CINCINNATI (OH)
Cincinnati Enquirer / cincinnati.com
August 6, 2025
Archbishop Casey’s resignation would not be an act of disgrace, but of humility and responsibility. A gesture that allows the healing to begin and puts the needs of the people first.
Letters to the editor – Cincinnati Enquirer
Recent events in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati have left many local Catholics disillusioned and heartbroken. Media reports describe disturbing behavior by a priest involving pornographic, violent and occult-themed material. Instead of transparency, the response from Church leadership has been dismissive. Archbishop Robert Casey declared the matter resolved, called the priest “in good standing,” and allowed parishioners who demanded accountability, including a father of young children, to be escorted out of Mass.
This is not the transparency the faithful deserve. This is not the healing we need. And for many of us, this is not the first red flag.
Before he arrived in Cincinnati, Archbishop Casey served as an auxiliary bishop in Chicago, where he had oversight of Casa Jesús, a seminary program meant to cultivate Hispanic vocations. That program was later shuttered amid revelations of widespread misconduct, serious formation problems, and connections to priests later removed for abuse or criminal behavior. Despite its noble mission, Casa Jesús became emblematic of an institutional failure to protect both seminarians and future parishioners.
Now, in Cincinnati, we are seeing patterns that echo those same failures: mishandled scandal, evasion of questions, and a widening credibility gap between Church leaders and the people they serve.
The Archdiocese needs to rebuild trust, and that cannot begin under the shadow of controversy. Archbishop Casey’s resignation would not be an act of disgrace, but of humility and responsibility. A gesture that allows the healing to begin and puts the needs of the people first.
We deserve leadership that listens, acts transparently, and places spiritual care above clerical image. For the good of our archdiocese and the credibility of the Church in Cincinnati, Archbishop Casey should step aside.