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Diocese Report
Submitted by:
Brian R. Barcaro
Comments?: editor@DioceseReport.com
Editor's Note: Many traditional/conservative Catholics have taken a lot of criticism for their call
for a "clean up" in the Church which often includes the resignation of priests or Bishops. Some
have even been critical of Michael Rose for his book Goodbye Goodmen, which exposes the homosexual
culture and dissidence in Catholic seminaries resulting in a manufactured shortage of priestly vocations.
Based on the comments by Mr. Hudson, it seems the orthodox critics are not so crazy after all. Many of
us including this editor predicted that Rome would do nothing to clean up the scandal and that scenario seems to be playing itself out.
Let's face it, Rome has not done much about many things, and they are not going to start with this crisis.
The laity must re-take the Church at the same time supporting the few Bishops and some priests who are still loyal to the
truth Faith. This number may not be as big as some think.
Rome Says There Is No Crisis In America
from: Deal W. Hudson
CRISIS Magazine - e-Letter
June 4, 2002
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Dear Reader,
I have some bad news for you. I know, you've gotten all you can take for a while. But still, this is important, and you won't be hearing it anywhere else.
I just got back from a visit to Rome and the Vatican. On the bright side, the weather was great and the city is as beautiful as ever.
Unfortunately, that's where the good news ends.
My reason for the trip was to talk to Vatican officials about the sexual abuse scandal in the United States. Just like you, I've been wondering why Rome doesn't seem to be doing anything about it.
Well, I found out. And the report isn't so good. Here's what I learned...
Most of the high-level Curia officials think there really IS no scandal. They told me it's just another case of media bias against the Church... that secular news reporters are just blowing things out of proportion. They say, rightly enough, that the Church doesn't have any more
pedophiles than any other institution. In fact, one official commented that
there have always been sexual scandals in the Church, and the Church is always going to be subject to sin, so why are we so concerned?
Why are we so concerned?! Let me see... It might have something to do with the Church authorities' denial of the real problem -- namely, predatory homosexuals in the priesthood. Or we might be concerned because no
one in the Church seems to be stepping up to the plate to lead us out of this mess. Or maybe we're a little upset by the cover-up culture that's been growing in the chancery offices.
And when you throw in the fact that the Curia doesn't think there's a scandal to begin with... well... I'd say we have a pretty good reason to be concerned.
But it gets worse.
Apparently, the scandal in the U.S. didn't even register with Vatican leadership until an Italian newspaper happened to mention it in May. May! That's almost 6 months after the crisis erupted on the front page of
the Boston Globe (and became the lead story on all the major news programs).
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I asked if the Curia ever followed the news in the U.S. and was told about the Vatican's "peninsula
thinking." That means that if an issue doesn't affect Italy, it doesn't affect them.
I tried to explain things from the American Catholic perspective, but they tried to shush me by repeating again that the Catholic Church has no more pedophiles in the priesthood than any other group of males.
"Fine," I said. "But the problem ISN'T pedophilia... The real problem is active homosexuals preying on post pubescent children and bishops covering it up."
No response.
Needless to say, I came away from Rome with little hope for the upcoming Dallas meeting of the bishops. The April 24th Vatican communiqué,
following the Pope's meeting with the American cardinals, put the ball squarely in the U.S. bishops' court.
Of course, there has been no real leadership here, either.
"The bishops are divided on these issues," I was told by a high-level official, who wanted to remain anonymous. "Their divisions are going to become even more apparent at that meeting."
Another member of the Curia predicted that "unless some bishop or group of bishops takes firm leadership at that meeting, the results will be very disappointing."
After my meeting with the Curia, I'm not holding my breath.
Best,
Deal
Deal W. Hudson is the Publisher & Editor of Crisis Magazine. You can contact him at hudson@crisismagazine.com
Follow up...
The previous message from Deal Hudson and his meetings in Rome is discouraging.
The excuse that the Curia is using to explain the complacent attitude to our crisis is nothing new. When our Canon Lawyer was here last year, he explained that any newspaper clippings we might provide as evidence of a problem with the Church, would be viewed with skepticism by the Vatican because of the bias of the media against the Church. Thus, they discard media reports on anything regarding the Church, or at least view it with skepticism. So the report by Deal Hudson from Rome is true to form.
This of course is a mere excuse by Rome to do nothing.
However, there is a contingent in Rome that is paying attention to the scandals in the US.
The week before the US Cardinals flew to Rome to meet with the Pope, the St. Francis Xavier Historic Preservation Guild in Petoskey, Michigan over nighted a dozen copies of Mike Rose's book "Goodbye! Good Men" to our Canon Lawyer, Alan Kershaw. Alan was instrumental in placing these books in the hands of staff members of the Roman Curia who in turn had the ears of their bosses. It turns out that other Catholics around the country also had the same idea, and hundreds of copies of Mike's book were winging their way to Rome.
Three weeks later Alan wrote back stating that the book is being read in Rome and they have requested additional information from Mike Rose. Apparently his information is considered valid, and they need to know more.
There will be factions within the Vatican who will do nothing to help with this crisis. However, there are others who will do all that they can to help. Lets hope they have more pull than the others.
If you have not read "Goodbye! Good Men" you can order a copy from the St. Francis Xavier Historic Preservation Guild by sending a check for $25 to Post Office Box 392, Petoskey, Michigan 49770. This price includes shipping and we will send the book off to you right away. This book will explain the issues behind the headlines.
Tim Ehlen
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