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| Cheap Striped Suit
By Kristine Ward
National Survivor Advocates Coalition
February 20, 2012
http://nationalsurvivoradvocatescoalition.wordpress.com/editorials/
Editorial
Cheap Striped Suit
The Church's response to the sexual abuse crisis is beginning to resemble a cheap striped suit.
You know the kind. The suit that might look good from a distance or even holds up across a lunch or dinner table for a couple of wearings.
But over the long haul, the stripes at the seams, the cuffs and collar don't match, the material miserably rumples and when cleaned the stiffening completely abandons ship.
That's about the way the last two weeks have shaped up or wimped out.
Two conferences on sexual abuse took place in Rome: the symposium titled "Towards Renewal and Healing" followed by the "Anglophone Conference on the Safeguarding of Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults." The symposium was a first, the conference has been an annual event since 1996.
There's been a good bit of coverage in both the secular and Catholic press about these gatherings. Lots of trumpeting, strong language about a new baseline, accountability, progress, protection and fraternal correction.
For a flavor of the news coverage of the two events in Rome last week, we called your attention to a John Allen interview published this week in the National Catholic Reporter with Archbishop Philip Wilson of Adelaide, Australia. Allen's description of the Australian is one who has "carved out a reputation as a 'healing bishop" on the scandals."
Here's the link to the whole interview and our readers may judge for themselves but we find a portion of this interview particularly striking juxtaposed to the legal request made by Kansas City/St. Joseph Diocese Bishop Robert Finn yesterday. http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/accountability-fraternal-correction-bishops
Here's the Allen interview text to which we are referring:
John Allen's question: At the summit, we heard Monsignor Scicluna say that the policy of the church is "full cooperation" with civil authorities, meaning reporting abuse charges to police and prosecutors. Are you one hundred percent convinced that's now the Vatican's settled policy, and that the old debate over whether cooperation with civil justice infringed on the church's autonomy has been resolved?
Bishop Wilson's response: I believe what Monsignor Scicluna says. If he says that, then that's it. I think that's true. Once again, those statements are well and good, but it needs to be lived out in the realities of the different places.
John Allen's question: But you're convinced the Vatican is on board?
Bishop Wilson's response: Yes, I am. That's been my experience from the very beginning. Certainly in Australia, our experience is such that we've always been committed to that.
John Allen's question: Another issue to surface at the Gregorian (site of the symposium) is accountability, especially for bishops. The church now has strong anti-abuse policies, but the question is what happens if a bishop or superior doesn't apply them. Do you agree that there needs to be strong accountability for failure to apply these policies?
Bishop Wilson's response: Yes, I do. I think there has to be accountability for episcopal ministry in every area. It seems to me that in your place as a diocesan bishop, you're not just operating on your own. You have responsibilities to the people you're called to care for, and you have responsibilities to the Holy See as well. The pope has a very strong interest and pastoral responsibility to make sure that bishops are carrying out their ministry correctly.
John Allen: You would support some sort of canonical sanction for bishops who fail to apply the policies?
Bishop Wilson: I'm not sure what the sanction would be, but there certainly should be some way of calling people to task
In Kansas City yesterday, attorneys for Bishop Finn filed four legal motions seeking to have the criminal charge against him in Jackson County dismissed.
Finn is charged with failing to report suspected child abuse due to his knowledge for five months of child pornography on the computer of a priest of his diocese's.
We call your attention to this particular quote from the legal motions filed yesterday to get Bishop Finn off the accountability hook:
" While Bishop Finn may be a mandatory reporter, by statute his legal duty to report is extinguished when the religious organization designates an agent or agents to report in an official capacity on behalf of the organization," the defense wrote in its motion.
Here is the link to the full story in the Kansas City Star: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/15/3432229/kc-bishops-legal-team-fights-to.html?story_link=email_msg#storylink=cpy
As we see it, the big winner here is the Rome Affiliate of the Italian Restaurateurs Association since once the lights go out at these talking events business as usual is back in full swing.
Come on, fellas, Excellencies and Eminences, let's not keep the well tailored suits for consistories, concerts, and connoisseur dining, let's bring them out for the parade of integrity.
Contact: KristineWard@hotmail.com
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