Lori Draws Mostly Plaudits for His 10-Year Tenure

By Anne M. Amato
Ct Post
March 20, 2012

http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Lori-draws-mostly-plaudits-for-his-10-year-tenure-3421868.php

William LeClair, of Bridgeport, prays during Mass at St. Augustine Cathedral, in Bridgeport, Conn., March 20th, 2012. Bishop William E. Lori of the Diocese of Bridgeport has been named the 16th Archbishop of Baltimore.

Rev. Sean Kulacz leads Mass at St. Augustine Cathedral, in Bridgeport, Conn., March 20th, 2012. Bishop William E. Lori of the Diocese of Bridgeport has been named the 16th Archbishop of Baltimore.

Edward Miller, 10, of Bridgeport, prays during Mass at St. Augustine Cathedral, in Bridgeport, Conn., March 20th, 2012. Bishop William E. Lori of the Diocese of Bridgeport has been named the 16th Archbishop of Baltimore.

Rose-Marie Sanon, of Bridgeport, prays during Mass at St. Augustine Cathedral, in Bridgeport, Conn., March 20th, 2012. Bishop William E. Lori of the Diocese of Bridgeport has been named the 16th Archbishop of Baltimore.

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BRIDGEPORT -- Bishop William E. Lori was hailed by supporters and admirers across the region Tuesday as an inspirational spiritual leader, a man open to new ideas and a reliable friend and supporter of the community.

But some who fought the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport on the issue of priest sex abuse said that while Lori earned their respect for his willingness to clean up the scandal, he was a disappointment for not reaching out to victims more aggressively and for fighting to keep court documents sealed and other diocesan records private.

Lori, 60, will be leaving Bridgeport after 10 years at the helm to become the 16th archbishop of Baltimore. The announcement was made Tuesday by Pope Benedict XVI.

The Rev. Brian R. Bodt, president and CEO of the Council of Churches of Greater Bridgeport, said Lori showed great leadership in the way he dealt with the sexual abuse scandal.

"One of the things about this part of the world is that (being) Catholic is like a lightning rod because it's the biggest show in town," he said. "It's not that that type of thing hasn't happened in other denominations."

He said Lori came on board at a time when those issues needed immediate attention. "He did the best he could with what he had to work with," Bodt said. "It's not a position that I would envy for anyone."

Through it all, he said, Lori was a "great pastoral leader" for the Catholic community.

Bodt said he wishes Lori well with his new position. "He will be missed," he said. "The void will take some time to fill."

Imam Nasif Muhammad, of the Al-Aziz Islamic Center, said, "I always found Bishop Lori to be a friend and an asset to the community. He was always open to ideas."

He said Lori always was on top of issues, in particular education, and felt it was something that needed to be a priority.

Muhammad said he worked from time to time with Lori on interfaith programs. "I'm sorry to see him leave Bridgeport, but since it's a promotion, I guess it's a good move for him," he said.

The Rev. Anthony L. Bennett, of the Mount Aery Baptist Church, applauded Lori's support of ecumenical endeavors and said the bishop was helpful in getting two Catholic parishes on board with Connect, a program that includes 27 religious institutions dealing with multifaith and multiracial issues.

He said Lori was also a strong proponent of education and pushed for partnering with Protestant churches to take advantage of the opportunities in Catholic schools. "He'll be missed here, but we wish him well in Baltimore," Bennett said.

Jamie Dance, co-chairman of Voice of the Faithful in the Diocese of Bridgeport, commended Lori for setting up the diocese's Safe Environment program to enable people to recognize sexual abuse and how to report it.

The program, implemented in 2003, includes victim assistance, criminal background checks, written codes of conduct and child sexual abuse awareness and prevention training for priests, deacons, lay employees and volunteers.

"I do have to say it's one of the best around," she said. But Dance added that victims rights groups and others have never been able to learn how effective the program is because no statistics have ever been released.

"Lots of things have been kept secret," Dance said. This includes financial reports for the diocese over the past four years. "We have no idea how much money has come in or how much has been spent, although he demands transparency from all of the parishes," she said.

But the biggest failure, she said, has been Lori's resistance to reach out to survivors of priest sexual abuse or their families.

John Marshall Lee, another member of Voice of the Faithful, whose motto is "Keep the Faith, Change the Church," agreed.

"He didn't listen enough to the concerns of the congregation when it came to that issue," Lee said. "He also didn't encourage those in the pews to listen and give respect to those who were abused."

Contact: aamato@ctpost.com