it is the wrong path of some rogue prieststhat have led it astray..
Tell the whole story!
36 anette dove // May 1, 2010 at 11:31 pm
There is so much that needs correcting in the cathlic church,
Thank you for being brave enough to say it out loud..
37 Robert Landbeck // May 2, 2010 at 4:46 am
The continuing waves of accumulating scandal shaking the ramparts of the roman catholic church will look a mere trifle compared to the perfect storm that is shortly coming. For these growing, worldwide sexual scandals, exposing the endemic institutional corruption of this tradition, while betraying thousands of children and the faithful, only reflect a far greater betrayal and crime against humanity itself and is setting the stage for the ‘churches’ worst nightmare: the questioning of it’s very origins! And that has already started on the web. But not by any atheist ravings. We may very well come to remember the church as two thousands years of accumulated hubris and theological self deception, retailing a counterfeit copy of revealed truth. Check it out at http://www.energon.org.uk
38 Janet // May 2, 2010 at 9:47 am
Hmm, Adam J and Jody M # 32 and 33 above– perhaps you are like the Catholic Church– one to have it two ways– given the exact same statement– under two different names would lead one to believe– you have a split personality!
Perhaps your true idenity is that of a offending priest or bishop? “The Catholic Church has it right?” You are either deaf, dumb, blind or all three!
Facts:
*Many children were sexually abused by Priests ( and yes by others as well)
* this evil happend over many decades and in many countries
* people higher up in the church from the local church, bishops and many believe all the way to Rome/Pope knew about these sick, sexual preditors and did nothing OR WORSE– hid the problem– moving these criminal child molsters to other parishes where they could continue their dirty deed– with the protection of the church.
* the church has yet to truly deal with this scandal and are using lawyers and PR firms along with manipulating their faithful flock in the church to make someone else the problem– rather than looking in the mirror and seeing– it is them!
* Try as you might, this is a problem within the church and those within the church have not and need to make it right–
As the author points out it is the continue denial and ducking responsiblity and the cover up that has now eclipsed the sick behavior of the — as you call them– “rouge priests.”
This scandal is not going to go away~!
If you look in the mirror # 32 and # 33 ( one and the same) you will see where the problem begins and ends
39 Mary // May 2, 2010 at 10:28 am
“Amen!”– says it all!
No, let me add– thank you, Mr. Watkins for saying what needs to be said– once again!
40 tony dove // May 2, 2010 at 1:19 pm
In what has to fall into the category of— “you have got to be shiting me!”– the Vatican recently after “discovering” the conservative founder of the Legionaries of Christ led a double life ( he sexually abused seminarians and fathered at least one child).—i well, the Church came out and said, ” Rev. Marciel Meciel for creating a system of power built on silence and obedience that enabled him to lead a double life devoid of any scruples and authentic sense of religion.”
HELLO! Earth to Pope– this describes exactly what has been the Roman Catholic Church for centuries– silence, power, cover up— protect the church at all costs. You have a cancer within you!
It is exactly this institutionalized arrogance that has created the atmosphere that allowed child abusers/molesters to move freely without reprisal within the Catholic Church!
There has to be a special– hotter place in hell for this entire bunch!
David Clohessy, executive director of the Survivors Network of those Abused By Priests said, ” The Vatican’s lengthy foot dragging, and now its disingeNuous denunciation of Maciel, is every bit as “immoral” as the horrific child crimes by Marcel himself.”
Amen Mr. Clohessy!
Once again, the church dodges responsibility and tries to spin its way out of a mess of their own and continued making!
Talk about the pot calling the keddle black!
Just sick– plain sick!
The Church will come crumbling down because as the author points out– the original/mortal sin– and the continual lies and cover up!
41 Oscar Wild // May 2, 2010 at 3:52 pm
Blame? Forgiveness? You should acknowledge the true source of the problem – the unnatural celibate priesthood.
Someone once said, “never trust anything run my old bachelors wearing dresses, slippers and red beanies.”
42 Craig Douglas // May 2, 2010 at 5:46 pm
Thank you, Tom, for the essay.
You’re able to reveal your deep passion, yet you remain level headed and analytical in your thinking.
Great job.
43 Bonnie // May 2, 2010 at 8:18 pm
Well said, Tom. This problem cannot be swept under the rug. The abuse of power has got to stop. These priests need to be held accountable for what they did to so many children and the Pope needs to admit that he knowingly failed to protect innocent children.
The Catholic Church may be the original church started by Jesus’ disciples, but I can only imagine how disappinted and appalled they would be if they could see all the scandal within the church since they started it. The higher ups have gotten too good at breaking commandments over two thousand years:
Thou shalt not kill – (remember the Dark Ages?);
Thou shalt not commit adultery – (hmmm…I think having sex with children could probably fall under this one!);
Thou shalt not bear false witness – (lying about and covering up the sex-abuse);
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image – (worshiping idols and calling them saints);
Remember to keep the seventh day holy – (changing Jesus’ (and God’s) Sabbath to Sunday);
It’s time for the church to come clean and follow ALL of God’s commandments!
44 R. Myers // May 3, 2010 at 5:42 am
Good article. The actions by those priests and the absence of consequences for them is horrendous. It is time for change to come to the Catholic church.
45 Liz // May 3, 2010 at 7:09 am
I am so sad after reading this as it circulates through the Catholic community.
First, I a in pain for the pain grown adults have caused children– this is as close to pure evil as there is!
Second, I want to underscore what Mr. Watkins points out– but can get lost— there are many good men and women in the Catholic Church. The Church has done some much good for so many — it pains me to see this on going drama of sickness and evil continue.
Yet, as much as I love the Church and the word of the Lord– I have to conclude that this child abuse scandal has been mishandled from the start and the Church from Rome to Monroe has not dealt with this issue in a forth right manner.
Until and unless full truth and accountability is melted out– this evil will saddly be with us
46 Jon Todd // May 3, 2010 at 7:17 am
Good article Tom. It is important for people to speak out against the abuses against children and any group that protects the abuser regardless of the type of institution involved.
47 sherry Xu // May 3, 2010 at 8:29 pm
Tom, you are so brave.
Americans always use double judgements in real life. They keep blaming in China, people has no human rights; What has been happening in this country, most people will give you a excuse, that is the privacy or religion, etc. We do not talk about it like it happened in the different human beings world.
Who should speak out for the minors, the parents, the church, the communities, the laws, etc.
Do not wait until it is too late to handle the “disaster”.
48 mary j // May 4, 2010 at 6:21 am
Thank you for using the gifts God gave you to give voice to His children who otherwise might never be heard.
49 classroom 13 // May 4, 2010 at 11:39 am
Once again, Tom has had the courage to speak on an emotional topic that has been covered up for years. It makes no difference if it is clergy; a teacher, or a neighbor, child molestation is a despicable crime and should be treated as such. We should never forget the victims in these cases. The majority of victims never recover!!!!!
50 William Coale // May 4, 2010 at 2:23 pm
Tom has brought some painful realities to light. However, in addition to the Catholic Church, we have similar tragedies occurring each and every day, in any manner of situations. As a former school building administrator and superintendent, I find it sad and ironic that such a limited number of “mandatory reporters” (teachers, administrators, etc.) exist in statute. Shouldn’t ANYONE who is aware of child abuse in any form be required by law to report, or face harsh penalties? Parents rate school safety as their #1 priority time and time again. We must as a society ensure that ALL venues are safe for our precious children.
51 Rocco // May 5, 2010 at 4:36 am
Tom, as a father 5 with 2 boys and a Catholic I’m appalled with the priests involved. There is no excuse for adults to abuse children. What have some humans evolved into? We always seam to find a more comfortable way to explain it, an illness or they were abused themselves when they were young etc… To me its plain and simple evil exist in the world, period. This was and is pure evil at its worst. The Catholic church has lived this lie for decades, with no repent, hiding behind the cloth? Give me a break, you have to question their belief in God, both the perpetrator and the many involved in the cover up. One day God will sort them out, I for one would just expedite the process, if you get my drift.
Good job Tom!!
52 william arnold // May 5, 2010 at 6:53 am
the aggregious acts of a few do not quantify the goodness of many.
53 KP CHEN // May 5, 2010 at 8:02 am
It is time to set the low bar for the high jump … if it is started with a 7 footer, then barely 1% can handle it, but if the line is only set at 5 Feet, then a lot of more can handle it, and leap it over, Hallelujah, Jump for Joy.
54 Maggie Pan // May 5, 2010 at 7:20 pm
This article reminds me the movie PRECIOUS which I watched several months ago. It is hard for me to believe such disgusting thing can happen in USA.
But it did. Maybe simialr things also happened in other countries, they are just unveiled.
Firstly I want to say, it is brave that Tom speak out the truth which we(the government, the Church, and every common people living in this society) need to think about the causes and find way how to avoid such immoral crime happen again. Think about if the abused kids are your kids…
Secondly I hope that the Church and Catholics do not take it personal. This is no entirely clean land on Earth. No body was born perfect. So if it is wrong, then admit and correct it. Because, in the end, history will prove everything. In China, 40 years ago people look Chairmen Mao as the SUN. But he also made some mistakes which was proved later by truth. So we say, SUN also has sunspot. But we still love and repect him.
What I want to say is, it does not make any sense for someone or organization to hate Tom or make hime trouble just because he spoke out the truth. Otherwise, their behavior would make them more ugly.
To build a better Earth, everyone needs to do something.
55 Billie // May 6, 2010 at 6:29 am
Tom has brought to light a topic that does not only involve Catholics but in general “pedophilias”. Abuse of young, innocent children is a crime no matter what your religious believes are or who you are. No one is above the law. It took guts to put it in writing Tom. Thank you!
56 Dan Redford // May 6, 2010 at 7:07 pm
Thanks for your perspective Tom. You articulate well that there are always 2 sides to this story. It is unfortunate that often times, pedophiles and other sexual deviants are pushed into deep dark closets of our society, instead of confronting the problem head on and proposing long term solutions. As an education professional, you understand the impotance of contiuing to invest in newer, better education curriculums to help raise awareness of these issues, to treat illnesses, and to encourage others to develop an understanding of these exigent matters.
Dan
57 Bethany // May 7, 2010 at 5:17 pm
Thank you Senator John Gleason a Democrat who is attempting to change the law to extend the time allowed to file civil suite against criminals/animals that sexually abuse minors.
Hooray for you Senator Gleason.
He is going to walk 50 miles from his home begining on mothers day to draw attention to his legislative bills.
Guess what— The Catholic Church is working hard, in fact working overtime hiring lobbist to fight this law change— I wonder why?
The Catholic Church just does not get it– they continue to worry more about the loss of money and the damage to the church.
Yet, it is this time of activity that will be the death of the church. Protecting their “image” rather than innocent children.
58 Nancy Rivet // May 8, 2010 at 7:02 am
Any article regarding the child sexual abuse problem that plagues our society is of interest to me because I have a large family –5 grown children and 22 grandchildren, whose safety and protection is imperative to me.
As a life-long Roman Catholic laywoman, who has been involved in church ministry for 50 years, I would like to respond to several statements made by Mr. Watkins regarding Pedophilia, Lies and the Catholic Church.
I do not believe the “revelation of truth and faith” (which is the rich tradition that is based on the Gospel of Jesus Christ) “will fall apart due to the lies and deceit”. However, I do believe the present structure of leadership can and will if they fail to respond to this crisis with “transparency, truth and accountability.”
I also agree that, “truth has a way of surfacing” “and that the cover-up often has a way of eclipising the original crimes.” When this tragedy surfaced, many “within the Church” (lay people and very brave religious and clergy) began to work to bring forth justice, support the victims and call the Church leaders to accountability.
I agree that “there are lessons in this sordid story for all organizations.” The privilege and responsibility to provide for our children an environment where they can grow to maturity in safety and security includes in the home, the extended family, the neighborhood, school and social settings. Each person must do his or her part to make that a reality and be held responsible if they fail to do so.
The statement “There should be no statute of limitations to prevent prosecution” is valid. A victim of childhood sexual abuse must have time and maturity, as well as emotional support, to be able to bring forth the crime so it can be addressed. HB5699 being considered before the House Judiciary Committee at this time asks that the statute of limitations be expanded to 30 years after the victim reaches age 18.
Forgiveness is not the heart of this matter. God alone knows the intention and the heart of each person involved, so God alone can fairly judge. I believe we are charged to do all we can to make our world safe for our children and work to provide justice and healing.
Nancy Rivet
Bay City, MI
59 Michael Schwartz // May 11, 2010 at 3:37 am
Tom,
We need more people to speak out about the abuse of children and I think it’s admirable that you are doing so.
Sexual abuse of a child is so much more than an illness. It is a power trip by a person in a position of strength over a much weaker victim and for a man of the church to use his position to exploit the weakness and awe of an innocent child is unconscionable. For the Church as an organization to try and sweep their dirt under the rug makes them just as guilty. Clean it up–not cover it up.
Thanks for this campaign.
60 Sam // May 12, 2010 at 6:08 am
Watch out– the Catholic Church will find ways to “pay you back” for stating the truth.
They do not take kindly to people reminding the public that this scandal has yet to be truly addressed.
The Church wants to keep its secrets in the dark.
Mark my word– you will pay a price for having the nerve to speak up for the voiceless children that have been abused by priests– and then again by the larger Catholic Church.
61 Sue Martin // May 12, 2010 at 6:10 am
Well said– the rich comments are equal to the orginal commentary.
62 Patrick Diehl // May 12, 2010 at 10:18 am
This essay is well-organized and well-researched and the points contained herein are well-put. Tom Watkins is a gifted and compelling writer who perfectly expresses the outrage and betrayal felt by a myriad of Catholics – outrage at hypocritical church officials who actively or passively allow child rape to continue and betrayal by a pope who apparently places his own needs and wants above those of the institution he “leads.” I look forward to more of Watkins’ writing.
63 Paul // May 12, 2010 at 12:12 pm
Holy Moley!
Check out the NYT’s today May 12, 2010)—The Pope says that the “sins of the church” pose the greatest threat to Catholics! No sh_ _!
Perhaps the Pope is begining to get it!
However, it is not just “sins” Mr. Pope– oh, know, it is not that easy. What has gone on– as this author clearly points out — it is the “cover-up” that is perhaps even more vile than the orginal “sin/crime” committed.
I like the idea in this essay that the church be forced or voluntarily set up a multi billion dollar foundation to address the ‘sin/crime/illness” of sexually abusing children.
The Foundation would be a good start and should cover everything from tracking down these folks that did this evil to kids ( like Natzi Hunters) to prosecution, treatment, and throwing them in prison.
Let’s see if the Pope starts to take action– that would be a good start– talk is cheap.
64 Dave Leitner // May 12, 2010 at 12:39 pm
Check out this NY Times piece published today – “Pope Issues his most Direct Words to Date on Abuse.” He calls the situation truly terrifying and states that “forgiveness is not a substitute for justice.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/12/world/europe/12pope.html?emc=eta1
65 eric // May 12, 2010 at 1:34 pm
.. if you want to know more.. see the following..
http://www.darknesstolight org. Darkness To Light
http://www.votf.org Voice of the Faithful
http://www.internetpredatortracker.com
Internet Predator Tracker
Godhatesfundamentalists.com
God Hates Fundamentalists
http://www.snapnetwork.org
The Survivors Network of those abused by priests SNAP
66 William A // May 13, 2010 at 6:40 am
See:
Pope Benedict places blame for sex scandals on Catholic Church
By Nicole Winfield
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/11/AR2010051104949.html
The Pope says—-
“The greatest persecution of the church doesn’t come from enemies on the outside but is born from the sins within the church,” the pontiff said. “The church needs to profoundly relearn penitence, accept purification, learn forgiveness — but also justice.” The comments marked Benedict’s most thorough admission of the church’s guilt in creating the scandal. Previously he blamed abusers themselves and, in the case of Ireland, the bishops who failed to stop them.
“Many are tiring of hearing about his ‘strong comments.’ They want to see strong action,” said David Clohessy, director of the main U.S. victims group, the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests.
So much for those on this post and others that want to “blame” Watkins and others that have the strength to point out what the Pope is slowly, oh so slowly coming around to admitting as well
67 KP CHEN // May 14, 2010 at 9:46 am
Something strange, I just have the association that:
Why is that, (religious) West (vaguely speaking) is sexually abusing the children, whereas, (political) East (vaguely speaking) is violantly damaging the little kids.
One features the sexual energies misguided, misconceived, misrepresented, misused or misunderstood.
The other, the social/political/moral/economic/financial/psychological/mental
totality or gestalt,
produces extreme discrepancy.
I believe, the entire lesson lies in:
Truth, is not, the exclusive domain of the Church.
It also comes from Tom, Peter, Paul, John, Mary, Jenny, Yvonne, Bonnie, and many, many others.
Ever since, I was baptised, at 18, in Taiwan, I am kind of always, like to seek my own way of enlightenment, though that, I kind of failing badly, many times.
On course, off course, on course, off course.
68 Eric // May 16, 2010 at 4:19 pm
IF YOU WONDER WHY THE CHURCH STILL HAS A PROBLEM– READ This Quote:
Rome’s center-right Mayor Gianni Alemanno was in the crowd, along with other pro-Vatican Italian officials.
“We want to show our solidarity to the pope and transmit the message that single individuals make mistakes but institutions, faith and religion cannot be questioned,” Alemanno told Associated Press Television News. “We will not allow this.”
As reported in the Washington Post 512/10
Thousands flock to Vatican to back pope over abuse
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/16/AR2010051601031.html?hpid=moreheadlines
69 Liz // May 17, 2010 at 7:49 am
The cover up continues–
Read Complex Struggle: Prelate Record in Abuse Crisis —
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/17/nyregion/17dolan.html?hp
Until the Church allows ALL info to come forward and as the author states– stops hiding behind their church robes and high priced lawyers– this scandal will continue!
70 WMS // May 17, 2010 at 11:13 am
The article is pretty much spot on. What I find so particularly interesting are the responses telling Shields he’s brave and/or otherwise heroic for taking a stance and speaking out. NO, PEOPLE! He’s simply doing what is right. He sees wrong-doing and stands up and says directly that this must stop.
This is what every single one of us — every member of a religious institution, club, community, party, government, or country should be doing: speaking out against a terrible injustice. It is our duty. I’m just surprised that so many responders here seem to think this is a wonder to behold.
Perhaps, the most important thing to be learned by Shield’s admirers is to be very suspicious of any agency or body that demands obedience, especially unquestioned obedience — this sparks the birth of critical thinking.
A wise man once said that there is something innocent about an admirer, because it has never occurred to him that, one day, he, too, might be admired. I agree.
Thanks for starting the dialog, Tom.
71 Eric // May 20, 2010 at 11:51 am
WMS— you kept calling the author .. See:
“Shields he’s brave and/or otherwise heroic…. ”
” Perhaps, the most important thing to be learned by Shield’s admirers ..”
The author is Tom Watkins— is that what you meant?
He is brave!
He is one guy that has been speaking truth to power and taking the lumps for it.
Look at what happen to him when he spoke the truth about school funding back in the mid 2005.
What he said then has been proven true with time– When is the Governor and State Board going to provide him with a public apology? Yeah, right!
People do not like hearing the truth on this and any other issue.
See the report at: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/michiganschoolfunding_110803_7.pdf
Read it and you will see the guy was spot on— and little to nothing has been done to address the problems he pointed out.
72 Joy // May 27, 2010 at 4:58 pm
When it comes to the Catholic Church.. the beat goes on and on and on……
Nicholas D. Kristof
Sister Margaret’s Choice
By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/27/opinion/27kristof.html?ref=opinion
We finally have a case where the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy is responding forcefully and speedily to allegations of wrongdoing.
But the target isn’t a pedophile priest. Rather, it’s a nun who helped save a woman’s life.
Doctors describe her as saintly.
The excommunication of Sister Margaret McBride in Phoenix underscores all that to me feels morally obtuse about the church hierarchy.
See ” the rest of the story at: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/27/opinion/27kristof.html?ref=opinion
73 Shell // Jun 30, 2010 at 6:39 pm
As an atheist, I can tell you that to hear my thoughts come out of a Catholic is refreshing.
74 AL // Jul 25, 2010 at 11:53 am
Only the Saints Can Save Us
By J. Peter Nixon
author and contributor to Patheos.com
Does the Catholic Church have a future?
Given the events of the last few months, the question is not impertinent. As Ross Douthat noted in a recent essay in the Atlantic, this was the year when the clerical sexual abuse crisis truly became global, reaching even into the Vatican itself. Douthat observed that “for millions in Europe and America, Catholicism is probably permanently associated with sexual scandal, rather than the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
The abuse crisis was a hurricane battering a structure whose foundation had been eroding for years. The decline of sacramental practice in Europe is so obvious as to require no further comment. But smug Americans who think “it can’t happen here” should look at the numbers. Rates of mass attendance and sacramental marriage among Catholics in their 20s suggest that Catholics in the West will share a common future.
Most of the solutions offered are unlikely to have much of an impact. The liberal path of greater rapprochement between Church and culture has not proven successful for those denominations that have tried it. But an embittered and joyless defense of orthodoxy — the kind on display in far too many quarters of the Catholic internet — repels far more people than it attracts.
The problem goes deeper than difficult doctrines or antiquated structures, problematic though these may sometimes be. Our children and grandchildren are abandoning the faith because they perceive — rightly — that its demands are at fundamental variance with the lives we have prepared them to lead. We have raised them to seek lives characterized by material comfort, sexual fulfillment, and freedom from any obligations that they have not personally chosen. Should it surprise us that they fail to take seriously our claims to follow one who embraced poverty, chastity, and obedience to the will of God?
A revival of the Church in our time will require believers who are willing to take risks on behalf of the Gospel. I sometimes wonder what would have happened if Cardinal Law, rather than retiring to his sinecure in Rome, had instead made a penitential journey to Haiti and lived out his days in a hospital cleaning toilets and picking maggots from the wounds of street people. Some might have seen such a penance as inadequate to the offense, but it could not have been dismissed as an empty gesture. To renounce everything he had achieved for the sake of the Gospel would have been an act worthy of a follower of Jesus Christ.
The future of the Church is not in the hands of its leaders, whose exhortations seem increasingly to fall on deaf ears. It is in the hands of ordinary men and women who are willing to live lives that make no sense unless Jesus Christ is who we believe Him to be. In the end, it is only the saints who can save us.
J. Peter Nixon is an award-winning Catholic writer whose work has appeared in America, Commonweal, U.S. Catholic, and elsewhere. He lives in Northern California.
This essay is part of a series on the Future of Catholicism at Patheos.com.
By David Charles | July 23, 2010; 12:02 PM ET
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75 Liz // Jul 26, 2010 at 8:03 am
Santa Claus Rips Catholic Church
AOL News (July 26) — Talk about piling on — now even Santa Claus is taking shots at the Catholic Church.
An explanation, of course, is in order. It’s not the jolly old elf who lives at the North Pole with toy-crafting elves and flying reindeer. No, Virginia, this is a decidedly more politicized Claus, an ordained bishop from Nevada with the likeness and legal name of his famous doppelganger.
And this Santa Claus is angry. Last week, in a scathing, widely distributed press release, Claus called out the church for its failure to institute sufficient reform in the wake of clergy sex abuse scandals. He also suggested that he may sue the church to force change.
Strotz Photography
Santa Claus — his legal name, no middle initial — of Lake Tahoe, Nev., has a lump of coal for Pope Benedict XVI and the Catholic Church.
\Bishop Santa intends ‘to explore and utilize a variety of legal means,’\ the statement read in part, \’to hold the Roman Catholic Church, especially the pope and Vatican, accountable for the suffering of many thousands of vulnerable children at the hands of clergy, straight and gay, young and old, celibate or not.’\
But sue the Catholic Church? Who is this Santa Claus?
According to Washoe County, Nev., he’s 63-year-old Thomas O’Connor, a Lake Tahoe man who legally changed his name to Santa Claus (no middle initial) in 2005. A look at his website — yes, Virginia, Claus has a website — reveals that he was recently elevated to the title of missionary bishop in the Apostles’ Anglican Church, an ecumenical Christian denomination based in Ohio and Michigan.
AOL News spoke with the presiding bishop of the Apostles’ Anglican Church, Bishop Lawrence Cameron, and confirmed that Claus is, indeed, a bishop. As a missionary bishop, Claus does not preside over a geographical territory or diocese.
The Apostles’ Anglican Church — active in Michigan and Ohio — is a small, little-known sect. AOL News contacted representatives for two of the nation’s largest governing bodies of Anglicanism — the Anglican Church in North America and the Episcopal Church — and neither had heard of the organization.
In an interview with AOL News, Claus explained why a man of his name and position would target the Catholic Church. \No one’s stepped up to the plate. Of all people, why not Santa Claus?\
The answer may also lie in his outspoken critique of the holiday for which his namesake is known. \I’m opposed to the crass commercial spectacle that Christmas has become,\ he said. \Christmas is about the celebration of the birth of Christ.\
So this isn’t just someone making a list and checking it twice — unless it’s a list of grievances. This is someone who’s taking the image of Santa in a bold new direction.
\My gift apparently lies with legislators who can have broad impact with thousands of children,\ he added.
Claus says he hasn’t attempted to contact the Catholic Church and has no intentions to do so. It also remains to be seen whether the Catholic Church in the United States is concerned about — or even aware of — him. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the nation’s official Catholic leadership group, didn’t respond to a request for comment from AOL News.
However, should the Catholic Church fire back, Claus isn’t worried about the repercussions. \I’m not Catholic,\ he pointed out, \so I can’t be excommunicated.\
As Claus attempts to ruffle cassocks, some are wary of him using Santa Claus’ name and likeness to promote a political agenda.
Elaine Gainer, owner of Santa’s Village, a theme park in Jefferson, N.H., believes that Santa Claus’ image should only be that of \a joyful, loving gent.\
\For the past 58 years,\ Gainer said of Santa’s role at Santa’s Village, \he’s been non-controversial. He likes to give, not give his opinion.\
Addressing Claus’ strident activism, Gainer added, \It seems he’s being a critical person, and I’m not sure that’s what Santa is about.\
No, this Santa is about much more. In addition to being a bishop, Claus claims to be a monk and part-time employee for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. And as if that weren’t enough, he also managed to run as an independent write-in candidate in the 2008 presidential election.
\I got more votes than Al Gore,\ Claus boasted. Backpedaling, he added, \But he wasn’t running in that election.\
76 jackL // Aug 29, 2010 at 2:13 pm
The Catholic Church Crimes and Shame Continue!
http://www.nytimes.com//indexes/2010/08/29/todaysheadlines/global-asia/index.html
Belgian Church Leader Urged Abuse Victim to Keep Silent
By STEVEN ERLANGER
Published: August 30, 2010
PARIS – The former leader of Belgium’s Roman Catholic Church urged a victim of serial sexual abuse by a bishop to keep silent for a year, until the bishop – the victim’s own uncle – could retire, according to tapes made by the victim last April and published over the weekend in two Belgian newspapers.
The tapes, which church authorities have verified as accurate, are among the more revealing documents in the continuing scandal of sexual abuse by clerics and subsequent cover-ups by the church in Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and other countries. And having a record of a cardinal’s entreating an abuse victim to keep his silence is another embarrassment for the Roman Catholic Church.
Cardinal Godfried Danneels, 77, who had retired as the archbishop of Brussels in January after 30 years, met with the victim, now 42, and his uncle, Bishop Robert Vangheluwe, 73, on April 8 to press the victim to accept either a private apology or to wait until the bishop retired, according to the tapes.
“The bishop will resign next year, so actually it would be better for you to wait, the cardinal told the victim. “I don’t think you’d do yourself or him a favor by shouting this from the rooftops.”
The cardinal warns the victim against trying to blackmail the church, suggests he accept a private apology from the bishop and not drag “his name through the mud.”
The victim responded: “He has dragged my whole life through the mud, from 5 until 18 years old,” and asks, “Why do you feel sorry for him and not for me?”
The fact of the April meeting had been reported by The International Herald Tribune and The New York Times in July after an interview with the victim, who said he had sought to alert the church about the molestation by his uncle for many years. He did not mention then that he had made a tape of that meeting and another one of another meeting.
The tapes, which were published on Saturday in the Flemish dailies De Standaard and Het Nieuwsblad, display the tactics the church used to try to hush up the scandal and placate the victim by appealing to his feelings for his family and the larger church.
De Standaard said in an editorial that the cardinal’s “only aim is to avoid having the case made public so many years after the facts,” adding, “It is containment, nothing more.”
The Belgian cases are special in part because of an extensive police inquiry, not just an investigation by the church, into allegations of clergy sex abuse and subsequent cover-ups. Cardinal Danneels has been subject to at least 10 hours of police questioning in the matter, and the police raided church headquarters to seize documents, a raid criticized by the Vatican.
In the end, Bishop Vangheluwe retired within two weeks of the April meeting, on April 23, admitting he had sexually abused “a boy in my entourage” 20 years earlier. He quit after a friend of the nephew emailed Belgian bishops threatening to expose the bishop and demanding his resignation.
In a second tape, of the other meeting, the bishop apologizes to his nephew and says he has tried for years to make up for his sin. “This is unsolvable,” the victim said. “You’ve torn our family completely apart.”
The victim told the newspapers he released the tapes, apparently made secretly, to prove that he did not demand hush money.
A spokesman for the cardinal, Toon Osaer, said that there had been no attempt to cover up the meeting itself. Tribune reporters were told in July that the family was angry because Cardinal Danneels accompanied the bishop to the April meeting, and not the new head of the Belgian church, Archbishop André-Joseph Léonard.
A retired priest, the Rev. Rik Devillé(, said he had tried to warn Cardinal Danneels about the bishop’s abuse of his nephew 14 years ago, but was berated by the cardinal for doing so.
It is not known whether Cardinal Danneels or others informed the Vatican when they learned of the abuse by Bishop Vangheluwe. The Vatican accepted the bishop’s resignation in June but said nothing about the case until Belgian police raided church properties on June 24, seizing evidence and files that the church had assembled in its own belated investigation of sexual abuse. Pope Benedict XVI at the time called the police actions “deplorable.”
Bishop Vangheluwe has retreated to a Trappist monastery where he has kept his silence. Belgian police are investigating him in this case and others, as well as looking into charges that he concealed similar complaints of abuse made against other clerics.
Archbishop Léonard has made a public pledge that the bishop’s resignation marked an end to cover-ups, prompting hundreds of people, mostly men, to come forward with their own charges.
77 Santa Claus // Nov 23, 2010 at 2:25 am
Bishop Santa Says Vatican Proposal Inadequate: Did the Pope Commit a Mortal Sin?
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/11/prweb4583464.htm
78 Dan // Nov 11, 2011 at 6:32 am
This was spot on when written before and a sad reminder the evil that can prevail when adults protect adults, their power, “institutions” above the rights of children.
What happened at Penn State is as sick as what takes place in the Catholic Church and far too many places.
It is morally wrong and criminal for adults to look away and cover up the most bile of human behavior.
My thought go out to the children and their families.
79 Mary // Nov 11, 2011 at 7:01 am
Thanks for bringing this col back— especially now with all the sick behavior at Penn State University.
We must never forget that evil walks beside us and can and does take place where we least expect it.
The behavior of “responsible” adults that would allow this sick behavior to continue, harming more children for over a decade is disgusting and should be punished to the fullest extent of the law—- God’s and man’s.
To watch the Penn State riot in “support” of a coach– a man that allowed this sickness to have access to countless innocent children– demonstrates how far we have fallen as a society.
When will we ever have our values, morals and priorities straight?
80 rodney // Nov 11, 2011 at 10:04 am
It is a complete shame that with the news of Penn State this reputable magazine would reprint an essay about an institution not in the news. This Penn State story shows that the horrible acts of child sexual abuse happen every where in society and not just the Catholic Church.
The question should be asked of Mr. Watkins, how many public school students were abused by school personnel while you were State Superintendent? How many of them have you apologized to? How many families have you reached out to assist? Should we not hold you as responsible as you are trying to hold others responsible?
As a society we need to be vigilant in protecting children in every home, every school, every institution, every where across this country. To merely attack one group and the ways it conducts itself is morally insufficient and calls into question the seriousness of whether one truly understands the issues at hand.
81 Dan // Nov 11, 2011 at 4:24 pm
Rodney, ( I doubt this is your real name)
Get over it! To attack Watkins is so far off the mark—- ever heard of not shooting the messenger?
Given the authors reputation and watching his action over the years in public roles it is nonsense to suggest he would not take action if he knew of abuse.
Perhaps you are an apologist for the Catholic Church which knowingly covered up for child molesting preist around the globe for decades.
82 Allan // Nov 14, 2011 at 11:36 am
Thank you for re-running this col— it was powerful then and it foreshadows what happens when “institutions” are put before people/children.
83 rodney // Nov 14, 2011 at 5:09 pm
Well, Dan, just because I am not a cheerleader for Tom Watkins you think it ok to attack my character? Interesting that you take such a position in a place that is supposed to foster dialogue and respect.
The issue is societal.
84 dan // Nov 16, 2011 at 3:11 pm
Rodney,
No need to be a cheerleader for anyone. Yet to suggest Watkins let abuse go on while he was had knowledge of it is simply so far off base and unfair that it deserves to be challenged.
If you had/have knowledge of such facts then you should have come forward with it——— not hide behind a posting. You were hardly “respectful” in your post.
Watkins, like most humans was far from perfect—- but, I can say with as near certainty he never would tolerate abuse– never.
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