Reality

National Survivor Advocates Coalition
June 13, 2012

nationalsurvivoradvocatescoalition.wordpress.com/editorials/

The 10 year anniversary look at the United States Conference of Catholics Bishops (USCCB) Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People is on the agenda for the Bishops' June meeting which opens today in Atlanta.

We anticipate the Bishops will look upon their creation and see little that needs changed and they will announce the little with pats on their backs about how they are leaders in the fight against child sexual abuse, how the crisis is behind us, and how wrong and petty their critics are.

We urge our readers to listen to the announcement made by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee's Vicar General on Sunday about the removal of a pastor and an investigation into a charge of sexual abuse. Here is the link to both the audio and written text: LINK

Disturbed as we are by this announcement, we believe it is closer to the reality of where the Church, its hierarchy, its priests and its lay people, really are in regard to this continuing crisis than what will be portrayed in the business meeting and press conference of the USCCB's meeting.

As you will hear or read in this announcement, the Vicar General reads a letter from the Archbishop of Milwaukee Jerome Listecki, about the removal of a pastor, Father John Schreiter, at the parish, St. John Neumann in Waukesha, WI, where the Vicar General said a Mass on Sunday. The pastor was removed because of an allegation of sexual abuse and an investigation is underway regarding the allegation.

The Vicar General should have stopped at the end of the Archbishop's letter.

But he didn't.

He went on to say:

" I want to make sure that we are clear on a couple of things, number one that there are many things we don't know, and so if you want to ask me a whole lot of questions… an investigation is just beginning.

Second thing, second thing, the John that I know is a very good, fun loving and dedicated priest, and I think that you want to pray for him, and think of him in those terms, during this very difficult time.

Third thing, people will say why now, why not wait, you know in our society there are policies, and in our society if an accusation come against a policeman, a coach, a teacher, anybody, they are immediately placed on administrative leave, we have to follow the policies of our society. If we don't we will pay for it, we will pay in the court of public opinion, you know that the victims have lawyers and you know they are watching us. You watch television; you see the kinds of things they say about the church on the courthouse steps. You don't want that kind of antic to take place against you, we don't want that.

How impartial an investigation does any reasonable person think can be conducted in this Archdiocese given the approach and the attitude of the Vicar General?

Vicar Generals are far from ordinary rank and file priests. It is from the ranks of Vicars General that short lists are made for candidates for the hierarchy.

This Vicar General is no neophyte in the priesthood. He says during his remarks that he like the pastor that has been removed is in the processing of retiring.

This Vicar General was not asked for his view of the situation in an unguarded moment by a reporter or a parishioner passing him on the street or coming down the church steps. This Vicar General's purpose was to be at this parish last Sunday to announce what had happened to the parish pastor. The Vicar General's comments are intentional.

It seems apparent to our listening ears that he does not fear any reproach from his bishop about his comments. Since Sunday there have been no reports of rebuke or admonition from the Archbishop.

The Vicar General did not tell the parishioners the pastor being removed and investigated was also investigated for an allegation made in 2004. After an investigation by the archdiocese, the archdiocese determined the allegation was unsubstantiated and the priest was returned to ministry. At the very least, a truly independent review of both allegations should be conducted.

Given what we have seen of the reaction of many priests and a good many people in the pews during the last 10 years, we believe the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee is not alone in his approach or his attitude.

That's the heavy sadness of this anniversary.

Bush league has become major league in the Church in American and more's the pity.

In 10 years, most of the Church in America has failed to take in, absorb and act on the truth that we know only through the courage of the survivors of rape and sodomy by priests, brothers, and religious sisters.

If we had, Catholics would be unrelenting proponents of changes in statutes of limitations, windows for access to justice for victims for whom the limitations have passed, Bishops would have been forced to resign by the sheer moral indignation of Catholics that they had been hoodwinked by men who covered up and perpetuated criminal activity of the vilest kind against their children and grandchildren, survivors would have welcomed into all parishes to tell their stories, to heal and be healed, documents would have been turned over to law enforcement so that truth would emerge no matter the cost and justice would prevail, the educational and medical institutions of the Church would have moved with all their might and mien to find the answers to change the society, to eradicate sexual abuse, to guard, protect, and cherish the least, the last, the lost, the innocent, the vulnerable, the children.

That's Catholicism.

What will be ballyhooed in Atlanta will be public relations pap.

Pap that nonetheless will cost a pretty penny not just in dollars but in what it is extracting from the very heart, soul and spirit of the Roman Catholic Church while the survivors continue to be cast as the outsiders viewed as those who created and perpetuate the problem.

These who are our very own children.