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A bloody mess in Dallas/Ft. Worth

Yesterday, the DMN ran this story.

Today Fr. Allan Hawkins drafts this for the parish:

From Fr Hawkins to the people of St Mary the Virgin

No doubt you will have seen the story which appeared today in the Dallas Morning News, and perhaps elsewhere in the media. I plan to speak about this hurtful and distressing matter at all three Masses next Sunday -- but, meanwhile, I would like you to have immediately the following brief outline of the facts.

I have known Fr Christopher Clay for almost ten years, having first met him through a mutual friend -- a priest now deceased -- several years before his ordination to the priesthood. Fr Clay was ordained for the Diocese of Scranton, Pennsylvania, of which diocese he remains a priest.

In May 2002 certain allegations were made concerning several priests, of whom Fr Clay was one, about an incident which was alleged to have taken place some four years earlier. Fr Clay strenuously denies all and any such allegations. The Diocese "removed Fr Clay from active ministry" while the matter was investigated. The outcome of this investigation was that no charges of any kind were brought against Fr Clay (though I understand that there are still ongoing processes with regard to the other priests concerned). Furthermore, according to a message dated June 28 to me from Rod Dreher (a journalist for the Dallas Morning News whom many of you will know as a worshiper in our Parish, who appears to have instigated the present interest in the matter) "the Pennsylvania State Police … has no record of an investigation into Father Clay". (It seems that Rod Dreher has had an ongoing journalistic interest in these events in Scranton, having written about them in February 2002 in the National Review Online.)

One might imagine that that would have been the end of the matter. And, indeed, so it appeared to have been. Bishop Timlin (the now-retired Bishop of Scranton) ended Fr Clay's "removal from active ministry" by appointing him parochial vicar at St Thomas More parish in Lake Ariel, PA - and I have Bishop Timlin's letter to this effect, dated February 4, 2003, before me as I write. This could not have happened if Fr Clay had been suspended or had had his faculties removed.

In the event, very soon after Fr Clay reported for his new assignment he became unwell, no doubt as a result of the stress of all these events; and he sought a leave of absence from the Diocese on health grounds. This was granted, and Fr Clay moved to his home town of Dallas; and I have a copy of the positive and supportive letter which Bishop Timlin sent to him, confirming these arrangements, dated March 10, 2003.

At about that time I personally contacted Bishop Timlin to make sure that there was no objection to my inviting Fr Clay to assist us at St Mary the Virgin. The Bishop assured me that this was entirely acceptable - and he expressed satisfaction that Fr Clay had supportive friends in the area. I also spoke with Fr Peter Stravinskas who was Fr Clay's superior at the Oratory in which Fr Clay lived at the time of the alleged incident; he gave no indication of any concern.

On April 22 of this year the new Bishop of Scranton, Bishop Joseph F. Martino, wrote to Fr Clay as a priest of his Diocese but now living in Dallas, to ask him his "intentions regarding your future ministry". Again, such an inquiry would be meaningless and absurd if Fr Clay was under suspension and without faculties as a priest.

In the light of all the above, it is difficult indeed to see what ends of truth, justice and charity have been served by today's Dallas Morning News and its journalists.

Please pray for Fr Christopher Clay at this time. He is a devout and fine priest. He is, and will continue to be, a close friend of mine and my family. He is, by adoption and grace, a member of our Parish community; and we will support him. And may Blessed Mary pray for her parish, and for the priests who are her sons.

Fr Allan