Sexual abuse by Catholic clergy

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How the Church initially reacted

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In 2009, retired Bishop John Selby Spong of the Episcopal Church, USA, suggested:

"I am quite certain that sexually abusive priests were well known to Catholic authorities for years. There was a history of bishops and archbishops moving offending clergy to another jurisdiction rather than confronting the issue. My guess is that both the abuse and the cover-up were quite systemic, far more prevalent than has yet been admitted or faced. Perhaps that is the clue to their allowing it to continue. If it was as widespread as we now believe, it must have involved people in high places, including bishops, archbishops and cardinals. A thorough investigation and a complete and honest admission might well have constituted so severe a threat to the life and integrity of that noble institution that they deemed their needs better served by dishonesty rather than honesty, by cover-up rather than admission. Of course, in the long run, the integrity of the Church itself is eroded and the exodus of members that begins as a trickle and ends with a flood."

"I do not think Roman Catholic officials have yet understood how many lay people were alienated from the Church by this behavior. Nor do I believe that thus far there has been anything like a full disclosure, so the issue will not end yet. Catholic piety has required the repression of healthy sexuality for service in this institution. Unfortunately, when healthy sexuality is repressed, unhealthy sexuality always rises. Repressed sexuality comes back as pornography and child abuse. Perhaps the place where Rome ought to begin is to ask why sexual abstinence or celibacy is a prerequisite for leadership. I think that is where sickness enters the tradition." ₁

The moral panic alleged widespread child and youth sexual abuse by priests and at least one bishop of the Roman Catholic Church in the U.S. It also alleges a systematic policy of cover-ups that goes back decades. U.S. accusations of clergy abuse and cover-ups have concentrated on Cardinal Bernard Francis Law of Boston, MA. He and a group of archbishops from other countries have been forced to resign, including:

	Ireland (Archbishop of Dublin, Cardinal Desmond Connell), .
	Austria (Archbishop of Vienna, Cardinal Hermann Groer)
	Wales (Archbishop of Cardiff, Franciscan John Ward)
	Poland (Archbishop of Poznan, Juliusz Paetz) 2

Topics covered in this section:

This section describes how the church's leaders, and laity reacted to the crisis:

	2002-SPRING: Statements by priests, bishops and cardinals, on or about Palm Sunday, Statements by lay leaders
	2002-JUNE: The draft version of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Charter Reaction to the Charter
	2002-JULY: Selection of a National Sexual Abuse Review Board Voice of the Faithful The 17th World Youth Day
	2002-AUG to now: Vatican rejects U.S. Bishop's plan Modified plan approved Boston Archdiocese may declare bankruptcy Protest after Pope John Paul II funeral Other developments

References:

1. "Bishop Spong Q and A," 2009-MAY-21, at: http://www.johnshelbyspong.com/
2. Michael Higgins, "Laying down the Law: The Catholic Church will find inspired leadership in the aftermath of the Boston abuse scandals, says theologian MICHAEL HIGGINS," The Globe and Mail, 2002-DEC-18, Page A21.
3. The Philadelphia Inquirer has a section on its website detailing its investigation of sexual abuse by Catholic priests in the Philadelphia, PA and Camden, NJ areas.  See: http://www.philly.com/ This requires a free registration. It includes links to a 424 page Grand Jury report, a catalogue of sexually abusive priests, letters from Cardinal Rigali, etc.
4. The Los Angeles Times published an eight page section which deals with the suffering of abuse victims. See: http://www.latimes.com/

Copyright © 2001 to 2009 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Originally written: 2002-MAR-25
Latest update: 2009-MAY-21
Author: B.A. Robinson

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