Tonight I had the privilege of catching the broadcast TV premiere of Hand Of God, a documentary created by Joe Cultrera, the brother of a victim of child sexual abuse at the hands of Joseph E. Birmingham, a pedophile priest who was simply shuffled from parish to parish, instead of being removed from service or sent for treatment (if it is possible at all to cure a pedophile). I can completely relate to Joe Cultrera's story of childhood abuse, and how that abuse can play itself out in your life and relationships for decades afterward. Here's the PBS page on this documentary with other documentation. People in a position of power to stop the abuse simply swept in under the rug in an attempt to spare the Catholic church from scandal. It is in particular a very damning indictment of now-Bishop John B. McCormack, one of the "shufflers".
The thing that shocked me the most -- shocks me to my boots -- is that alleged pedophile enablers such as priests John B. McCormack and Bernard Law not only kept their positions in spite of evidence they covered up for abusive priests, but they still serve the church, and have even been promoted over time! (John McCormack was made a bishop, while Bernard Law received a post at one of Rome's major basilicas. Law's fancy Vatican bio conveniently omits the pedophile priest scandal and his resignation as Archbishop.)
What sort of message does this send to the world? Protect the Church's ass at the expense of innocent children, and you get promoted??
January 16, 2007
and thus... one of the very many reasons i can never be catholic again.
every once in a while i miss the ritual and familiarity of the mass. but then i remember ALL the other stuff, and i just can't do it.
so now i get my church fix by just stopping by periodically to sit in the cathedral for a while. i'm pretty sure God understands where i'm coming from. :)
Posted by: chele | January 17, 2007 at 05:31 AM
I lived through pedophile priest rape at age five in 1953 and now, a retired journalist, am writing my life story -- the priest rape really affected my life.
The story is at: http://cityofangels1.blogspot.com
and I really want to hear people's reactions after they read it. Please pass on the link.
Kay
Hollywood CA
Posted by: Kay Ebeling | January 22, 2007 at 10:09 PM