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	Why Is Bishop Richard Malone So Afraid of Parishoners? By Kevin Masterson Examiner June 28, 2009 http://www.examiner.com/x-1135-LA-Religion--Spirituality-Examiner~y2009m6d28-Why-is-Bishop-Richard-Malone-so-afraid-of-parishoners The other day I spoke at length with Paul Kendrick, co-founder of Voice of the Faithful, (VOTF), to get an update on the Diocese of Portland, Maine. It appears to be business as usual since we last spoke, which is no surprise as the Catholic Church is a dinosaur, resistant to any change. Paul recently signed up & paid $900 for a two week course called Disciples in Mission, that the Bishop is teaching at St. Joseph’s College in Maine. Several weeks later, Paul was notified by school officials that the school was establishing a separate section of the class for Paul with a different instructor to be held off campus. Paul would be the only student in that class. The reason given was that Paul couldn’t be in the same building as the Bishop & he was forbidden from being on the main campus, including the library, during the two weeks that the Bishop is teaching at St. Joseph’s. In December 2008, Malone had the police issue warnings and the bishop issued a canonical precept against Kendrick. Kendrick, who is Jesuit educated, is a long time, outspoken advocate for victims and survivors of clergy sex abuse. Kendrick and others in Maine have been persistent in their pursuit of justice for those who were abused. Malone threatened Kendrick with sacramental sanctions, including Holy Communion, if he persisted in sending letters to the bishop and protesting on public sidewalks. Kendrick has not stopped his advocacy. It doesn’t appear that the Bishop has anything to be afraid of with Paul Kendrick, as he has never threatened him physically in any way. The only conclusion one can come to is that his eminence is afraid of the truth. Currently, Mr. Kendrick and other advocates are engaged in a state wide media blitz in regards to a priest who has been assigned to a life of prayer & penance after admitting that he had abused a minor. What is interesting is that the diocese did not inform the Falmouth, Maine community that an admitted pedophile is living among them. At the same time, the bishop claims that he is “doing all he can to keep children safe.” As if to add insult to injury in the case of Marie Tupper, the bishop told Tupper to contact co-chancellor, Sister Rita Mae Bissonnette, who happens to be a defendant in a civil lawsuit in which it is alleged that Bissonnette and three other current and former diocese officials covered up sex abuse allegation s against Father Raymond Melville. Malone had refused, then agreed to meet with Tupper. Tupper objected to the bishop’s decision to have someone like Bissonnette make arrangements for the meeting. In addition, Tupper told Malone that she didn’t need or want his compassion, instead, she wanted to speak to him in a businesslike manner about policies, programs and procedures that could help protect children. She’s not heard from the bishop since. It seems rather insensitive that the bishop would suggest that a woman as vulnerable as Marie Tupper contact members of the clergy who are in a sexual abuse lawsuit. However the Catholic Church does not seem to be known for its sensitivity regarding such issues. I know from personal experience that as part of “therapy” or “pastoral counseling” they offer directly to victims, they often suggest that the victim meet with the perpetrator. As victims can easily be “triggered” by smells, sounds and other things that remind them of the abuse, such a meeting is highly unconventional (and inappropriate) as a part of normal therapy. Their reasoning appears to be so that the perpetrator & the victim can “forgive each other.” What is ironic is that for an institution that preaches “forgiveness” & “love thy neighbor” that certainly does not appear to be what the church practices. It ostracizes survivors of clergy sexual abuse. The majority of the clergy (nuns & priests) try to make the Church out to be the victims. Instead of welcoming survivors back into the fold & trying to comfort & support them, “devout Catholics” often turn their backs on even their loved ones & choose the institution over the real church—its’ wounded members. I know what Paul Kendrick & Marie Tupper have experienced. I have been at SNAP (Survivor’s Network of those Abused by Priests) leafletings where survivors have been cursed at, spit upon & physically threatened by “devout Catholics.” Is this what Jesus would have done? It is high time that the real “Church”, those sitting in the pews as well as the criminal justice system wake up and take their heads out of the sand & hold church officials accountable for their crimes. That is the only way that real change will ever come about.
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