From the unbelievably dense episcopal files is retired New York Archbishop Egan self-congratulatory statement about his handling of sex abuse case. He actually rescinds an apology he made before in regards to sex abuse. Well in response I am also rescinding the little respect I had for him in the first place.
Mark Shea links to s Michael Brendan Dougherty documented post on the subject.
“I never had one of these sex abuse cases.” he said, before adding pompously, “If you have another bishop in the United States who has the record I have, I’d be happy to know who he is.” He also claimed that the Church had no obligation to report abuse to the civil authorities.
These are lies, strutting around with pride.
The Church is required to report abuse, according to laws on the books since the 1970s.
Bishop Egan ran a diocese that was notoriously dangerous for children. Contrary to his claim, during his twelve-year enthronement at Bridgeport, Egan repeatedly failed to investigate priests where there were obvious signs of abuse, according to The Hartford Courant. His diocese had to settle the cases and awarded victims some $12-15 million in damages.
Here is just one incredible case of negligence. According to the Hartford Courant, in 1990, Egan received a memo about “a developing pattern of accusations” that Rev. Charles Carr of Norwalk had fondled young boys. Egan kept Carr working for another five years, only suspending him after a lawsuit was filed, and then in 1999 making him a chaplain at Danbury’s hospital.
How about another? The Connecticut Post also reported that early in his reign, dozens of people came forward to accuse Rev. Raymond Pcolka of Greenwich of sexual abuse and violence against children. Egan claimed that the accusers were never “proved” to be telling the truth. Well, Egan never even bothered to interview them and kept Pcolka in ministry.
First you have to wonder if he realizes he says this in public. Even if your own ego is through the roof you might just evaluate how something you say is going to be tossed about by the media. The Cardinal instead proves why we had the abuse crisis in the first place.
“If you have another bishop in the United States who has the record I have …”
Unfortunately I can point to many examples of bishops with the same record and they also had to pay out millions of dollars in damages to victims.
When the Cardinal says “I never had one of these sex abuse cases.” I guess he is correct since he had more than “one” of these cases.
There have been some great Cardinals for the Archdiocese of New York and Cardinal Egan has been the exception to prove the rule.
2 comments
The initial responsibility to report abuse to the secular legal authorities should rest with the abused or the parents of the abused. Otherwise, what is the church to do? Report hearsay? Allow the accuser to remain unchallenged and uninvestigated?
This has happened. Priests have been automatically condemned, without investigation, on even a hint of something untoward. The church authorities should, of course, halt any ministerial function of a priest so suspected, but keep his name out of the public arena. Only if the abused or parents will not report and if it does not involve the seal, should the church report an abuse of a child reported to them by another party. Any subsequent legal action should be taken in response to secular investigation based on the victim’s statement and witness and with the cooperation of the church personnel when necessary to get the facts. Even then, the diocese should support the priest who claims to be innocent financially and prayerfully without public comment. A priest who states his guilt or who pleads or is found guilty can then rightly be processed by his bishop with the full law of the church as it relates to his church status.
Once again, the bishop or other church authorities have no authority to punish according to secular criminal law. They can’t bring charges, convict, or punish according to secular law. The church can address the known or convicted guilty priest’s role according to canon law when appropriate. In the meantime, the bishop should do anything he can, according to church law, to keep the priest away from ANY ministerial function.
(((He actually rescinds an apology he made before in regards to sex abuse)))
Very touchy subject Jeff and knowing nothing about it, me, myself and i will only comment on what some of our 66 year old cells of this earth have learned and try to leave out our trips to the moon if possible.
Spiritually speaking have some of you ever wondered why some people after they`ve agreed and proven to us that they did something wrong will later on in time rescind during reality what they no longer believe is wrong NOW!
Long story short, it is a very simple complication and the reason is that usual sinners eventually get forgiven for everything if they ask GOD (Good Old Dad) with a sincere heart. You see Jeff, GOD knows every one of our cells who think they are gods and science will prove in reality that we have many body cells which in reality have an equal and opposite attraction to each other and spiritually for what it is worth, me, myself and i believe that also holds true equally in the spiritual world. Each day the weakest strongest godly cells of our world, real and/or spiritual keep thinking that they are in charge because they are rich. I ask you if this is possibly so, will that not cause many of GOD’s poor Children Cells a LOT of problems and if you get my drift, what else must the rest of U>S (usual sinners) do but follow the will of these wicked cells cause without GOD’s Angels magnifying “IT” for U>S how will we know who to believe anyway?
I better stop NOW! 🙂
I hear ya! Expanding This is pretty much par for the course for Victor. Just let it go friends. 🙁
Shalom