"Diocese Warned of Priest's Aberrant Behavior One Year Before Arrest,"by Joshua J. McElwee, National Catholic Reporter, May 26, 2011 Excerpt: "According to guidelines established by the U.S. bishops in their 2002 Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, independent review boards in each diocese are to help the bishop “in his assessment of … Continue reading Principal Warned Diocese About Priest A Year Before Arrest
Spin Control in Philadelphia
"Crisis Control in Philadelphia," by Joan Frawley Desmond, National Catholic Register, May 26, 2011 NCR: "So boundary violations created the discrepancy between the cases in the grand jury report and Cardinal Rigali’s initial insistence that no priests with credible allegations of abuse were still in ministry? That’s why the priests were subsequently suspended? Mary Achilles: … Continue reading Spin Control in Philadelphia
Archdiocese Contracts Out Morality Lessons
Training priests that sex abuse is wrong seems besides the point. The good priests already know this. The abusive priests don't care. More importantly, who is going to teach the Bishops that they shouldn't cover up sex abuse? This is just another PR move. They are getting out in front of the very real shortcomings … Continue reading Archdiocese Contracts Out Morality Lessons
A Bishop Responds to the John Jay Report
"The Bishops' Priorities: Responding to the new John Jay Report on Sexual Abuse," by Blase J. Cupich (Bishop of Spokane, Washington) for America, The National Catholic Weekly, May 30, 2011 "Yet just as the report reinforces what we have done and are doing right in facing the problem, it also calls for additional initiatives to … Continue reading A Bishop Responds to the John Jay Report
Archdiocese Puts Review Board in Context – Their Context
COMMUNICATION FROM THE ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA: THE ARCHDIOCESAN REVIEW BOARD IN CONTEXT May 19, 2011 Documents such as this only serve to infuriate the informed. This offers bits of truth, while omitting important facts. It answers nothing. It certainly puts the Review Board in context, though. Archdiocesan leadership rendered the board completely irrelevant. Note the … Continue reading Archdiocese Puts Review Board in Context – Their Context
Another Bishop Ignores Review Board
Read this story about another Bishop's huge failure to properly utilize his review board and protect children. "One day after newspapers across the nation featured front page articles about a U.S. bishops' sponsored study on the causes of the clergy sex abuse scandal, which blamed much of the crisis on the sexual revolution of the … Continue reading Another Bishop Ignores Review Board
Becoming a Priest Amidst Controversy
"Faith Steels His Resolve," by Phil Gianficaro, Columnist, PhillyBurbs.com "The widespread cover-up of predatory priests rumbled beneath Friel's feet. He needed something to hold on to so he wouldn't fall. It wasn't necessary for him to look far. He held onto that which has never allowed him to fall. His faith in God."
Let’s Hear From the Clergy
Where does the rank and file clergy stand on the sex abuse cover up, Vatican guidelines, Amnesty International's report and the John Jay study? Cue the crickets. Except for a few strong voices, we don't hear from them in our parishes or here on this site. Why? Is it the conservative culture of the priesthood … Continue reading Let’s Hear From the Clergy
How You Can Protect Children and Renew the Church
Many may be visiting our site for the first time today. Thank you and welcome. Please visit the About page to find the mission of this site. We also urge every Catholic to read the 2011 Grand Jury Report. How You Can Help: In PA, there is no statute of limitations on murder. Yet, there … Continue reading How You Can Protect Children and Renew the Church
Did the Beatles Make You Want to Molest a Child?
"Dear Catholic Church Are You Kiddin' Me?" by Tim Whitaker for Philly Mag's The Philly Post, May 19, 2011 "Those of us who were around remember those crazy swinging ‘60s. Anomie. Revolution. Acid. Hendrix. Joplin. Time has come today. Give peace a chance. Can I have a hit of that? Oh, so very stressful, all … Continue reading Did the Beatles Make You Want to Molest a Child?
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