Nsac Saalutes Jason Berry's Ire, by Kristine Ward, National Survivor Advocates Coalition, April 3, 2012

Nsac Saalutes Jason Berry's Ire

By Kristine Ward
National Survivor Advocates Coalition
April 3, 2012

nationalsurvivoradvocatescoalition.wordpress.com/editorials/

We are pleased to congratulate author Jason Berry on being named the Investigative Reporter and Editors (IRE) award winner in the book category for the great work he produced in "Render Unto Rome: The Secret Life of Money in the Catholic Church."

IRE announced its award winners yesterday.

Here are the judges' comments regarding Mr. Berry and "Render Unto Rome."

Author Jason Berry delves deeply into a topic few have examined – the secretive finances of the Roman Catholic Church. Using voluminous background research that takes the reader back centuries, Berry uncovers abuses of the trust of church members by influential bishops who diverted funds intended for philanthropic purposes into accounts used for plugging Vatican operating deficits or defending priests accused of pedophilia. Berry details how the modern church is systematically closing churches in poorer parishes while at the same time opening churches in affluent suburbs where the weekly "take" is greater. The author makes extensive use of public documents, leaked parish records, trial transcripts, interviews and a wide range of published reporting to paint a complete picture of a heretofore secret network of church financial dealings. For shining a bright light on the shenanigans and inner workings of the Catholic Church, IRE honors Jason Berry and "Render Unto Rome".

The two finalists in the category in which Mr. Berry captured the top honor were:

"The Wizard of Lies: Bernie Madoff and the Death of Trust"—Times Books, Henry Hold and Company, Diana B. Henriques
"Retirement Heist" — Penguin GroupUSA, Ellen E. Schultz

Our readers will recall, we hope, that the National Survivor Advocates Coalition (NSAC) selected "Render Unto Rome" as our thank you gift to our financial benefactors last year. We thought it was a robust and stimulating choice and a gift of value to our benefactors. (We hope our readers will stay tuned for this year's selection.)

Render Unto Rome" provides insightful reportage on the parishes of the Diocese of Cleveland where recently the Vatican reversed the decision of the local bishop, Richard Lennon to close 13 parishes. The parishes, however, have not re-opened and Lennon is, the latest news reports, studying the Vatican's letter and considering his options for appeal.

Berry has done groundbreaking work on revealing the full scale corruption of Marciel Maciel, the founder of the Legionnaires of Christ – both the sexual abuse and the financial scandals. His work brought the remarkable courage of the Maciel victims into a daylight where it can – and is – the best of disinfectants.

IRE was founded in 1975 by some of the most distinguished reporters and columnists in the investigative journalism field, among them: Jack Anderson, Les Whitten (columnists), David Burnham (New York Times) and Len Downie, (Washington Post), Robert Peirce (St. Louis Globe Democrat) and Harley Bierce (Indianapolis Star), Ron Koziol (Chicago Tribune).

As IRE's website notes:At the organizational meeting, Les Whitten asserted that what most characterizes the investigative reporter is "a sense of outrage."

During the course of the meeting (and with the help of a dictionary), it was determined that the simplicity of Investigative Reporters and Editors and the resultant acronym, IRE, seemed to fit such an association.

For Jason Berry's ire, we are indebted for without it the Catholic world and all men and women of goodwill would be impoverished and chained in the slavery of living in the dark about what has – and continues – to transpire in the world of the Roman Catholic Church. For Mr. Berry's work does not chronicle events of what happened long ago in a galaxy far, far away. His work has unearthed the crimes of modern times.

Being honored by one's peers magnifies the sweetness of an award and we hope this will be particularly so for Mr. Berry when he accepts his award at IRE's 2012 conference in Boston in June.

Contact: KristineWard@hotmail.com