PA - Grand Jury Report, Sexual abuse of over 1,000 children by over 300 Catholic priests

[Elley Mae]

First, a look at the statistics: The most detailed statistics on child abuse for the Catholic clergy that I can find comes from the special report based on a national survey of victimization conducted for the 2004 American Catholic bishops' conference. The findings reveal that the frequency of child abuse among Catholic priests is not remarkable-involving around 4 % of priests and deacons who served in the U.S., but its pattern is. Outside of the Catholic Church, the overwhelming numbers of juvenile victims of sexual abuse are female. Within the church, however, four out of five of their victims are male. Most were adolescents aged 14 or over; 15% were under 10.

Priest Abuse: Male Compared to Female Victimization Impact

 

[kaen]

First, a look at the statistics: The most detailed statistics on child abuse for the Catholic clergy that I can find comes from the special report based on a national survey of victimization conducted for the 2004 American Catholic bishops' conference. The findings reveal that the frequency of child abuse among Catholic priests is not remarkable-involving around 4 % of priests and deacons who served in the U.S., but its pattern is. Outside of the Catholic Church, the overwhelming numbers of juvenile victims of sexual abuse are female. Within the church, however, four out of five of their victims are male. Most were adolescents aged 14 or over; 15% were under 10.

Priest Abuse: Male Compared to Female Victimization Impact

Yes, but this article states that this is not a homosexual issue even though the disproportionate victimization is male children.

From the article:

Prevention

The institutional church has reluctantly begun to acknowledge the magnitude of the damage that has been done through years of denial and deception. Oversight by lay Catholics and reporting of criminal cases to the authorities would further ensure the integrity of the Catholic Church.

Admission of women to the priesthood and reevaluation of the enforced celibacy rule are changes that might prevent further abuse, although they are not likely to occur at the present time. Both steps might help provide a much larger pool of intelligent, healthy candidates from which to choose. The Vatican's response, which is to remove known homosexuals from the priesthood, is not helpful. This is a case of scapegoating and a false equating of homosexuality with pedophilia.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

I doubt if there will be any lobbying, since Mary was 14.

Other than reporting to the police, how else can they be more transparent?

This is more than "just trust us." It is the Church saying to any supervisor, e.g. a bishop, **If you cover this up, you can be removed.** It is also saying, **Anybody who sees you attempting to cover this up, can tell the Vatican; you cannot stop them.**

The final point is to the underlings. This tells them, especially those with vows of obedience, **To obey the Church, you must report this, in accordance with the law of the jurisdiction.**

This last point is perhaps the most important one. In the Lynn case, in Philadelphia, Monseigneur Lynn justified his actions, morally, by relying on his vow of obedience to the Cardinal (as Archbishop of Philadelphia). He said, paraphrasing, **I had a moral duty to obey my superior. My duty to the Church supersedes any duty to the state.** This change now says, **Your moral duty is to report it to the state.**

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Yes, but this article states that this is not a homosexual issue even though the disproportionate victimization is male children.

From the article:

Prevention

The institutional church has reluctantly begun to acknowledge the magnitude of the damage that has been done through years of denial and deception. Oversight by lay Catholics and reporting of criminal cases to the authorities would further ensure the integrity of the Catholic Church.

Admission of women to the priesthood and reevaluation of the enforced celibacy rule are changes that might prevent further abuse, although they are not likely to occur at the present time. Both steps might help provide a much larger pool of intelligent, healthy candidates from which to choose. The Vatican's response, which is to remove known homosexuals from the priesthood, is not helpful. This is a case of scapegoating and a false equating of homosexuality with pedophilia.

As I like to say, Jerry Sandusky was married (and a Methodist). Celibacy has nothing to do this with, with one exception. It can provide camouflage. Someone may have thought that an unmarried male was unusual was odd, but not an unmarried priest. Certainly in the past, a male was expected to be married.

The ability to report outside of the clerical "chain of command," does serve as oversight. Any bishop that attempts to cover this up now knows that any lay person, any nun, monk, deacon, or priest can drop a dime on him, not to the police, but to the Pope. That had not happened before.

While I favor women in the priesthood (and have had several priests that were female in my church), gender is not the issue. Though nuns cannot serve in parishes as priests and probably are less numerous than males, there were females on the lists of perpetrators.

 

[mickey2942]

Maybe rather than be reactive, the Catholic church should be proactive.

1. What new policies and procedures has the Catholic church enacted to protect children?
2. Are routine fingerprinting and background investigations done on every single priest and other church officials on an annual basis?
3. Are potential priests and other officials screened for potential problems?

These seem to be routine issues, that should already be addressed. When I taught school, seriously, I can count on one hand how often I was with a child alone, and that is a teacher! So, I don't understand when, and in what context a child would ever be alone with a church representative. If it is for counseling, have it be with a parent. That is the key element I don't see happening here...what have they done as an intervention to stop this type of criminal behavior?

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Maybe rather than be reactive, the Catholic church should be proactive.

1. What new policies and procedures has the Catholic church enacted to protect children?
2. Are routine fingerprinting and background investigations done on every single priest and other church officials on an annual basis?
3. Are potential priests and other officials screened for potential problems?

These seem to be routine issues, that should already be addressed. When I taught school, seriously, I can count on one hand how often I was with a child alone, and that is a teacher! So, I don't understand when, and in what context a child would ever be alone with a church representative. If it is for counseling, have it be with a parent. That is the key element I don't see happening here...what have they done as an intervention to stop this type of criminal behavior?

1. That is the improved reporting requirements.

2. You would only need to fingerprint and do a background check once. Anything "new" will be known, something will be reported.

That said, an initial background check would be very good, e.g. the type the do for teachers.

3. Yes, and for a very long time. They do, now at least, require criminal background checks for seminary and psychological screening: http://www.shsst.edu/pdf/AppFormSH.pdf

They don't always work.

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

Maybe rather than be reactive, the Catholic church should be proactive.

1. What new policies and procedures has the Catholic church enacted to protect children?
2. Are routine fingerprinting and background investigations done on every single priest and other church officials on an annual basis?
3. Are potential priests and other officials screened for potential problems?

These seem to be routine issues, that should already be addressed. When I taught school, seriously, I can count on one hand how often I was with a child alone, and that is a teacher! So, I don't understand when, and in what context a child would ever be alone with a church representative. If it is for counseling, have it be with a parent. That is the key element I don't see happening here...what have they done as an intervention to stop this type of criminal behavior?

I know that the Catholic Church has enacted Safe Environment training. Any individual, whether it be laity or clergy, have to undergo Safe Environment training and also undergo a criminal background check if they come in contact with children or at-risk adults. They also have to attend some type of continuing education every year.

As having been a parent of Catholic school kids, no parent is allowed to chaperone or volunteer in the classroom, coach, etc. unless they have undergone this Safe Environment training and background checks. The same goes for all teachers, janitors, cafeteria workers, and anyone else that comes into contact with kids.

 

[mickey2942]

1. That is the improved reporting requirements.

2. You would only need to fingerprint and do a background check once. Anything "new" will be known, something will be reported.

That said, an initial background check would be very good, e.g. the type the do for teachers.

3. Yes, and for a very long time. They do, now at least, require criminal background checks for seminary and psychological screening: http://www.shsst.edu/pdf/AppFormSH.pdf

They don't always work.

Where I work, we have annual comprehensive background investigations, you have to sign a release of information for EVERYTHING, including medical, criminal, financial.

One thing that is not mentioned here is the correlation between substance abuse and child sexual abuse, the officials should be assessed for substance abuse, and if a problem is identified, that they should enter mandatory treatment. People who are substance abusers are more likely to commit criminal acts. So, if they have a DUI, or other indicators of substance abuse, that would come up in annual comprehensive background checks. They are probably eligible to drive church automobiles, so having their driver's records shouldn't be too difficult.

I had not heard about the "Safe Environment" training, that is definitely appropriate. Too bad that was not mentioned in their announcement about change of church reporting requirements.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Respectfully snipped.

I had not heard about the "Safe Environment" training, that is definitely appropriate. Too bad that was not mentioned in their announcement about change of church reporting requirements.

Remember that the Catholic Church is global and that many countries do not have background check ability.

 

[mickey2942]

Respectfully snipped.



Remember that the Catholic Church is global and that many countries do not have background check ability.

If the Catholic church wanted to do comprehensive background checks on clergy, it can be done. Contractors are all set up, all over the world, to do this work. With computers, fingerprint scanners, upload the information, if they can manage to do this is Addis Ababa, one of the largest refugee camps in Africa, I think that there is capability for this in most, if not all countries.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

If the Catholic church wanted to do comprehensive background checks on clergy, it can be done. Contractors are all set up, all over the world, to do this work. With computers, fingerprint scanners, upload the information, if they can manage to do this is Addis Ababa, one of the largest refugee camps in Africa, I think that there is capability for this in most, if not all countries.

They could take fingerprints, but that might not show anything.

 

[Elley Mae]

As disturbing as it is to know that Buffalo police and the Catholic Church were engaged in a depraved and illegal policy to shield priests from criminal prosecution, it doesn’t really come as a surprise. That had been standard practice elsewhere in the country, with the church and law enforcement conniving to shield priests at the expense of the children they molested. All in the name of religion.

Editorial: Police, aiding and abetting molestation by priests

 

[Elley Mae]

Archbishop who called on pope to resign gives 1st interview since self-imposed exile

Archbishop who called on pope to resign gives 1st interview since self-imposed exile

Viganò said the "truth will eventually come out" for Francis, as it had for Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the former archbishop of Washington who portrayed himself last summer as being unaware about complaints against McCarrick - a claim that documents subsequently proved false. Viganò suggested to The Post that Francis is covering up other cases, "as he did for McCarrick."

 

[Elley Mae]

US Catholic Bishops Convene In Baltimore, Focus On Sex Abuse Crisis

US Catholic Bishops Convene In Baltimore, Focus On Sex Abuse Crisis

The pressure comes not only from longtime critics of the church's response to clergy sex abuse, but also from insiders who now voice doubts that the bishops are capable of handling the crisis on their own. Among them is Francesco Cesareo, chairman of a national sex-abuse review board set up by the bishops.

University of Pennsylvania professor Marci Hamilton, an expert on child-abuse prevention, said the surge of legislative action is due in part to "the dawning reality for many Americans — including lawmakers — that bishops cannot and will not solve this problem themselves."

 

[Elley Mae]

Poland's Catholic bishops hold summit on sex abuse allegations

Poland's Catholic bishops hold summit on sex abuse allegations

The bishops acknowledged in March they had almost 400 predator priests on record.

 

[Elley Mae]

German court says Catholic Church can keep billions secret

German court says Catholic Church can keep billions secret


Hmmm, covering for the church.

 

[Elley Mae]

Madison Catholic Diocese hires detectives to probe clergy sexual abuse

Madison Catholic Diocese hires detectives to probe clergy sexual abuse

Isely also questioned the reliability of an investigation being done by a firm hired by the diocese.

Isely said it is concerning that the Madison Diocese has found only six priests with credible allegations against them because that is below trends seen in other states.

“That alone should require vetting, and a full investigation by a truly outside, independent force,” Isely said.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

German court says Catholic Church can keep billions secret

German court says Catholic Church can keep billions secret


Hmmm, covering for the church.

In the US, most, if not all, churches do not have to reveal there expenditures. Neither do most private organizations.

This is not unusual.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Madison Catholic Diocese hires detectives to probe clergy sexual abuse

Madison Catholic Diocese hires detectives to probe clergy sexual abuse

Isely also questioned the reliability of an investigation being done by a firm hired by the diocese.

Isely said it is concerning that the Madison Diocese has found only six priests with credible allegations against them because that is below trends seen in other states.

“That alone should require vetting, and a full investigation by a truly outside, independent force,” Isely said.

They had found a few from an earlier investigation as well.

The only things that SNAP and the diocese can to is ask the state AG to investigate.

 

[Wild Rose]

I had to sit through the training, was shown a video of priests talking about how they molested children. I felt like I was abused having to listen to how they seemingly bragged about what they had done. That was until one of my colleagues told me she had to listen to her own daughter's molester priest talk about himself and how he molested on the video. She was STILL mandated to watch it and asked in public to share by the moderator. You cannot make this stuff up.