The Worthy Adversary

Category: Clergy Abuse Crisis

Why can’t anyone tell the truth about Fr. Bruce Wellems?

Fr. Bruce Wellems leading a December 2015 Posada procession at his parish … where he’s not supposed to be acting as a priest – (Photo credit Chicago Tribune)

On Sunday, the Chicago Tribune ran a page-one piece about the case of Fr. Bruce Wellems, a Chicago priest who admitted to luring a seven-year-old boy from basketball games and then sexually abusing him multiple times during the course of a year. Wellems was an older teenager at the time.

Did the Claretians (the religious order to which Wellems belongs) adhere to their promises of transparency and tell Catholics about Wellems?

No … in fact, Claretian officials ordered their priests to destroy emails about Wellems and his crimes.

In 2014, did the Archdiocese of Los Angeles adhere to their promises of transparency and give parishioners in San Gabriel the correct information about Wellems? Did they post information about Wellems’ admission on their website, the parish website, or attempt to reach out to other potential victims?

No. They made one announcement from the pulpit, and then kept parishioners in the dark about the allegations. In fact, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and Archbishop Jose Gomez allowed parishioners to believe that the allegations and admissions stemmed from a “consensual dating relationship.”

Gomez also allowed Wellems to tell the local media that allegations “had no factual basis …”, even though he had admitted to his crimes to church officials.

Then, after quietly booting Wellems from the Archdiocese of LA, Archbishop Gomez allowed the priest to take Los Angeles teenage marimba musicians (from the parish where he had just been booted) to Florida “on tour.” And of course, parents didn’t know that Wellems had sexually abused a child.

When Wellems was sent back to Chicago in 2015, Archbishop Blase Cupich and his review board reinstated the priest for active ministry. Did they tell parishioners that Wellems had been jettisoned from LA for violating zero tolerance? Did they bother to meet with Wellems’ victim?

No.

Wellems was only removed from ministry when an advocate (that would be ME) called Cook County and reported what the Archdiocese of Chicago already knew.

So, according to Cupich, Wellems is okay to be an admitted sex-offending priest in a parish, as long as outside agencies didn’t know about it.

Speaking of announcements … are there any announcements on Wellems’ parish’s web page about his status or his admitted crimes?

No.

So, now that Wellems is not allowed to “wear a collar” and “act as a priest,” is he living quietly in a location away from children?

No. He’s acting as a priest for the media and leading parish functions. In addition to the picture above (you know, the one where he’s leading a December parish Posada procession and mugging for photos for the Chicago Tribune, there’s THIS):

(yeah, that’s my Facebook. And yes, that’s an ad for a diet plan. Because I need one.)

And for parishioners to learn about Wellems’ past, they have to read the Chicago Tribune.

In fact, why is Wellems’ victim the only one telling the truth?

Here is the big question: why is Archbishop Cupich STILL telling half-truths about the status of Fr. Bruce Wellems and keeping parishioners in the dark? If Cupich is fine with Wellems being an active priest and decided to take the (reckless and dangerous) route of “forgiveness,” then why doesn’t he just SAY so? Why all of this cover-up and double-talk?

We should all question whether Cupich is fit for leading the Chicago Archdiocese. Because he certainly doesn’t know how to enforce Zero Tolerance, transparency, compassion, or truth.

January 9, 2016
News Event – January 3, 2016 – LA priest admits abuse, Archdiocese misleads parishioners

LA Archbishop Gomez: Misleading parishioners, breaking promises of transparency.

NEWS EVENT: Victims to leaflet mass attendees

LA Priest admits he repeatedly abused a child

But Catholic officials let him work in parishes

In 2014, they “quietly removed” him from LA church, misled parishioners about cause

And they insisted that incriminating documents be destroyed

Now, despite “zero tolerance” policy, he may be put back on the job

What:

As Catholics enter and leave mass, sex abuse victims and their supporters will hand out leaflets that show LA Catholic officials:

— quietly removed a priest in 2014 who admitted sexually abusing a child, and

— mislead parishioners about the priest’s crimes.

The fliers urge Catholics to demand that LA’s archbishop:

— reach out to families who were endangered and church-goers who were duped by LA Catholic officials, and

— publicly disclose everything they know about this sex abusing priest and all sex-offending clerics.

When:

Sunday, January 3 at 10:30 am

Where:

Outside of the LA Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, 555 W Temple St (at Hill), Los Angeles

Who:

Five to six adults who were sexually abused as children who are members of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org), the nation’s largest support group for people who have been sexually abused in religious or institutional settings.

Why:

A new page one Chicago Tribune story reveals that a former Los Angeles priest admitted to sexually abusing a seven-year-old. Local church officials kept LA Catholics in the dark about allegations, and then allowed him to work in another parish.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-chicago-priest-past-abuse-met-20160102-story.html

Fr. Bruce Wellems acknowledges that when he was around 16, he repeatedly sexually assaulted a seven year old. Catholic church officials kept silent about Fr. Wellems’ admission for years and kept him on the job. Both actions, SNAP contends, violate an allegedly binding national abuse policy that mandates “zero tolerance” of abuse and “transparency” in abuse cases.

Until 2014, Fr. Wellems was a priest at the San Gabriel Mission. Then Los Angeles officials learned of the abuse reports. Although they sent him back to Chicago, LA Archbishop Jose Gomez and other church officials didn’t publicly disclose the allegations on their website, the parish website, or any other sources. They also misled parishioners, claiming that Fr. Wellems had not abused a child but faced allegations from a “consensual dating relationship.” http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/social-affairs/20140910/san-gabriel-priests-past-misconduct-detailed-in-letters-called-smoking-gun

In a bizarre twist, when SNAP disclosed Fr. Wellems’ past, the priest blasted SNAP, saying that the group had no factual basis for the allegations. He claimed the group was hurting parishioners by exposing his crimes. http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/social-affairs/20140910/san-gabriel-priests-past-misconduct-detailed-in-letters-called-smoking-gun

According to the new Chicago Tribune article, Fr. Wellems lured the child away from basketball games, snuck him into his home, and molested him on numerous occasions.

Members of SNAP believe that this lack of transparency and cover-up may be only the tip of the iceberg. They also fear that since Fr. Wellems covered up his past, there may be more victims who are suffering in shame and silence.

“If LA archdiocesan staff are misleading parishioners about Fr. Wellems’ past, what else are they covering up?” said Joelle Casteix, SNAP Western Regional Director. “Gomez has promised transparency, but we know that’s not the case. It’s clear that the supposed ‘changes’ in the church are nothing but lip service.”

SNAP is also upset that Chicago church officials think it’s okay for Wellems to still act as a priest. In August, Fr. Wellems moved up in the church hierarchy when he was elected to the Claretians’ new five-person national Provincial Council, a position he still apparently holds. http://www.claretiansusa.org/our-council/

“You wouldn’t invite Josh Duggar to babysit your child. Why should we give Wellems—who criticizes people who expose him and who admits to covering up his abusive past—the benefit of the doubt? Catholic church officials in LA and Chicago should be ashamed and embarrassed. And parents everywhere should be on notice,” Casteix said.

January 2, 2016
Cupich: Priest abused BEFORE ordination, so it’s okay

Chicago Archbishop Blase Cupich: Forgives molesters, keeps parents in the dark

Chicago Archbishop Blase Cupich has a lot of explaining to do about why he has allowed a priest—who has admitted to sexually abusing a child—to remain a priest and work with kids.

In fact, in light of a Chicago Tribune article today, I think Cupich should step down for his blatant disregard for zero tolerance when it comes to sexual abuse.

Priests who have EVER sexually abused a child should NOT be in ministry. Especially if that ministry involves youth. Period.

A scenario:

You have teenager who has been kicked out of school, struggles at home, and is dabbling with drugs and violence. English is not your first language. Maybe your immigration status is less than ideal. You are working two jobs and have younger children. A local priest reaches out to you and asks if he can help your son.

You say yes.

Why? Because church officials have promised Zero Tolerance when it comes to sexual abuse. You trust them. You believe that Zero Tolerance means that this priest has NEVER abused a child.

Soon your child joins the priest’s marimba band and travels with the priest. You invite the priest into your home. He babysits your younger children.

But then you learn that this priest HAS sexually abused a child. But because he did it before he became a priest, Catholic Church officials kept it quiet.

This priest committed a heinous crime against a child. But church officials didn’t tell you. They won’t tell you if he did it again.

You find out that he was sent to a church-run facility for sex-offending clerics.

Church officials minimize the abuse, calling it a “sin” that can be “forgiven,” instead of a crime that should have been punished.

And the church isn’t even the person who tells you about the priest’s crimes … you learn about the priest’s past when someone tells you about a Chicago Tribune story. You learn that the priest’s victim has been trying to get accountability for almost 20 years.

You look at your son. When you ask him about the priest, he won’t tell you anything … because he’s a teenager.

What do you do?

This is not a hypothetical. This is happening all over Los Angeles and Chicago today, after this story about Claretian priest Bruce Wellems appeared on the Chicago Tribune website. If you can’t read it, go here.

The church says that Wellems “good works” should erase his crimes. But that’s not ZERO TOLERANCE. That’s minimization and cover-up.

Would you want your child to have a teacher who had sexually abused a child before she entered the profession? Would you want Josh Duggar to babysit your daughter?

And, for anyone who says, “But Wellems is sorry.” This is not about “forgiveness.” I don’t care if people have forgiven Wellems. I don’t want people who have sexually abused children working with my child or ANY child.

You can forgive the embezzler, but you don’t put him in charge of your finances. You can forgive the murderer, but you don’t give him your gun when he’s angry. You can forgive the bear who mauled your dog, but you don’t make the bear your indoor pet.

Blase Cupich, what do you have to say?

January 2, 2016
Bill Cosby arrested and charged with sexual assault

Not so funny anymore

Note: it was the release of previously sealed depositions in the CIVIL case against Cosby that finally encouraged Montgomery County, PA prosecutors to file criminal charges.

In 2004, when former Temple University employee Andrea Constand originally reported the sexual assault, prosecutors would not charge Cosby. But 49 women and a 2005 deposition later, the criminal justice system is listening.

Cosby claims that the encounter was consensual. Constand, who was not only allegedly drugged by Cosby, is also a lesbian.

He was released today on $1 million bail. His defamation lawsuits against other accusers are still pending. My guess is that those lawsuits are now “on hold.”

Read the whole article here.

December 30, 2015
More moves to reform CA sex crime laws

If a proposed bill becomes a law, older victims of alleged sex crimes will be able to use the courts for justice. That’s bad news for men like Bill Cosby

On the heels of proposed federal legislation and a CA ballot initiative to eliminate statutes of limitations for sex crimes, California State Sen. Connie M. Leyva (D-Chino) is “seeking to introduce a bill in January that would eliminate the statute of limitations for rape and other related crimes.”

According to the Vallejo Times-Herald:

In an interview, Leyva cited U.S. Department of Justice numbers on rape convictions, calling the statistics “shocking.”

“Only two in 100 rapists would actually be convicted and do any kind of time in prison,” Leyva said, when reached by phone. “That was shocking to me. I also don’t feel like the numbers are getting any better.”

Co-sponsoring the bill is the California Women’s Law Center and San Bernardino County District Attorney Michael Ramos. Leyva also said that since she’s made her announcement, other senators have offered to co-sponsor or co-author the proposed legislation.

While the language of the bill is not yet available, I am very pleased to see this big push for change come from all sides. When state, federal, and citizen initiatives all call for change, the cause is harder to ignore.

December 28, 2015