Posted on 07/29/2018 11:04:06 AM PDT by ebb tide
Former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick’s alleged crimes might merit removing him from the clergy entirely—and they require accountability for all Church leaders who knew of his alleged misconduct and did nothing, Bishop Michael F. Olson of Fort Worth, Texas has said in a letter to the faithful of his diocese.
"The Church needs to do more than have a serious conversation about these issues, it needs to discern in light of the Truth and to act intentionally,” Olson told CNA July 28. “If conversation does not lead to decision, it quickly devolves into chatter.”
“An important ministry for us as bishops is to ‘see, judge, and act.’ It’s not enough to see. Yet, seeing clearly leads to sound judgment that requires fortitude for us to act,” he added. “If we don't do that as pastors we sell our vocation as shepherds in exchange for a career as hirelings.”
The Pope accepted Cardinal McCarrick’s resignation from the College of Cardinals on Friday. The Pope directed McCarrick, the 88-year-old former Archbishop of Washington, to observe “a life of prayer and penance in seclusion” until the end of the canonical process against him.
A substantial and credible allegation of child sexual abuse against McCarrick was made public in June.
In recent weeks, McCarrick has faced several additional allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct. These include charges that he pressured seminarians and priests into sexual relationships, and another reported allegation that he had a serially sexually abusive relationship with a child.
Bishop Olson’s July 28 letter said the former cardinal’s alleged crimes have caused “such further damage to the integrity of the hierarchy and mission of the Church” that his prompt laicization should be “strongly deliberated.” Such a move would serve “reconciliation and healing in the light of the justice and merciful redemption as won by Christ and promised to all who are alienated by the corruption of sin.”
“Justice also requires that all of those in Church leadership who knew of the former cardinal’s alleged crimes and sexual misconduct and did nothing be held accountable for their refusal to act thereby enabling others to be hurt,” the bishop continued.
Olson’s letter said McCarrick’s alleged crimes were “scandalous” and resulted in violation of trust and “grave damage” to the lives and health of his reputed victims.
“This scandal and pain are compounded by the horrific fact that reportedly one of his victims was his first baptism after his priestly ordination,” he continued, noting that the claims also include crimes against his subordinates including priests, seminarians and lay Catholics.
“The evil effects of these actions were multiplied by the fact that financial settlements were arranged with victims without transparency or restrictions on the former cardinal’s ministry,” Bishop Olson said.
“Please continue to pray for the reported victims and the families who have been hurt by the alleged crimes and sins of former Cardinal McCarrick and others. Pray also that we can work together to respond not only in word but in action to prevent further crimes and transgressions.”
Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, president of the U.S. bishops’ conference, on Saturday morning thanked Pope Francis for “his leadership in taking this important step” of accepting the cardinal’s resignation and ordering him to prayer and penitence.
“It reflects the priority the Holy Father places on the need for protection and care for all our people and the way failures in this area affect the life of the Church in the United States,” Cardinal DiNardo said.
A letter sent this week to priests of the Archdiocese of Washington claims that its current archbishop, Cardinal Donald Wuerl, did not know until recently about settlements made by two New Jersey dioceses in response to allegations misconduct on the part of former cardinal Theodore McCarrick. The letter was sent by by archdiocese’s vicar general Monsignor Charles Antonicelli.
Sources close to the Archdiocese of Washington have told CNA that Wuerl was not informed of settlements until June.
The two New Jersey legal settlements involving McCarrick were reached in 2005 and 2007 by the Diocese of Metuchen, the Archdiocese of Newark, and two men who claim they were sexually assaulted by McCarrick while they were seminarians and young priests.
McCarrick was Bishop of Metuchen from 1981-1986, Archbishop of Newark from 1986-2000, and Archbishop of Washington from 2000-2006.
In his letter, Bishop Olson stressed the Fort Worth diocese’s “zero tolerance” for sexual abuse against minors and vulnerable adults perpetrated by clergy, staff and volunteers, “including me, as bishop.” He said he has taken prompt action in response to credible allegations and added that the diocese has sought transparency in calling for victims to come forward, showing respect for protecting victims’ identities.
“Our seminarians, priests, deacons, and religious and lay staff are taught to recognize and to report boundary violations without fear of retribution, no matter the status of the perpetrator,” the bishop said.
Pope Francis named Olson to head the Fort Worth diocese in November 2013. He was ordained and installed as bishop in January 2014.
Wuerl is one of the prime suspects for hushing up McCarrick's crimes closely followed by Farrell, O'Malley, Tobin, Myers, Bootkowski and Cupich. The lot of them need to be waterboarded until they fess up and come clean.
What a faithless rabble.
Wuerl has been known as “Donna” since his seminary days.
He’s next.
I wish I could have confidence that they’re serious about this. But until I see the heads of about half the hierarchy roll, and until they publicly acknowledge it really is a problem of homosexuality in the priesthood, much more than pedophilia, I won’t believe they’re serious.
Another sign would be if they started looking into the lesbian nuns who abused teenage girls. That shoe hasn’t dropped yet. But that’s a “third rail” even the most orthodox bishops won’t touch
McCarrick was the prinicpal consecrator of Bishops Farrell and Bootkowski.
Hireling Olsen is full of crap. Virtue-signaling.
He is a bishop (allegedly). He hears things. I’m sure he is better informed than I am. But even I had heard the “Uncle Ted” rumors (and prayed they were just vicious gossip). But even I know of the reports of Donna Wuerl’s homosexuality. Even I know that Farrell is almost certainly a homo liar. Even I’m aware of the Tobin “nighty night, baby” tweet. It is clear as day even to the likes of me that Lori is as queer as a three dollar bill.
But he said, and still says nothing. He exposed, and still exposes no one and nothing. He holds no bishop accountable.
Furthermore, he continues the cover-up by continuing to cast this as a child abuse problem. There are some cases of child abuse separate from the main problem, and they should be addressed. The real problem is homo priests.
Olsen is an excellent exemplification of the problem.
I respectfully disagree. I don't think Olson would be so vocal, if somebody, anybody, had dirt on Olson.
On the other hand, I think it's the ones who remain silent and plead ignorance, are the ones who fear they would be exposing themselves.
The homosexual network has a policy: If one us get caught, keep your mouths shut or I'll rat you out, also. And they all know each other.
From Bishop Olson's letter:
The Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth and I have zero tolerance for sexual abuse against minors, as well as against vulnerable adults by its clergy, staff, and volunteers, including me as bishop.
> I don’t think Olson would be so vocal, if somebody, anybody, had dirt on Olson.
Remember, McCarrick headed up the whole protection of minors charter and was one of the most vocal bishops about the need to clean things up.
I don’t trust a single bishop, even the ones that seem to be relatively orthodox.
The problem is homosexual clergy, especially bishops. Even adding in “vulnerable adults,” etc., doesn’t address the issue that homosexual aren’t supposed to be ordained at all, and doesn’t really address consensual sex.
He doesn’t name names, even though the names are nearly a matter of public record.
Do you trust Cardinal Burke or Bishop Athanasius Schneider?
P.S. Bishop Olson was not consecrated a bishop until late 2013.
McCarrick’s fake-conference occurred in 2002.
Do you think homo priests/bishops share their secrets with their heterosexual counterparts? If so, they are very stupid. Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.
I understand it’s a homosexual problem. But you’ve seem to have done a quick turn-around from innocent till proven guilty to guilty until proved innocent.
If you have dirt on Olson dish it up. Otherwise don’t lump him in with the others.
Look for this to be a grassroots, layperson’s effort. The clergy cannot seem to police themselves.
They are all guilty until proven innocent. They have corporately and ruthlessly harmed us, hoodwinked us, taken advantage of us, raped our children and young folks, damaged the teaching office of the Church, taking advantage of our benefit of the doubt. They have murdered, and continue to murder countless souls, souls that were entrusted to them. And, for all we know, some of them have been involved in the physical murder of those who would expose them.
Those bishops who knew or suspected the bad ones sat on their hands with one thumb in their mouths and the other up their collective a$$. They said NOTHING.
Are you going to tell me that this Olson character hadn’t at least heard the rumors I heard over the years? We now know that seminarians - including heterosexual seminarians - were warning each other of the predations of this demon-infested man. The rumors, at least, were common knowledge in clerical circles for years, and I imagine with far more specificity than I ever heard. Are you going to tell me he NEVER heard this from his fellow seminarians, fellow priests? You didn’t have to be part of the homo mafia to be aware of it generally.
Are you going to assert he hasn’t heard the scuttlebutt on Donna Wuerl? Or on Meyers (And I don’t care if that Gadarene swine is retired. He needs to be exposed and destroyed.)?
If he isn’t aware, then he’s just too stupid to be an altar boy, no less a bishop. If he is, then he should be naming names.
Just like the communists of eastern Europe after the Cold War, the entirety of the hierarchy, from seminarians to the pope, must be lustrated. Only those who are tried and found innocent must be allowed to remain in their offices.
And how would a good bishop back-up his accusations of his fellow homo bishops if no witnesses are willing to come forward?
Rod Dherer tried to expose the rot years ago and he got nowhere because no victims would speak publicly.
As always, with any group:
Police yourselves, or you will be policed. And you won't like it.
Priests and laymen did warn John Paul II about McCarrick and he not only ignored them he promoted McCarrick. Bishops did warn Bergoglio about Barros and he ignored them for years. If you want to accuse everyone of guilt, start at the top.
Huh ... I learned a new word today. Thanks!
> Do you trust Cardinal Burke or Bishop Athanasius Schneider?
More than any others. But not completely. Sample and Fellay are also ones I respect. Don’t think, though, that the traddies haven’t been infiltrated, too. I say this as someone who regularly goes to the TLM and the Ordinariate forms of the Mass. Novus Ordo only when necessary.
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