In follow up to a prior post on the continuing land mines that are exploding against the Catholic Church hierarchy, a reader sent me a link to a story in the Wisconsin Gazette that focuses on the new head of the Catholic Diocese of Milwaukee. The new Archbishop, Jerome Listecki, seems symptomatic of the overall problem with the Church hierarchy: the members are living in a false past and refuse to face the fact that times changes and that the Church's Medieval mindset needs to change. Listecki has opposed reforms in laws dealing with the sexual abuse of minors, opposes gay marriage, opposes birth control and stem cell research and seems as ignorant and closed minded as Pope Benedict XVI. Given that Benedict selected Listecki, it should come as no surprise I suppose. Milwaukee's new backward thinking Archbishop who just happens to appear to like to treat predator priests with kid gloves. The good news is that Listecki will probable drive even more thinking Catholics from the Church. Here are some highlights:*
MILWAUKEE — The Vatican has named Bishop Jerome Listecki, an activist against child-abuse reform legislation, same-sex marriage, reproductive freedom and stem-cell research, as the new archbishop of Milwaukee. A retired military man, Listecki currently heads the Diocese of La Crosse. In January, he will succeed Timothy Dolan, who was made archbishop of New York.
*
Listecki has been more outspoken on political issues than Dolan. He criticized U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for her interpretation of Catholic teachings on the beginnings of life, and he protested the University of Notre Dame’s decision to honor President Barack Obama. He publicly broke with the Wisconsin Catholic Conference of Bishops to lobby against a bill forcing state hospitals to provide emergency contraception to rape victims.
*
Last month Listecki testified before a legislative committee against a proposal to suspend Wisconsin’s civil statute of limitations on childhood sexual abuse cases for three years. The bill aims to give legal standing to victims of childhood predators who were prevented from taking their cases to court under past Wisconsin statutes, which were among the nation’s most restrictive.
*
Listecki’s record on protecting pedophiles is particularly troubling, Isley said, because La Crosse “holds the national record for clearing priests who have been reported to have sexually assaulted children.” A 2004 study by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice found the church had cleared 64 percent of priests in the La Crosse Diocese accused of sexual abuse. That compares with a national clearance rate of about 10 percent, according to a report commissioned by United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
*
“Listecki has been asked repeatedly (during his four-years in La Crosse) to explain this record and he’s refused,” Isley said. In addition, Listecki has adopted an official policy of directing childhood victims of clerical abuse to contact him directly, instead of notifying law enforcement.
*
Ray Stroik, a retired professor and college administrator who worked on the La Crosse diocese’s justice and peace commission, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that progressives and reformists may be concerned about Listecki’s appointment. “He’s very strong in terms of Catholic identity, basic issues of pro life, gay marriage, stem cell research,” Stroik said. “Yet not doing much on social justice, or global peace.”
*
Through June 30, 2009, the archdiocese had paid out $28 million to settle charges related to clergy sexual abuse.
*
Listecki has been more outspoken on political issues than Dolan. He criticized U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for her interpretation of Catholic teachings on the beginnings of life, and he protested the University of Notre Dame’s decision to honor President Barack Obama. He publicly broke with the Wisconsin Catholic Conference of Bishops to lobby against a bill forcing state hospitals to provide emergency contraception to rape victims.
*
Last month Listecki testified before a legislative committee against a proposal to suspend Wisconsin’s civil statute of limitations on childhood sexual abuse cases for three years. The bill aims to give legal standing to victims of childhood predators who were prevented from taking their cases to court under past Wisconsin statutes, which were among the nation’s most restrictive.
*
Listecki’s record on protecting pedophiles is particularly troubling, Isley said, because La Crosse “holds the national record for clearing priests who have been reported to have sexually assaulted children.” A 2004 study by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice found the church had cleared 64 percent of priests in the La Crosse Diocese accused of sexual abuse. That compares with a national clearance rate of about 10 percent, according to a report commissioned by United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
*
“Listecki has been asked repeatedly (during his four-years in La Crosse) to explain this record and he’s refused,” Isley said. In addition, Listecki has adopted an official policy of directing childhood victims of clerical abuse to contact him directly, instead of notifying law enforcement.
*
Ray Stroik, a retired professor and college administrator who worked on the La Crosse diocese’s justice and peace commission, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that progressives and reformists may be concerned about Listecki’s appointment. “He’s very strong in terms of Catholic identity, basic issues of pro life, gay marriage, stem cell research,” Stroik said. “Yet not doing much on social justice, or global peace.”
*
Through June 30, 2009, the archdiocese had paid out $28 million to settle charges related to clergy sexual abuse.
*
Stories like this one remind me yet again why I am no longer at member of the Roman Catholic Church. As an institution, its leadership is morally bankrupt and now right criminal in much of its conduct. Yet given the Church's structure, it is impossible to implement reform. All everyday Catholics can do is walk away and take their checkbooks with them. One can only hope these spiritual refugees will find their way to the Episcopal or Lutheran Churches which have the beautiful rites like the Catholic Church but with out the disgusting Church Hierarchy.
No comments:
Post a Comment