♬ " Kíll the Priest! ♬ Kíll the Priest! ♬ Kíll the Chí-Ld Ráp-Ing Priest!" ♬ MEET the CHEERLEADER a Hsh Special
Holy Souls Hermitage
♬ "Kill the priest! ♬ Kill the priest!" ♬ … That's the raucus, thunderous chant that an accused priest entering his prison cell-block for the first time might hear. That was the foot-stomping, cage-rattling greeting which Father Gordon MacRae heard. He said that it continued on into the night, that it was maddening (here and about). I bet it was maddening, and also character building. Our Lord said something about being slandered in the beatitudes, and there is, by the way, beatitude in the beatitudes (here: Yikes!). I am reminded of Saint Bernadette. She was also mocked, even while many in her family were dying in their poverty: Excuse my French! I'll rarely tolerate bad language. Sometimes it's necessary to prove a point. For instance, the present Rector of the Sanctuaries of Our Lady of Lourdes over in France (where I was a chaplain for two years) gathered the hundreds of workers of the shrines to tell them about Saint Bernadette, emphasizing her name around town back in the day. He related — fully five times during his speech — that she was called, as only the French can manage, La Petite Merdeuse ("The Little Shit"). She and her family lived in an abandoned jail cell whose only window opened on to a mountain of manure, which was also enclosed. It was dark and dank and stank to high heaven. They were "the shit family" and the little saint was called "The Little Shit" by everyone in town. That's what she suffered. I don't mind saying it. Her being mocked, as well as Father MacRae being mocked, will come up at the last judgment. As HSH readers know, I've come to know Father MacRae. This new friendship has brought me into a whole new universe that I had little idea existed. The whole drama of our Lord's life is being played out in priests like himself. Just like it was so very easy for cowards to mock Saint Bernadette, for she was such an easy target, being so poor and helpless, it is, in the same way, just so very easy for people to slander the likes of a Father Gordon J. MacRae, for he is such an easy target, not having, yet, a chance to truly defend himself. During his first trial, it seems his defense attorney was actually working for the prosecution. In all such mockery, both Saint Bernadette and Father MacRae developed a refined sense of terribly incisive irony, not of bitterness, but of holy mirth. Way cool, that! In this post, I would like to draw your attention to one coward in particular, not because he's so different from so many other cowards, but because this coward I'm going to speak about has a great deal of influence, both in the United States, in the Holy See, and now, indeed, around the world. Father MacRae is supposedly unknown to him, but it turns out that that doesn't matter. He insists on the guilt of Father MacRae and of all other accused priests no matter what, regardless of the facts. Interested? Good! So, let's meet the cheerleader of the chant: ♬ "Kíll the priest! ♬ Kíll the priest! ♬ Kíll the chí-ld ráp-ing priest!" ♬ Meet Monsignor Stephen J. Rossetti, one time president and director of the Saint Luke Institute (shudder) and – how to say it? — a one time paper-giver at the 2012 Pontifical Gregorian University Abuse Symposium (in preparation for the preparation of guidelines of the Holy See on how to treat abuse cases right around the world, coming up in another year or two). In this post, we'll take a look at:
*** Here is the email exchange, in full, between Father Stephen J. Rossetti and Ryan MacDonald, not long after Father Rossetti resigned his position as President and Director of Saint Luke Institute and began teaching at the Catholic University of America. Previously, Father Gordon J. MacRae, the subject of this email exchange (About), had published just a few sentences of this exchange on this post on These Stone Walls. Both he and Ryan have just now given me permission to cite this exchange in full, using names, saying also that there was no stricture of Father Rossetti forbidding the use of his name. As a courtesy, I edited out the email addresses. Please excuse my occasional emphases and [comments]. RYAN MACDONALD TO FATHER ROSSETTI Touchstone May 13 (1 day ago) [2010] Dear Father Rossetti, I have been searching for an e-mail address for you, and was recently fortunate to find one at the CUA website. I also was recently privileged to read your acceptance speech for the NFPC 2010 Touchstone Award. I printed a copy and mailed it to a priest in prison, Father Gordon MacRae, who happens to be the reason I wanted to get in touch with you. Father Gordon MacRae has been in prison in New Hampshire for the last 16 years. He is serving a sentence of 67 years after three times refusing a “plea deal” offer to serve only one to three years if he would admit guilt. I and others have conducted substantial research in the MacRae case and have come to the conclusion that he is in fact innocent of the claims that sent him to prison. I have written three essays on this matter. All three can be found at http://www.TheseStoneWalls.com under “Case History” [HERE] and “A Priest’s Story.” [HERE] I hope you will find time to read these. What troubles me and others most about this case is one nagging factor: there is no one person who trampled upon this priest’s civil and canonical rights more than your successor at Saint Luke Institute, Father Edward Arsenault. A number of people have worked very hard to prevent the Vatican from unilaterally laicizing Father MacRae before new evidence can be presented in a court of law. At each step of the way, Father Arsenault has undermined and sabotaged this effort. It troubles us greatly that he is now in a position to trample upon the rights of priests on a wider scale. [If you haven't read about the conflict of interest of Father Arsenault -- which could involve hundreds of millions of dollars and untold numbers of innocent priests unjustly thrown out of priestly ministry, read it before continuing HERE.] I know there is nothing you can do about this situation, but if there are others I should bring this to, please let me know. Sincerely Ryan Anthony MacDonald FATHER ROSSETTI TO RYAN MACDONALD On Fri, May 14, 2010 at 10:16 AM, Rossetti, Stephen J. wrote: Dear Mr. MacDonald, Thank you for your kind note. I am not personally familiar with Fr MacRae’s situation. [!] I just glanced at the Boston Globe article: here [And the Boston Globe, owned by The New York Times, is not at all prejudiced on the matter, and of course presents both sides, right?] I understand he was accused of sexually abusing several boys. I presume since he is serving time in prison, that he was convicted in a court of law by a jury of his peers based on the evidence presented to them. [Good guess!] Although we all know that the legal system is far from perfect. However, if you have information that indicates that he was not given a fair trial, I would strongly urge you to present that information to the legal system in New Hampshire. [... and what about to the Church? What about to the attorney of Father MacRae? Note that there was no mention at all of Ryan's articles.] I am not sure what the Diocese of Manchester had to do with the actual trial which convicted Fr MacRae. ["actual trial" -- so, this comment means nothing, skooting around all other issues of heavy Diocesan involvement. The diocese knew that there were severe failures in the judicial system, and also knew of his innocence. Really. Read about it in this important article published today, 21 May, 2012, by Ryan MacDonald, HERE.] Nevertheless, if you are unhappy with Fr Arsenault [condescending=angry language about "happiness". Blech!], then I encourage you to contact him directly. I know he would be happy [ :) ] to be in contact with you. I think that is better than speaking about him to others. [This isn't about gossip. This is about hard facts.] I have personally found him willing to listen. ["to listen", nice! See further below.] Here is his address: [***]@sli.org I wish you well and send along prayers. Msgr Steve Rossetti RYAN MACDONALD TO FATHER ROSSETTI From: Ryan MacDonald Sent: Fri 5/14/2010 7:04 PM To: Rossetti, Stephen J. Subject: Re: 2010 Touchstone Award Thank you for your kind and generous response, though it does not alleviate my concerns about Fr. Arsenault’s current position. To balance the Boston Globe’s take on this matter, I recommend that you also read a two part analysis by Dorothy Rabinowitz for The Wall St. Journal (“A Priest’s Story,” April 27/28, 2005, located at www.OpinionJournal.com [now a broken link], or www.TheseStoneWalls.com , and click on “A Priest’s Story.” In regard to the demeanor of the Diocese of Manchester at this man’s trial, I am aware that Diocesan officials, while knowing Fr. MacRae was mounting a defense, issued a press release before jury selection in his trial declaring that not only was he guilty, but that he also has victimized the Catholic Church. The Diocesan press release was cited by several jurors as instrumental in their decision despite the lack of any evidence in the case. [again: Could this be seen as aiding and abetting any possible criminal stacking of the jury by the Judge, whose reported miscarriages of justice in this trial seem to be without end? I don't know. It would be an interesting criminal investigation.] I made a number of overtures to Fr. Arsenault, and to other officials of the Diocese of Manchester, but without response. [ :) surprise! ] I am aware that Fr. MacRae has presented certain questions to Fr. Arsenault between 2003 and the time Fr. Arsenault departed for his job at St. Luke’s. Fr. Arsenault has not responded to anything. [ :) surprise! ] Thank you again for your reply. Sincerely, Ryan A. MacDonald FATHER ROSSETTI TO RYAN MACDONALD [COPY TO MSGR ED ARSENAULT] ———- Forwarded message ———- From: Rossetti, Stephen J. Date: Fri, May 14, 2010 at 10:04 PM Subject: RE: 2010 Touchstone Award To: Ryan MacDonald Cc: [Edward Arsenault] Dear Mr MacDonald, I spoke to Fr Arsenault and he is very willing to be in touch with you. Feel free to use his email address. As a good reporter, you know it is important to hear both sides before making judgments. [The problem is that when many overtures are made and there is no response, further inquiries can be seen as harassment by a court of law. Perhaps if Father Arsenault would like to respond to the inquires already made, it would be most appreciated. We want him to be happy, after all.] I do not know Fr MacRae at all. [ ... but that sure isn't going to stop Father Rossetti from condemning Fr MacRae "at all"... ] I offer the following as someone who has personally worked with hundreds of priests who have been accused: false accusations are rare; they do happen and more so since all the publicity on this issue, nevertheless they remain rare and usually don’t hold together under closer examination. [So: rare, but those fall apart, with what hardly seems to be more than a theoretical possibility that there was ever a false accusation.] When there are several alleged victims, the chances of all of them being false, while possible, is even rarer. [So, basically, never.] What is challenging to Church officials and clinicians working with offenders, is the layers of denials and rationalizations, which the offenders often believe themselves and desperately try to convince others of. [Rationalizations would not be good; rationalizations combined with denials would not be good; but no rationalizations but rather flat denials are an entire different matter, as is Father Gordon's case. That is not even a possibility for Father Rossetti. That's very sad. And that has consequences. If someone is innocent and won't admit guilt (because they are innocent), it doesn't mean they are "desperate"... ] Often, they are successful with some. Priests offenders can be intelligent and particularly convincing and thus have fooled more than a few clinicians and bishops..hence many of the problems. So, caution is needed whenever working with these cases. [Caution. Great! But why not make room for a flat denial? Let it be known that false convictions can be 17% to 50%: See the documentation David F. Pierre, Jr., "Catholic Priests Falsely Accused. The Facts, The Fraud, The Stories. Also, did you notice how your good buddies in the Manchester diocese in some cases didn't even care to know of allegations to begin with, but just paid the settlement, sometimes in just a few days? Surely the priest is guilty according to you. I ask you: do you even know if there were allegations to begin with? No? Really? You're kidding, right? Are you purposely misrepresenting the situation? I mean, that's so unhelpful to a possible true victim who might commit suicide, but that's not known because no one cares among your friends in Manchester. ] Nevertheless, I want to make it clear that I know nothing about Fr MacRae or his case [despite all the articles both you, Father Rossetti, and Ryan linked to above, nor after discussions with a key player in Father MacRae's case], nor is it any of my business. [Wow! What! A! Great. One. Time. Director. Of. Saint. Luke. Institute! Father Rossetti, tell us, how many people applied to be President/Director of Saint Luke Institute upon your departure? Was it really just a matter of passing the reigns to the Bishop MacCormack protege and your good buddy Father Arsenault? I seem to recall that the very first two people in your acknowledgments for your book "The Joy of Priesthood" were (1) Bishop MacCormack and (2) Father Arsenault. Do you really mean to say that Father Arsenault's conflicts of interest are of no interest to you or anyone else? Do you really think that he is the best suited to be your successor? ] I leave it to the legal system to make judgments about guilt or innocence. [ Even if that legal system was legally inept? Really? Thanks for the interest in justice. That's what was said by all who looked upon Jesus, right? He was convicted by Pilot; therefore, He's guilty! Crucify Him! Crucify Him! And then, about Father MacRae: ? "Kill the priest! ? Kill the priest! ? Kill the chi-ld rap-ing priest!" ? ] blessings and well wishes, Msgr. Steve Rossetti PhD DMin
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