The Rev. Christopher Clay, who maintains his innocence, has celebrated Mass at St. Mary the Virgin Roman Catholic Church in Arlington for more than a year without the diocese's knowledge, said the Rev. Robert Wilson, the diocese's chancellor. "He cannot perform any kind of priestly duties," Wilson said.
Notice how quickly Wilson responded and with what action. Clay has not been charged with anythign and is not under any investigation. This situation will be taken care of properly and not get swept under the rug.
"I am left with two lessons: First, the church's child-protection rules are only as reliable as those people whose job it is to enforce them. Catholic parents cannot have faith in bureaucratic procedures."
Ironically, the lead story in yesterdays Boston Globe was
Vatican pace on abuse worries (Bishop) O'Malley. Here
One of his complaints was the long delay in resolving open cases caused by the Vatican Bureaucracy. There are, from the Archdiocese of Boston, about two dozen cases which have been in limbo for two years or more. Can you imagine how many worldwide cases are piled up in the "pending" maw?
Rev. Christopher Clay may or may not be innocent but he, the parishioners, and the alleged victims are all caught up in the bureaucratic mess. And that is sad.
(Aside to Dave) He is not automatically "guilty as charged" nor is he automatically "innocent as claimed". The Church machinery is at work and you are forced to live with it. Or change it!