Click here to read: “Abuse probe dogs bishop, despite Rigali’s unorthodox role,” by John P. Martin, The Philadelphia Inquirer, July 22, 2012
Excerpt:
“In a break from practice, the accusation against Bransfield bypassed the archdiocese’s civilian review board, according to a source briefed on the case but not authorized to publicly discuss it. The board was formed to conduct independent examinations of abuse claims and assesses priests’ suitablility for ministry.”
We need a complete civil investigation so that any bishops involved can put on trial, or cleared. Church investigations are worthless.
I agree. Any ideas on how to make that happen?
Yes! Here’s how we can change things. Monsignor Lynn and “The Butterfly Effect!” For a long time I have known that “Prayer Changes Things.” Years ago, I became involved win a Prayer-Army, which prayed to expose the Priest Pedophilia Scandal in the Roman Catholic Church. At the very beginning, few hoped that we’d be able to do so, because of the All-powerful Roman Catholic Church, often controlled the media, press, etc., all for the purpose of “Avoiding Scandal to the Holy Roman Catholic Church.” Now, 20 years later, we are seeing the result of our prayers, letters to the editors, and belief in an Almighty God, who loves and protects children. Without knowing it, we were all butterflies! We were flapping our little wings, opening up our mouths, supporting each other, telling our stories, and little by little, day by day, we were responsible for a tsunami that has rocked the Church from the Vatican down to every country in the world! Yes, the Butterfly Effect and Prayer Work together to change the world. All is not finished yet. We are still flapping our wings until coverups are exposed at the highest level in the Vatican and in every Archdiocese in the World. Now, look at Monsignor Lynn and imagine him a little butterfly! He flapped his wings, furiously obeying every command of Cardinal Bevilacqua’s in covering up for Pedophile Priests within the Archdiocese of Philly. His little actions and wing flapping were very significant for the Archdiocese, because he enabled it to keep Pedophile Priests in the priesthood. Most significantly it endangered children and teens and exposed them to molestation, rape and sodomy! Monsignor Lynn’s little flapping wings destroyed the life of countless children and their families. For this he deserves a maximum prison sentence. Hopefully, he will get it!
Jeannie from your lips to the ears of the earthly judge and the big Judge in the sky. Prayer is the most powerful weapon in our arsenal.
God Bless
Peace and Love
See how Armidale NSW are doing it, a big cat among the pidgeons there, with the assistance of a story on ABC Four Corners
Fr “F” Armidale Express is a flow on.
Jeannie Guzman
Love the butterflies. May I join you?
Cathy
The Church’s “Internal Investigations” are nothing more than PR Events for the Archdiocese concerned. The end result is never to discover the truth, but rather to cover it up! Remember there was an “Internal Investigation” when Rigali looked into charges concerning Bishop Bransfield, who just happened to have high-ranking relatives in the Hierarchy of the Holy Roman Catholic Church. Now, there is a good possibility that law enforcement or the DA’s Office might look into Rigali’s “Internal Investigation” of Bishop Bransfield. Time will tell how truthful, honest and forthcoming Rigali’s ordered investigation was!
Joe Paternos staute is being removed. You’ll have to wait for it to load; it is the second video.
http://hp-notebook.us.msn.com/?pc=msnHomeST&ocid=msnHomepage
Sorry if some see this as being off topic, but I believe it is very pertinent to understanding how child abuse is supported and justified in people’s minds. How the cover up begins and continues. This same mindset can exist in homes, churches, corporations, colleges, military, governments, and etc.. I was reading the response to the removal of Joe Paterno’s statue, and it shows how people ignore and justify child abuse. Joe Paterno was a football coach albeit a man with an outstanding record, but do people realize, do they really understand, that innocent children were raped and terrorized from the legacy and proceeds of that program? One can easily say, “well football didn’t do it.” Didn’t it?? The money J. Sandusky made and the reputation he achieved from that program made it possible for him to build a legacy which then supported the rape and terrorism of innocent children, and in order to protect that legacy important people around him (Joe Paterno and others) who should have known better and moved to protect those children instead put their interest above the protection of children and covered up the rapes and allowed more children to be raped in order to protect their football legacy. Did Penn state or area residents erect a statue to the abused children? No, because doing that would be a daily reminder of how that program became more important than protecting children. All they can think is, “our college” and “our town will die.” What do they think happened to those children? They decided the children didn’t factor into the equation because that wasn’t in the best interest of the legacy, football, college, the town. So they denied the truth. These people and there program are so important to them that they put it above a responsibility to innocent children. Will people ever get their priorities straight. Legendary football program vs child rape, which one will you choose? Leaving the statue up says, “we love our football hero.” Taking the statute down is symbolic. It says shame; shame on all of us for keeping silent and for thinking this was more important, anything was more important than protecting an innocent, helpless human being.
The pressure must be kept on Philly DA, Seth Williams, to do his duty and pursue Cardinal Rigali. Msgr. Lynn said under oath he followed his bosses’ orders. Lynn’s testimony was accepted as a fact by all, including his four lawyers who were paid by Chaput.
Rigali was Lynn’s boss for almost 8 years, including when Lynn was still formally assigning priests. Rigali apparently, even after two grand jury investigations revealed the Philly AD’s pedophile priest paradise, sat on at least 36 cases of suspected priest pedophiles, over half of whom’s files were kept from Rigali’s own review board.
Meanwhile, after a year and a half, Chaput dribbles these cases out when and if he feels like it.
Seth needs to forget about running for Philly mayor and do the job he now has or just forget about being elected to anything further by Philly citizens. They have been poorly served by the Philly criminal justice system for most of the last half century at least.
Seth should follow the Montgomery County DA’s example in the pending Bishop Bransfield case and pursue Rigali even if there are threshold questions of statute of limitations issues.
Rigali was sitting on the 36 cases as recently as last year. If that is not a prima face case of massive child endangerment, what is? Rigali makes Joe Paterno and Penn State’s bosses look good!
Seth in prosecuting Lynn merely just followed up, as Seth had to, on the grand jury investigation started by Seth’s predecessor, Lynne Abraham. By letting Fr. Avery plead out early, Seth almost lost the slam-dunk case against Msgr. Lynn. He even gave Avery a sweet plea deal, which Judge Sarmina inexplicably accepted.
Who is Seth working for anyways?
Let your voices be heard!
So, with your permission, I will take your comments from the second sentence to the paragraph starting with “Rigali was sitting” and send it to the DA with a closing paragraph, “Your job is to protect children. What specific actions have you taken to bring charges against these criminals? I am a concerned citizen and since your salary is paid by citizens I expect an answer. Your current position and future career depend on public opinion, and I will influence that public opinion depending on your performance. Joe Paterno’s statue was removed from Penn state and your name can be removed from the public payroll just as easily. Please respond.”
Realize I am off topic, but Cipriano’s discussion of the prosecution statements relative to Lynn’s sentencing are both very immediate (sentencing on Tuesday) and very relevant to C4C folks….think this link might well be an immediate blog topic!
http://www.priestabusetrial.com/2012/07/prosecutors-seek-maximum-sentence-for.html
Be my guest. I hope all follow your lead and send a similar e-mail , perhaps with copies as well to the Ass’t DA at mariana.sorensen@phila.gov and to the Phil. Inquirer reporter, John Martin, at jmartin@phillynews.com
Seth has to be told he is fooling no one with his limited “blame it all on the lackey Lynn and the dead Cardinals Bevilacqua and Krol” ploy. Enough with the “politically correct” nonsense. Children remain at serious risk of more abuse and survivors deserve some justice, at least.
As we have repeatedly discussed, these actions are only a “treadmill of misery” and the abuse, prosecution, trials, convictions/exonerations etc. will just go on , and on.
To stop the crime and sin there is only one real solution— get away from the cult. Don’t put your own beloved children into harm’s way!
It’s not “rocket science.”
I would bet that Seth realizes it would be “a feather in his cap,” to bring Cardinal Rigali in for trial to prove or disprove that he supervised Lynn’s coverups, in the eight years that Lynn worked under his supervision. Inquiring Minds want to know! In fact, we should DEMAND to know!
Be the change..WHAT A LETTER! It pertains to all that is good and right in this life that is forgotten by ill fated gains. This should be published all over the RCC world..with ATTENTION: POPE BENEDICT ..WHAT’S YOUR EXCUSE? THE EXACT SAME THING!
I will update the letter and post it. Feel free to send it to the pope or whomever and/or ask others to do the same.
However, I know of no authority or leverage you would have to remove the pope. President Bush gave him immunity from prosecution in 2008 re a case of abuse in Texas. I’m not sure but believe that established a precedent. I don’t know how that would be affected if the United States severed relations with the Vatican as a state under the U.N. The ICC in Hague would be the last resort for criminal prosecution as I understand it. Anybody feel free to jump in and correct me or update info.
The ICC has clear juridiction over the pope. The pope is not immune from prosecution there, as Charles Taylor, former President of Liberia, just found out in a comparable case that got him a 50 year prison sentence.
Taylor “aided and abetted” crimes against humanity in Sierra Leone that involved, among other matters, “child soldiers” and substantially fewer victims then the total number of children abused worldwide by priests during the current pope’s time in the Vatican clique.
The staff of the new ICC prosecutor, a mother with a sterling reputation, is currently reviewing the voluminous evidence file by SNAP. She can be expectedly to pierce through the pope’s usual mystical smokescreens.
No wonder the pope is trying to get a “friendly” US president elected to help pressure the ICC if necessary.
The pope and bishops are running out of places to hide. Many Philly Catholics will understand gladly if the pope is unable to make his 2015 visit due to his incarceration.
There was no “break from practice.” It was business as usual. If you kissed enough rings, you never made it to the review process. The all powerful wizard deemed who got through and who was to be handled “privately.” That should be so darned alarming to every Catholic because that’s how it’s handled everywhere.
I wonder how many computers have been cleared and how many documents are being shredded as we speak?
I’d love to hear from every person who “accused” Bransfield. Do people really believe that just because 2 witnesses testified they never witnessed any inappropriate behavior by Bransfield that he didn’t do anything? I’m NOT accusing Bransfield of anything, but when you have more than one or two accusers citing “questionable” behavior and associations with a known pedophile at locations he has perpetrated…red flags go up. Top it off with the discreet handling of his situation and you’ve got more red flags.
Prop the ol’ boy up and call him a bishop.
Anyone read the family comment about Joe Paterno’s statue being taken down? How do they know what’s healing to victims? They state the university should have waited to get a more complete picture before moving forward. They claim the university was too quick to take the Freeh Report as 100% fact.
Here’s my comment to the family: “Save your breath about what you think victims need for healing. You come across as ignorant and arrogant in doing so. You are absolutely correct that the Freeh Report is not complete. There is more information that must be acquired to have the fullest picture possible. Sadly, the university doesn’t need more information to know Joe Paterno (and others) failed children in a way no man (or institution) should ever fail children. His statue is coming down not because the university doesn’t have enough information, but because the little they do have tips the scales when it comes to what Penn State plans to uphold as ‘honorable.’ Let the full investigation proceed. Let all the details come to light, but the bare minimum remains, Joe Paterno did not behave honorably.”
SW agree with your points!!! AND it’s good to hear from you!!!
I agree with Joan, SW. I knew you would be back. I still need your help in picking the color of the spray paint for my “pew work”.
I didn’t miss your despicable remark Jerry Slevin:
“No wonder the pope is trying to get a “friendly” US president elected to help pressure the ICC if necessary.”
I am outraged by your continuing pandering to Obama and his ilk.
Can you not leave behind your biases when posting on C4C?
nichols1,
“I am outraged by your continuing pandering to Obama and his ilk.”
So what Nick? I’m outraged by the Tea Party and other of their ilk!
Nichols, rudeness aside, if you don’t realize what the pope and US bishops are up to, you are naive. Vote your conscience; not what the pope’s anti-contraception ploy directs you to do. If you follow your conscience and vote for Romney, fine. But the bishops are scared to death that Obama will get re-elected and clean their mess up for them. He will. It seems quite obvious.
I just want to step in and say this is no place for politics or people forcing their choices on others in any way…some comments get so far off of the topic of clergy sex abuse . We have purposely focused on this one issue to draw as many people to the cause in order to protect children and justice to victims. We also do not want to get into the religion debate . Nichols you are welcome to post here just like everyone else , many who comment on the site are practicing Catholics,this site is not meant to be a place of debate for leaving the church (or staying for that manner) . We had to curtail some of your comments in the past ..this is not the place for any one person’s agenda.
I meant we had to curtail some of Nichols comments in the past.
Point taken, Kathy.
Amen, SW. So happy to be getting your excellent input again.
SW
Missed you. Glad your back.
Despite the denial, shredding, and erasing it’s all coming out. They left irrefutable proof behind. I’m beginning to wonder if I can handle the truth:
Church and castration in The Netherlands,
Church and stolen babies in Spain
Church and symphysiotomy in Ireland (1944—1992)
Church and orphan asylum abuse in Germany
Church and St Johns school for the deaf in Milwaukee
This info is not coming from “rag” journalism, but from reputable sources like the New York Times.
The source is the average man/woman in the pews, who have paid the bills for 1,700 years, and we want our money back.
WELCOME BACK, SURVIVORS WIFE. Been thinking a lot about you, glad you came back. In today’s Inquirer, Vicky Triponey, Who once was in charge of student conduct at Penn state butted heads with Paterno when it came to disciplining his players! A major incident took place in April 2007, 24 Penn State football players forced their way into an off-campus party. What resulted were criminal charges against 6 players and convictions for 2.NONE of the players ever missed a game! How different is this from the Branfied case right now? I am sick and tired of the constant cover-ups. When will children stop being abused, just to preserve the “intergrity” of the institution? Penn State “protection” was all about “football” the Church’s “protection” is all about “using God”.
If you have not already read this, I would suggest you do. It is entitled “willful blindness” and explains how our brain processes info and how that pertains to this nightmare from which I would love to pinch myself and find out it was all a bad dream, but I don’t do “denial” well so I soldier on. God Bless you all Peace and Love
http://slooowdown.wordpress.com/2012/07/13/280/
Cathy, I gave that book as a Christmas gift a couple years ago…it addresses the abuse issue as well as many others:
: Why We Ignore the Obvious at Our Peril. : Why We Ignore the Obvious at our Peril will be published in 2011.
In her latest book, Heffernan argues that the biggest threats and dangers we face are the ones we don’t see – not because they’re secret or invisible, but because we’re willfully blind. She examines the phenomenon and traces its imprint in our private and working lives, and within governments and organizations, and asks: What makes us prefer ignorance? What are we so afraid of? Why do some people see more than others? And how can we change? Examining examples of willful blindness in the Catholic Church, the SEC, Nazi Germany, Bernard Madoff’s investors, BP’s safety record, the military in Afghanistan and the dog-eat-dog world of subprime mortgage lenders,
the book demonstrates how failing to see—or admit to ourselves or our colleagues—the issues and problems in plain sight can ruin private lives and bring down corporations. The book explores how willful blindness develops and then goes on to outline some of the mechanisms, structures and strategies that institutions and individuals can use to combat it. In its wide use of psychological research and examples from history, the book has been compared to work by Malcolm Gladwell and Nicholas Taleb.
Thanks for the info Joan
I bought the book and read it through. I strongly endorse it as a book C4C readers can benefit from.
Here is the updated letter to the District Atty.
District Attorney Seth Williams:
Please enlighten us if any of the following information is incorrect.
As we understand it, (Msgr.) Lynn said under oath he followed his bosses’ orders. Lynn’s testimony was accepted as a fact by all, including his four lawyers who were paid by Chaput. Rigali was Lynn’s boss for almost 8 years, including when Lynn was still formally assigning priests. Rigali apparently, even after two grand jury investigations revealed the Philadelphia AD’s pedophile priest paradise, sat on at least 36 cases of suspected priest pedophiles, over half of these files were kept from Rigali’s own review board. Meanwhile, after a year and a half, Chaput dribbles these cases out when and if he feels like it.
District Attorney you need to forget about running for Philadelphia mayor and do the job you now have, or just forget about being elected to anything further by Philadelphia citizens. Philadelphia has been poorly served by the Philadelphia criminal justice system for most of the last half century at least.
District Attorney, you should follow the Montgomery County DA’s example in the pending Bishop Bransfield case and pursue Rigali even if there are threshold questions of statute of limitations issues. Until you investigate, you won’t know for sure, and you may well uncover the smoking gun that would invalidate the statute of limitations.
Rigali was sitting on the 36 cases as recently as last year. If that is not a prima face case of massive child endangerment, what is? Rigali makes Joe Paterno and Penn State’s bosses look good!
District Attorney in prosecuting Lynn, you merely followed up, as you had to, on the grand jury investigation started by your predecessor, Lynne Abraham. By letting Fr. Avery plead out early, you almost lost the slam-dunk case against Msgr. Lynn. You even gave Avery a sweet plea deal, which Judge Sarmina inexplicably accepted.
If you’re worried about the Catholic vote, realize the number of fed up Catholic voters are growing daily just as the churches influence and money are dwindling. Mr. District Attorney we advise you never to underestimate the tenacity of a parent when children are at risk. We take it very personally when someone hurts children. We have time, we have experience, and we have God on our side. Our question to you is, are you going to help us protect our children or are you going to protect those who sexually abuse them?
In the performance of your job to protect children what specific actions have you taken to bring charges against these criminals? As concerned citizens, and since your salary is paid by citizens, we expect an answer. Your current position and future career depend on public opinion, and we will influence that public opinion depending on your performance. Joe Paterno’s statue was removed from Penn state, and your name can be removed from the public payroll just as easily.
Please respond
Send to:
seth.williams@phila.gov
mariana.sorensen@phila.gov
jmartin@phillynews.com
Jerry
I sent my letters, but am not sure if the DA email address is correct. I used the standard for city employees email, but sometimes dept heads have private emails. Do you know if this is correct for Seth? Thanks Cathy
Sorry, Cathy. I don’t have his e-mail address. By now, Seth likely knows I am an out-of-state retired lawyer and a general pain in his butt. I expect, for what it is worth, he or his staff read this blog or at least the news outlets, e.g., AP, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the NY Times, etc., who have received and in some cases acted on my views over the past two years.
Not to worry. It didn’t come back, and the Asst DA got one too so they can share.
Everyone needs a pain in the butt, it keeps one from becoming a big ass. Cathy
This morning I received a reply to my email. Not sure what I will do with that. I’m praying for direction. But, I do know based on my life experiences that at some time in the future an opportunity will present itself for me to respond in like to those in the DA’s office based on their performance. It is just how things work in my life. I have personally experienced the miracles of God in many and numerous ways not the least of which I am alive and sane (sometimes questionably so) and have received alliances whenever I needed them. I was brought to this site for a reason, some day the reason will be revealed to me. I will pray for you in your work.
Meanwhile I was somehow led to this info re Brennan.
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20120723_Prosecutors_to_retry_priest_in_abuse_case.html
Never doubt the power of prayer or God’s love for survivors of abuse.
Peace and Love
In the email under subject I put:
Re Ongoing investigation into child sexual abuse
Thanks and well done, Cathy.
Dear Ragali and Bransfield,
You arrogant bastards suck.
Kate, you are likely correct, but neither the pope nor elite Catholic donors seem to care.
The pope recently feted Bransfield and his Papal Foundation donors ($1 million contributions a head).
Rigali, who still serves on major Vatican commitees, is a director of the Foundation.
It is disturbing that these lay donors, many of whom have children and grandchildren, appear to continue to support Bransfield and Rigali.
Apparently, preserving the Bush tax cuts on income over $250,000 a year, with the pope’s election year help, is more important than the donors’ children’s safety.
Shameful!
Jerry, I agree, but nothing short of the ICC will do the job when it comes to slapping down B16. The problem is (like Bevilacqua), he’ll be dead before they ever catch-up with him.
Our best hope is to nail Rigali. But, that could be tough as well, because he likely has an opulent apartment in Vatican City ready for a quick getaway.
dw13, Cardinal Rigali isn’t safe in Rome either. The International Criminal Court could add Rigali, and even Cardinal Law, as criminal defendants. Neither of them have immunity from the ICC and both appear to have have committed as aiders and abettors potentially criminal cover-up acts within the ICC’s authorized prosecutorial timeframe.
ICC cases take time, but this one is likely to proceed. Remember it took a decade to convict Msgr. Lynn and the early view was it would never happen. But caring Christians, like those who blog here, raised their voices loudly and often, and it happened. Steadily, more and more Christians are raising their voices.
So will the ICC case. If some of the potential defendants die first, so be it. The ICC can prosecute, convict and punish whomever remains. Not perfect justice, but a vast improvement from the past. In the meantime, the hierarchy are increasingly being shamed in public for being the child abuse facilitators they are.
Of course, as it develops, the ICC prosecutor may have to move the case to the new Olympic Stadium to fit all the abuse survivor witnesses and hierarchical defendants!
drwho13
I was doing some research on Irish Central last night and I came across this comment.
drwho13 | Oct 17, 2011, 06:49 PM EDT
What do you expect? The SOB’s BETRAYED US!
They betrayed Him too. He is our best hope, from whom there is no “getaway.”
Kate,
I needed a good laugh and that did it. Thanks
There day is coming.
I’ve been wondering about the Bransfield case…Where does it stand now and what is his status? These 2 stories seem to be the latest on the matter(?)
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/w-virginia-bishops-says-testimony-debunks-abuse-allegation/
http://articles.philly.com/2012-07-23/news/32789091_1_bishop-michael-j-bransfield-stanley-gana-notorious-priest
———————————————–
Also, I’m marveling at Kate’s post from July. She says it all–not a word wasted!
Kate FitzGerald (hadit)
ReplyJuly 23, 2012 at 3:23 am
16 1 Rate This
“Dear Ragali and Bransfield,
You arrogant bastards suck.”
Woe to the shepherds
who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture,
says the LORD.
Therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of Israel,
against the shepherds who shepherd my people:
You have scattered my sheep and driven them away.
You have not cared for them,
but I will take care to punish your evil deeds.
I myself will gather the remnant of my flock
from all the lands to which I have driven them
and bring them back to their meadow;
there they shall increase and multiply.
I will appoint shepherds for them who will shepherd them
so that they need no longer fear and tremble;
and none shall be missing, says the LORD.
Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD,
when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David;
as king he shall reign and govern wisely,
he shall do what is just and right in the land.
In his days Judah shall be saved,
Israel shall dwell in security.
This is the name they give him:
“The LORD our justice.”
This was the reading at mass today and during the homily the priest said that this passage gives him comfort as we have had bad shepards in the church in philly and God knows exactly what is going on.
I don’t go to mass to hear readings, but I am fully familiar with that passage. It also applies to ANY AND ALL whom bear false witness to people Christ died for. Amen to that.
Beth
Thanks for that passage. God does know everything, and He is working on it.
My mind sees destruction: Penn State, the church, the economy but
my verse for todays is “Be still and know that I am God.”
Peace and Love
Prosecutors to retry Brennan
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20120723_Prosecutors_to_retry_priest_in_abuse_case.html
What about some of the bigger fish? Rigali, Cullen, Cistone, Rigali’s in-house lawyers, et al.? Hasn’t the DA learned enough from the Lynn trial to go after the ringleaders now? What is Seth Williams waiting for? A confession?
Meanwhile, Chaput continues to string out Rigali’s 36 unsupervised suspects likely to gain an advantage in civil litigation that surely will follow.
What is the matter with the Philly DA’s office? Lynn found over 300 problem priests, nearly a quarter of all Philly priests, almost 20 years ago and the DA two decades later still focuses only on a few small fish.
Time to expand his nets.
My job is done for the moment. Yours is not. Sorry
Kathy KaneJuly 23, 2012 at 2:56 pm
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I just want to step in and say this is no place for politics or people forcing their choices on others in any way…some comments get so far off of the topic of clergy sex abuse . We have purposely focused on this one issue to draw as many people to the cause in order to protect children and justice to victims. We also do not want to get into the religion debate . Nichols you are welcome to post here just like everyone else , many who comment on the site are practicing Catholics,this site is not meant to be a place of debate for leaving the church (or staying for that manner) . We had to curtail some of your comments in the past ..this is not the place for any one person’s agenda.
***********************************************************************************************************
The dispute was over J.Slevin continuously using the legitimate animus against Catholic clergy abuse of children to further the re-election of President Obama, insinuating that Rome favors Republicans, which is false.
On the question of “religious topics”, these topics are raised from time to time by the bloggers here at C4C, not by myself. I do respond to topics raised with opinion and verses occasionally. I don’t deserve to be found the “heavy” in this.