A group of deaf people is suing a group of nuns, a priest, some laypeople, and Bishop Thomas Daily, formerly of Brooklyn for sexual abuse they suffered at an independent school for the deaf in Boston decades ago. The school is closed now, so I guess the deep pockets they will go after belong to the archdiocese. Yay, we get to pay more settlements.
The nuns are from the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph. The article says the case is the “first to allege widespread abuse by nuns.” Is this widespread? Yes, it’s 14 nuns, but they’re all in the same place and it’s nine victims (three women and six men).
So what is the policy when a nun is alleged to have abused? Is she suspended somehow? Actually, there’s no national policy since the Dallas charter only applies to diocesan priests. I guess the lawyers need to find a new Scandal to file lawsuits over. The nuns are next, I guess. (Not that I disbelieve the victims; I just don’t have high regard for the lawyers.)
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lawrence.stich@sbcglobal.net
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68.254.169.47
2004-05-11 11:16:22
2004-05-11 15:16:22
McChesney is now a target. There’s a rumor running around that one of the USCC higher-ups is about to be named a Bishop.
Perhaps his last administrative act will be to FIRE this twerp.
Sadly, if these things happened, I actually hope the nuns are successful in their lawsuits. Why? Because I have come to the conclusion that only revelation of the truth of these matters by an independent press OR massive financial consequences (for there are no consequences from the Vatican), will force bishops to do right.
Sinner,
The nuns aren’t suing anybody.
Too bad, Jimmy. The IBEW Local 113 in Boston announced benefits will only go to married people, and defined marriage as between one man and one woman.
So, instead of whininng to 150 people, why doncha go down to the Electrician’s Hall and tell the 6,000 there why they’re mean-spirited and divisive. There’s more clout with 6,000, and I’d bet most of them are Catholic’s, than a mere 150.
http://www.cnsnews.com
Make me eat these words when it happens: McChesney won’t get fired. The USCCB doesn’t have enough backbone to do it. Wouldn’t be a ‘pastoral’ move.
Dave,
I have made a resolution to laugh everyday for the rest of my life. Thanks for the chuckle.
I recently did a Q and A session with our high school students and the subject of sex came up. I explained the Church’s teaching on it: Each act open to life and love. (with the obvious ramification, no birth control, within marriage, etc). A few parents got wind of it, complained to the pastor who then told me I need to have a “Pastoral Approach” to people, and focus more on socials.
Does anyone believe anymore that the Truth is actually MORE attractive than lies which always seem more attractive?
(PS, Thank goodness for a great HS RelEd teaching staff who will teach the Church’s position despite the naysayers)
Domine, non sum dignus ut intres sub tectum meum, sed tantu dic verbo, et sanbitur anima mea.
These men do not see that this is an Act of Faith, not and Act of Contrition (why they dn’t understand that a resolution to sin no more is an important part of act of contrition is another isue), see what poor tanslations do?
Gives new meaning to the expression: ‘preaching to the choir’…
I share Dom’s opinion on lawyers. Including me.
>>So why cancommunity and criticize gay rights,” James E. Post, the organization’s president, told about 150 people at a Voice of the Faithful meeting at St. Eulalia Church in Winchester. In an interview afterward, Post told reporters, “It is discouraging to see the archbishop using archdiocesan resources to run this campaign against gay marriage and to speak out in a way that is so divisive.”
Then he goes on to say that VOTF has not taken a position on gay marriage. Really? Then what do you call that? He says that he’s only pointing out the “deterioration in the environment in the Catholic Chuch.” Sorry, Jim, but you can’t have it both ways. You can’t criticize the Church for opposing gay marriage and the homosexual lifestyle, while claiming that you’re not doing so. That kind of flip-flopping is reserved for John Kerry’s campaign.
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I think it is clear that VOTF is “Call to Action” incognito. But there may be some well intentioned Catholics who don’t see it. Let the mask come off and let the light shine forth, so that what is done in darkness may be revealed.
As Kelly says the nuns are being sued. They’re not the ones suing.
Barrister,
Actually some of my very good friends are lawyers. I try not to hold it against them.
John,
McChesney won’t be fired because those who hold the ability to fire her knew who she was when they hired her. I’ll go out on a limb and say that the bishops aren’t being stabbed in the back because she probably accurately reflects the views of the USCCB leadership.
Ninenot,
Are the USCCB higher-ups bishops already? Or do you mean a member of the staff bureaucracy. Once again, McChesney is more likely to be reflecting what’s already true of the rest of the staff.
My sister who is a lawyer once said (in some very convoluted English) “Don’t let the fact that I am a lawyer deter you from thinking that all lawyers are scum.” ??! (She’s not scum in case anyone wonders.)
Dom,
I’m sure that you are right about what many of our bishops, the social justice guys, believe privately. But McChesney has come out squarely against clear Church teaching in public. This is just the kind of thing the bishops don’t need when their already in a tizzy over Kerry and the gay “marriage” thing. I think that they’ll have to respond to her challenge if they are not to lose the last shred of respect anyone has for them. I’m wondering if she is doing this because she knows where some of the bodies are berried and thinks herself safe…
Wow, I goofed! Didn’t occur to me that the nuns might be molestors… Holy cow… Will the depravity never end????
Will the depravity never end????
Well that depends…are we talking about nuns or lawyers?
It never occurred to you that nuns might be molesters? No offense, sinner, but why not?
Sure, Mr. Bettinelli… A high ninety-some percent of child molestors and rapists are men. Why? Because men are far more sexually driven than women in general, and far more easily sexually satisfied by a body rather than a person. Men are also more aggressive and stronger and less nurturing in general than women. But the real answer to your question is that somewhere in my mind, I still was holding onto that idea that there might be a class of persons within our Church who have not been infected with the sexual molestation evil. You know, when the sexual scandal hit, I simply could not believe what I was hearing. For instance, I could simply never have imagined a bishop homosexually molesting boys. Prior to the scandal, we ALWAYS taught our children that next to us, they could most trust a priest – a man of God, living in the way of Christ. Now, we have to teach them (especially our sons) to be wary and on guard – and to never be alone with a priest. I don’t know if you can understand how painful that is for us. To know that nuns are involved as well only adds to that pain. It is a searing thing to be afraid of the people who lead your Church.
I understand how painful that is, but then it’s not just priests to be wary of. Now we know that sexual molesters can be police and doctors and the nice neighbor next door. Or even the nun at the school. And that’s not new. What’s new is that we now know about it.
I guess I wasn’t surprised because I’ve heard of things like the Magdalen Laundries in Ireland.
And in some cases it is a parent—the nice neighbor next door has children doesn’t he?
You know – what one would expect from the Catholic priesthood (and nunhood) is far better than average stats on sexual abuse. If you took out the homosexual priests – a very good idea, if you are concerned about children (which the Church hierarchy manifestly does not make its primary concern in this) – that’s exactly what you would have. Without homosexual priests, there would have been no scandal to speak of, and the stats on sexual abuse by priests would have been far better than for society on average. Homosexuals are to be loved – in the true Christian sense. It is NOT a good idea to make them priests. I’m tired of the idea – trotted out everywhere – that what happened in the Catholic Church is understandable – because that’s the way it is everywhere. It is not like that everywhere. In my town, we have four Boy Scout troops, and there’s never been a hint of sexual molestation – over many decades. The Catholic Church seek holiness and purity – and not seek to justify itself by saying it’s no worse than society as a whole. It’s meant to be a millions times better than society as a whole.
Meant to be. Part of the problem, however, is that people have a tendency to assume that because religious and clergy have taken vows, and their work is to be God’s work, people think that they are somehow immune to the same temptations and above reproach. That they’ve received the graces of these callings means they need more prayers.
And maybe I’m wrong, but I haven’t seen any statistics which suggest that all the pedophiles in the priesthood are homosexual. These are two different problems which do overlap, but refusing to admit homosexuals to the priesthood is not going to save our children. Nor is it fair- if a man swears to and maintains a vow of abstinence- as he’s supposed to- then it doesn’t matter whether or not he’s gay. The problem is with sexual activity, not sexual inclination, as you seem to be suggesting.
I’ll refer back the John Jay report’s findings. The vast majority of sexual abuse was priest abusing teens over the age of puberty. The vast majority were male. By definition, that’s homosexuality.
This graph is illustrative.
Now comes attorney Mitchell PairOfGreedyHands, when the whiff of another class action case against the Catholic Church is in the air, bloviating into any microphone within reach.
The analogue of the Israelites being re-directed toward righteousness by the Assyrians is inescapable, of course, and we should be thankful that the truth (of the existence of the allegations, at least) is being forced out at all, even if it is by this creep di tutti creeps.
Just once, I’d like to see a bishop, religious provincial, or other such leader get out in front of one of these cases, in full humility, honesty, etc., before Mitch, Rowdy Roddy MacLeish, or their ilk do.
“Meant to be. Part of the problem, however, is that people have a tendency to assume that because religious and clergy have taken vows, and their work is to be Godir?