|
Posted on 04/25/2002 9:18:29 AM PDT by Notwithstanding
Church uncovers file on Shanley NAMBLA activity
<!CAT-LONW!>
<!SUMM!> In the latest example of the Boston archdiocese's chaotic record-keeping on problem priests, church officials acknowledged yesterday their discovery of new records detailing allegations of the Rev. Paul R. Shanley's involvement in NAMBLA - the North American Man-Boy Love Association.<!ENDSUMM!> The documents, part of a larger group a judge earlier this month ordered turned over to Roderick MacLeish, a lawyer representing several alleged victims of Shanley, were located late last week by an unnamed archdiocesean staff member, the Rev. Christopher Coyne, said an archdiocesan spokesman. ``It's terribly embarrassing at this late date to come out and say this,'' Coyne said in addressing reporters on the lawn of the Brighton Chancery. ``No one knew that the files were around,'' Coyne said. ``It wasn't just one letter that was overlooked. It's another bad thing. It makes us look like we are not being honest. It's just awful.'' The Shanley file released to date - more than 800 pages of secret records - detailed the priest's long history of alleged sexual misconduct, and, on some pages, his admissions of the actions. But more damning were numerous documents revealing that Bernard Cardinal Law, his predecessor, Humberto Cardinal Medeiros, and other archdiocesean officials were aware of Shanley's behavior as far back as 1967, but continued to assign him to posts that put him in direct contact with children. Coyne appeared visibly angry as he revealed the discovery of the documents, saying there is no question now that there had been numerous written complaints made in past years to chancery officials about Shanley's behavior. MacLeish, who will receive the papers today, said he was furious with the discovery. ``If they're NAMBLA materials, as they say they are, then it's absolutely appalling. I can't believe it,'' he said, adding that he intends to investigate how the documents were missed. ``We are taking the deposition of (the church officials) involved in this document retrieval. The truth will have to come out,'' he said. In the initial document release three weeks ago, records showed that Shanley spoke in favor of sex between men and boys at a December 1978 Boston convention that led to the founding of the intergenerational sex advocacy organization. But a Shanley supporter who organized the meeting and later co-founded NAMBLA insists that it has been mischaracterized, and that many different points of view on the subject were presented. ``It certainly was not some kind of a man-boy group,'' said the man, who goes by the pseudonym of Socrates. ``There were social workers, psychiatrists, ministers and even law enforcement personnel. At that time, these issues could be discussed in an objective forum. You can't do that now.'' More germane to the accusations of MacLeish's clients is Socrates' contention that it would have been totally out of character for Shanley to have had violent sex with a 6-year-old. In his suit and in a criminal complaint to Newton police, Gregory Ford, 24, claims that Shanley yanked him out of CCD classes and repeatedly fondled and raped him as a child in the rectory of Newton's St. Jean's Parish for six years beginning in 1984. ``I don't believe it, based on what I know of him,'' Socrates said, insisting that the priest would never have had sex with a pre-pubescent boy. ``I don't believe he ever did anything by force.'' MacLeish vehemently disputed that, saying, ``They say he wasn't violent. That's absolute total nonsense.'' ``I have a forcible rape case against Paul Shanley from 1990 involving a 13-year-old. This notion that you're either interested in pedophilia or ephebophilia (sex with teens) is absolute nonsense,'' MacLeish charged. MacLeish also said Ford and a second alleged victim, Paul Busa, who attended the classes with Ford but hasn't seen him in years, could not have collaborated to fabricate their allegations. ``NAMBLA has as much credibility on this as Ken Lay does on suggestions to reform Enron,'' MacLeish said.
by Maggie Mulvihill and Robin Washington
Thursday, April 25, 2002
So dead-on that it deserves repeating!!!
All that I have asked you to do is not slander him by indicating that he too is homosexual - when there is absolutely no hint of that whatsoever coming from any news source or gossip column.
You got caught commiting calumny. Be bigger than Law: admit your mistake and stop changing the subject.
The one thing to like about Law is that he is a child of God who tried - but failed - to make choices that would best serve God's instrument of salvation - the Church.
He failed. It happens.
|
Cardinal Law is from Mississippi and didn't move to Boston until he was appointed Archbishop in the 80s. He's definitely NOT Kennedy's protege. I've know Bernie Law for almost 30 years, and he was a friend of my husband's family even longer because he was only a few years ahead of my brother in law in the Seminary. It grieves us to see what has gone on in Boston. Sir SuziQ and I can only shake our heads and say "What the HELL was he thinking?" He is a very loving and compassionate man, and I hate to read what some have said about him, though I can understand the anger underlying the words. We feel it too, but more a deep sadness that so many kids lives have been ruined. He wasn't in charge of the Diocese during the time most of this crap was going on, but he is responsible for not taking action against the priests who molested kids during the time over which he should have had some control! We still keep him in our prayers, he obviously NEEDS them!
If there is one good thing that may come out of all this with Fr. Shanley it is that NAMBLA is getting some national media coverage, and it ain't pretty! More folks need to know who these people are and what it is they encourage. Boston area folks have known about them for a while because one of the men convicted of killing little Jeffrey Curley several years ago had NAMBLA literature in his car and had recently been visiting their site on the Web. One of the brochures had tips on how to 'pick up' little boys.
There was an article posted here which reported he had fled to southeast Asia, Thailand, I believe.
Never overload yer donkey AND...
always keep yer donkey under control.
Maybe if some of those priests had better controlled their donkeys the church wouldn't be in such a mess.
It must trouble you that - according to Protestant notions that each man is inspired by the Spirit to understand God's Word and there is no place for an official earthly interpreter and keeper of that Word - other interpretations such as my own are certainly possible.
Whatever happened to "Pray, PAY, and Obey??"
I am sure of that because I haven't seen him or talked to him for about 7 years, but I daresay I know more about the real man than most of the people on this list. A lot of people are making assumptions about his character or assigning motives to his behavior which are bordering on libelous! Until all the facts come out, I'm not going to make any final judgements on him. I am terribly disappointed in his behavior in the priest shufflings, but I don't know what was behind it, and neither does anyone else on this list. We are ALL making assumptions based on the hyperventilating stories coming out of the press.
I continue to pray for all the men who were abused by those monsters, and I hope each one of those priests will be defrocked and put on trial! I will continue to pray for Cardinal Law as a friend should. I'll continue also to pray for all priests who are loving, compassionate and faithful to their vows. They are being hurt terribly by this because of the news reports and the looks and sometimes harsh words of strangers when they are in public in their Roman collars. Although the media makes it sound like every other priest is a molester, a cursory reading of the facts show otherwise. And for those who want to bluster about they'll never go to Church again because of this I say, I am very sorry for you. If your Faith is not strong enough to survive this, what would you do against a REAL challenge to it?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
