MONTANA
Independent Record
By David Clohessy
The Helena Catholic diocese is the third diocese in eight weeks to seek bankpruptcy protection, citing clergy sex abuse and cover up allegations. But don’t be confused. This is not about money. It’s about secrecy.
The huge eruption in victims reporting clergy sexual abuse happened more than a decade ago. But these three dioceses are filing Chapter 11 because they’re smart, not broke. Bishops have learned that this is a shrewd way to save the reputations and careers of top Catholic officials by keeping a tight lid on their horrific complicity.
Bankruptcy preserves secrecy by stopping all civil litigation, one of the precious few ways that victims have of piercing the long-standing and still-formidable walls of secrecy and self preservation that surround the Catholic hierarchy.
Bankruptcy court is a mathematic process. it divides money. it does not identify or punish wrongdoers. It deters no wrongdoing. it provides no chance to publicly expose those who knowingly and repeatedly committed and concealed heinous child sex crimes. It doesn’t help expose those who are committing and concealling child sex crimes right now. It thus protects and helps complicit officials, not innocent children or wounded adults.
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