Anyone who seriously believes that the Roman Catholic Church is the bit truly contrite over the sex abuse scandal - for any reason that is other than the loss money and embarrassment - need only look at the Diocese of Bridgeport and recently released documents that not only show cover up by bishops, but that two key players in cover ups remain in leadership positions in the diocese. The Church hierarchy truly has no shame and clearly believe that laws, accountability and basic morality are for everyone other than themselves. Why can't every day Catholics open their eyes to the foulness of the Church leadership? Does it need to be that their own children are abused before they wake up? As I have stated many times, I know of no other institution where such blatant and deliberate malfeasance would not result in individuals being fired and cut off from benefits, etc. Those who remain Catholic need at a minimum stop all financial support until offending members of the hierarchy are dismissed and driven from the Church. Here are some highlights from the Connecticut Post:*
Among the thousands of documents released last week by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport were depositions and other papers that revealed the involvement of former Bishops Walter Curtis and Edward Egan in the cover-up of alleged sexual abuse of children by priests in the diocese. But the documents also detail how two senior diocesan prelates, Monsignors William Genuario and Laurence Bronkiewicz, reviewed sex abuse complaints against priests and gave orders to move them around. Both men remain active in the diocese and hold senior positions.
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"I have no comment on anything," said Genuario when reached at his diocese office. A receptionist at St. Mary's said Bronkiewicz is on a retreat and could not be reached. The diocese did not return calls or respond to e-mails asking for comment.
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"This is precisely why child sex crimes and cover-ups in the church continue: because those who conceal felonies are rewarded, not punished, time and time and time again, in Connecticut and across the world," said David Clohessy, national director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. "Let's get real: why would church officials and employees reform, when virtually none of the thousands of priests, nuns, bishops or cardinals who keep secrets, protect predators, stonewall police, ignore victims, and deceive parishioners have ever even lost one day's pay? Given what amounts to essentially an enormous endorsement of wrongdoing, only the most naive would believe that anyone in such a system would voluntarily 'reform.'"
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Added Cindy Robinson, of the Bridgeport law firm Tremont & Sheldon, who has represented more than two dozen people abused by priests in the diocese, "The newly released documents show that priests who helped hide clergy sex abuse were rewarded by the hierarchy of the church.
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The [sexual abuse by Fr. Brett] incident was discussed in a letter written by Genuario on Dec. 2, 1964. The letter states that Brett admitted to the incident. . . . The letter went on to state that Brett was to be taken away. "A recurrence of hepatitis was to be feigned should anyone ask."
In his deposition, released with other documents, Genuario admitted that not only did he prepare the so-called hepatitis letter but he also typed it himself. Asked by then-victims' lawyer, T. Paul Tremont, why he did it, Genuario added, "I was the vice chancellor at the time and was called in to (do the work)."
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A few days later, Genuario met with another man, Mark Frechette, who had claimed he was abused by Brett. "He really has his astrology down !!!" Genuario wrote in a memo. Frechette later committed suicide.
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*Although the psychologist found Federici "has a very poor contact with reality," in 1981 he was appointed pastor at St. Joseph Church in Shelton. Two years later he was accused of sexually assaulting a teenage boy in the rectory. Federici was subsequently assigned to St. Edward the Confessor Church in New Fairfield.
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"I have no comment on anything," said Genuario when reached at his diocese office. A receptionist at St. Mary's said Bronkiewicz is on a retreat and could not be reached. The diocese did not return calls or respond to e-mails asking for comment.
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"This is precisely why child sex crimes and cover-ups in the church continue: because those who conceal felonies are rewarded, not punished, time and time and time again, in Connecticut and across the world," said David Clohessy, national director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. "Let's get real: why would church officials and employees reform, when virtually none of the thousands of priests, nuns, bishops or cardinals who keep secrets, protect predators, stonewall police, ignore victims, and deceive parishioners have ever even lost one day's pay? Given what amounts to essentially an enormous endorsement of wrongdoing, only the most naive would believe that anyone in such a system would voluntarily 'reform.'"
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Added Cindy Robinson, of the Bridgeport law firm Tremont & Sheldon, who has represented more than two dozen people abused by priests in the diocese, "The newly released documents show that priests who helped hide clergy sex abuse were rewarded by the hierarchy of the church.
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The [sexual abuse by Fr. Brett] incident was discussed in a letter written by Genuario on Dec. 2, 1964. The letter states that Brett admitted to the incident. . . . The letter went on to state that Brett was to be taken away. "A recurrence of hepatitis was to be feigned should anyone ask."
In his deposition, released with other documents, Genuario admitted that not only did he prepare the so-called hepatitis letter but he also typed it himself. Asked by then-victims' lawyer, T. Paul Tremont, why he did it, Genuario added, "I was the vice chancellor at the time and was called in to (do the work)."
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A few days later, Genuario met with another man, Mark Frechette, who had claimed he was abused by Brett. "He really has his astrology down !!!" Genuario wrote in a memo. Frechette later committed suicide.
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*Although the psychologist found Federici "has a very poor contact with reality," in 1981 he was appointed pastor at St. Joseph Church in Shelton. Two years later he was accused of sexually assaulting a teenage boy in the rectory. Federici was subsequently assigned to St. Edward the Confessor Church in New Fairfield.
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The story goes on with further examples of the callous indifference the Church held towards victims. Even a resulting suicide apparently meant nothing. These individuals are amoral monsters - as is the institution that has allowed them to remain employed and even to be promoted. It is beyond sick. And the Pope has the nerve to call gays "inherently disordered?" He must be either looking in the mirror of at his cardinals and bishops.
1 comment:
It is about time the fruits of the Catholic Church are finally being exposed! Why was such a perversion covered up for so long by an organization that claims to be the guardian of Christian ethics and morals? Let us not forget the alienation from God in society caused by such “bastions” of religious faith! Where does the responsibility lie for all this? Enforced celibacy has no biblical foundation at all!
What would Jesus of Nazareth say if He came to the Earth and saw what the church – which claims to speak for Him – has made of His life’s work?
A small group in Germany called“ The Free Christians for the Christ of the Sermon on the Mount in All Cultures Worldwide” is against such shameful sham Christianity. They announced a lawsuit against the Catholic Church. As they put it, they do not want to remain silent anymore on the “brazen labeling fraud,” with which Christ is mocked and His name abused to such an extent. They demand that the Catholic Church no longer call itself “Christian.”
As a Christian, I fully support this. Nothing against the sincere folk and priests who work hard and honestly, upholding the ideals of a Christian life. But as an institution, it has taken on a life of its own, and one could indeed ask if there is anything Christian about it! Perhaps your readers would like to check them out: http://www.christus-oder-kirche.de/christ-or-church/index.php.
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