Pope Benedict XVI reduced to tears

As reported in the Guardian (and many other news sources) Pope Benedict XVI was reduced to tears when he met with victims/survivors of sexual abuse in Malta.

Tears and catharsis are good. They FEEL like healing. However, the Holy Father must use his primacy as a means of setting example so as to put into motion the kinds of systemic changes needed to combat the culture of clerical omertà (aka code of silence) and bring these tears to true fruition.

Otherwise they might become nothing more than tears borrowed off a crocodile.

The Culture of Omertà

Ever since I've been involved in advocating for the sexual abuse survivors I have wondered why there has not been some sort of call of justice from huge numbers of the clergy.

Yet in nearly 5 years I can count on one hand the number of priests who have spoken out. Why is this?

Finally I discovered it: the culture of omertà.

And what is that? a word borrowed from the Mafia - it means 'a code of silence'. Wikipedia has this definition for it:

Omertà implies “the categorical prohibition of cooperation with state authorities or reliance on its services, even when one has been victim of a crime. Even if somebody is convicted for a crime he has not committed, he is supposed to serve the sentence without giving the police any information about the real criminal."

I've seen this with Father Robinson matter, especially in Toledo. I remember from Dave Yonke's book on the matter, the conversation reported between Bishop Blair had with Father Stanbery whom the bishop thought was like the rest the priests - an adherent of 0mertà. When Father Stanbery brought up the request by the Lucas County prosecutor for a a copy Father Robinson's file so they could properly prepare for the criminal trial, Bishop Blair smirked at the priest and is reported to have said "We gave them what they wanted".

Omertà!!

Earlier in the week, the whole world saw omertà with the publication of a letter from a Cardinal who praised a French Catholic bishop. Here's the quote from CNN:

"I congratulate you on not having spoken out to civil authorities against a priest," wrote Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, who at the time was prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy. You have done well and I am delighted to have an associate in the episcopate who... preferred prison to speaking out against a son-priest."

Omertà at it's worst. Change a few words and one would have thought a kingpin of the Mafia was speaking.

LORD JESUS CHRIST --- please bring this to an end and soon!!

VATICAN POSTS CDF's PROCESS; SO WHAT DOES THAT SOLVE?

So, I've read and seen the webpage at the Vatican's site on the Net that shows the entire process for accused of abuse at the CDF.

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See it here:

Guide to Understanding Basic CDF Procedures concerning Sexual Abuse Allegations

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So what does it solve? Vatican spin? Likely. I'm not going to be accept being told on this matter "How blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."

So, I'll believe that the Holy Father and his brother bishops have changed when I see words match deeds and behaviors go with policies.

I follow what Barbara Blaine of S.N.A.P. wrote on 04/12/10:

"Vatican officials are reportedly posting on line a ‘guide’ to its long-secret, convoluted policy about defrocking priests.

But making a secretive, biased and erratically-followed policy slightly more accessible can only be considered “progress” in the most narrow sense possible.

Church policies, whether on-line or not, are largely irrelevant. Bishops answer to virtually no one and can easily ignore policies. We must focus on behavior, not policies, and on deeds, not words."

Bishop Blair's Easter Message

I just read Bishop Blair's Easter at the website of the Diocese of Toledo.

Quotes from the same:

- I already pray every day for all the victims of such abuse;

- . . .[T]he Catholic Church in the United States is fully committed by word and deed to maximum vigilance and mandated protections against the abuse of minors by anyone.

And, apartachik that he is, he too has joined the chorus in defense of the Holy Father.

Maybe he does pray for the the people who are abused - the victims he calls them. He really loves victims - they're helpless and harmless after all. However, he's shown that he doesn't like Survivors because they've stood up; declared 'enough is enough' and now demand the healing and justice they richly deserve.

As for protecting the abused. Let us not forget the names 'Nuss' and 'Murd'. The former, who sexually abused a vulnerable woman which the Bishop lied about him until he was caught in the lie. Murd was caught when he abused a young man in a hot tub and got criminal charges filed against him. Charges that were dismissed. (It's so hard to see adults as victims of sexual abuse of clergy isn't it? A lot think the act is consensual and so it can't be abuse when it really is all about the abuse of power).

In the end both priests were 'away' for awhile and now are reassigned and free to go about doing what they doing before. Indeed from what I've heard from a reliable source on Nuss - that is exactly what he's been about since his 'return'.

Further, let us not forget the illegal and closed door campaign Bishop Blair and his five Ohio brothers conducted to quash any attempt to extend the statute of limitations via Ohio Senate Bill 17 on matters of the sexual abuse of children. If ever fully investigated, the bishop could find himself looking out at the world through a set of bars.

Finally, let us not forget the case of Fr. Gerald Robinson. It's been nearly six years since this priest was arrested for the murder of Sister Margaret Ann Paul and nearly four since he was justly found guilty and is serving his sentence. To this day Bishop Blair has done nothing to defrock or laicize this priest. Rumors continue to circulate that the Diocese of Toledo is quietly shunting money (from that which is gathered in collection baskets each Sunday) to support his appeals.

Children protected here? The abused protected here? Christ! Hardly. There are still predators in our midst - many. I know a name or two, but can't reveal who they are because I am held to confidentiality - but I keep asking God to out them. Maybe they will be, some day, before they die.

I keep hoping Bishop Blair will see the light some day, but I very much doubt it . From what I can tell he wants to be seen as the victim too. Yet, he's a man who just wants to coast to age 75 so he can hang up his mitre and become yet another bishop emeritus of the Diocese of Toledo.

My prayer is contained on the first page of this Blog - it says it all.

SISTER MARGET ANN PAUL

IN MEMORIAM

DATE OF DEATH: APRIL 5, 1980

AT THE HAND OF FR. GERALD ROBINSON

30 YEARS AGO TODAY.

FOR THE VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ABUSE:

MAY THEY FIND THEIR VOICE;

FOR THE SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ABUSE:

MAY THEY CONTINUE TO HAVE COURAGE

TO DEMAND HEALING & JUSTICE;

FOR THE LAITY: MAY THEY FIND THEIR PROPHETIC TONGUES;

FOR FEARFUL CLERGY:

MAY THEY FIND THE COURAGE TO DEMAND JUSTICE;

FOR CLERGY ENGAGED IN ABUSE:

MAY THEY BE EXPOSED;

FOR CLERGY STILL ENGAGED IN THE COVER-UP:

MAY THEY BE CONVICTED AND REPENT;

FOR THE BISHOPS:

MAY THEY ADMIT THEIR INVOLVEMENT STOP PROTECTING PREDATORS

AND REPENT;

FOR THE HOLY FATHER BENEDICT XVI:

MAY HE ADMIT HIS INVOLVEMENT

AND REPENT

AND BE A TRUE PASTOR OF HEALING.