Every once in a while, I catch myself wondering why the child sex abuse awareness movement (especially in the Catholic Church) has never elicited support from Hollywood A-listers. Yesterday, Dylan Farrow gave us a painful and personal reminder. Her immensely brave open letter in the New York Times is raw. She openly accuses Woody Allen…Continue reading You read Dylan Farrow’s letter. Now what?
I have spent all morning going through the documents recently released by the Archdiocese of Chicago (before you applaud any proposed Archdiocese “transparency,” remember that the documents were only released because the court ordered Cardinal George to turn them over). Cardinal George has spent a lot of time during the past week trying to minimize…Continue reading Cardinal George and abusive priests – a cozy relationship
Former Hilo farmer Jay Ram, who is accused of sexual abuse by five of his sons, has been found living outside of Tampa, where he was finally served with the civil lawsuits. From the Hawaii News-Tribune: One of Ram’s neighbors in Odessa, who spoke to the Tribune-Herald on the condition of anonymity, said Ram…Continue reading Jay Ram found in Florida
Less than 24 hours after Stockton Bishop Stephen Blaire announced his intentions to file bankruptcy on Wednesday, the Calaveras County Grand Jury has handed down a criminal indictment of Fr. Michael Kelly. According to the Lodi News/Modesto Bee, “the criminal grand jury indicted Kelly on three counts of lewd and lascivious conduct on a child…Continue reading Grand jury indicts Stockton priest
The Diocese of Stockton announced today that they are going to seek bankruptcy protection in federal court on Wednesday. They had announced their “intentions” to file last year. The first goal of the filing, according to Bishop Stephen Blaire in the Lodi News is to “provid[e] a process to compensate victims of sexual abuse, particularly those…Continue reading Stockton makes its grand entrance to the Bankruptcy Ball
“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 Malcolm Gladwell’s essay in this month’s…Continue reading We fear for you, but we no longer fear you
Child molester Mary Kay LeTourneau is back in the news, but not for what you would think: Letourneau, 51, was arrested on suspicion of driving with a suspended license and booked into King County Jail. A year ago, she’d been cited for driving with a suspended license after failing to pay her tickets. She didn’t show up at…Continue reading Women abuse, too, part 2 —The predator mindset
If you read nothing else this week, check out OC Weekly‘s Father John Lenihan and Me, Gustavo Arellano’s introspective piece on the recent release of serial molester Fr. John Lenihan’s secret personnel file. Gustavo, who is usually not the poster child for humility, sums up the past few years of the news coverage of the child…Continue reading Why we must fight
This week, The Gallup Independent published a scathing editorial about the bankruptcy proceedings in the Catholic Diocese of Gallup. From the editorial: [Bishop James] Wall and his bankruptcy attorneys — who are billing the diocese hundreds of dollars per hour — are already dragging the process out in an unjust, inequitable and unmerciful manner by…Continue reading Gallup’s Moral Bankruptcy
I have been brewing about the bankruptcy debacle in Gallup for the past few days. And I keep coming up with the same fable: Mortimer Snerd gets a speeding ticket. Instead of paying the ticket or going to traffic school (that is, being accountable for what he has done), our pal Snerd goes to the…Continue reading Gallup, Budgets, Insurance, and Game-Playing
*Like part one, part two is not available online* Scroll down to the italicized section (emphasis is mine). It seems that all of the “Unknown real estate values” that Bishop Wall wrung his hands over were actually known and itemized in a 2012 audit. Judges have a tendency to come down hard on that kind of…Continue reading Diocese questioned about finances – Published in the Gallup Independent, Gallup, NM, Dec. 28, 2013
*The article is not available online, hence the repost here.* My opinion: What a mess. If James Wall were a CEO, he would be fired. But he’s a smart man who has a lot of bishops helping him out. I can’t help but think that Wall’s “bumbling fool” tack is simply an act. Bishop goes…Continue reading Bishop goes before bankruptcy trustee – Published in the Gallup Independent, Gallup, NM, Dec. 27, 2013
The Red Herring Award of the month is a doozey: Earlier this week, this op-ed appeared in the Port Huron MI Times Herald. The author, Mike Stechschulte, says that the media and the public need “perspective” about the clergy abuse crisis. He cites “huge improvements in policies,” low numbers of recent clergy sex abuse cases, and…Continue reading No red herrings, please. Let’s talk about the REAL scandal in St. Paul
I am not your friend (either in the real world or in social media), because I agree with all of your beliefs. I am your friend because I DON’T. And that is magic. Our differing beliefs make you interesting, challenge me to stretch my thinking, and make my life fuller. When someone wishes you…Continue reading 2014 Wishes and Observations
One brother is Obama’s chief of staff. The other is an embattled former top deputy to St. Paul’s Archbishop, charged with covering up sex abuse and refusing to cooperate with the police. Put together, the McDonough brothers show how bad timing and bad moral decisions may push two former “superstars” into very public and very…Continue reading The Politician and the Priest: Two brothers and a fall from grace
I try to steer clear of commenting on the actions of William Donohue, the president of the Catholic League. I would tell you why, but that’s another post in itself. But I can’t stay silent on this: Today, Donohue issued a press release called St. Paul & Minneapolis Archbishop Nienstedt Deserves Justice. I have no disagreement…Continue reading Donohue goes too far … and he’s DEAD WRONG
St. Paul & Minneapolis Archbishop John Nienstedt has been accused of abuse. According to a statement by the Archdiocese An allegation has been brought by a mandated reporter within the Church to the St. Paul Police of inappropriate touching of a minor male on the buttocks by Archbishop John Nienstedt. The single incident is alleged…Continue reading St. Paul & Minneapolis Archbishop accused of abuse, steps down
Jerry Brown could have been a hero. He could have helped expose a cache of child pornography in the basement of the local archdiocese. He could have forced bishops to release the names of adults credibly accused of abuse in the past ten years, but whose identities were kept secret from parishioners, communities, and the…Continue reading Jerry Brown COULD have made a difference
I was in an airport last week and struck up a conversation with the woman sitting next to me. After we discussed what we each did for a living, she pursed her lips and looked at me seriously. Then, she said, “What really disgusts me is that now women are becoming sex abusers.” She was…Continue reading Women abuse, too
For tomorrow’s event in Honolulu … Fmr top Catholic official accused of abuse Victim speaks publicly for the first time He says he was 7 when ex-Honolulu bishop molested him New lawsuit is one of more than two dozen filed since 2012 WHAT: Holding signs and childhood photos at a news conference, a third alleged…Continue reading Former top Catholic official accused of abuse