US bishop says Church's credibility on abuse is 'shredded'

CathNews ^ | September 06, 2012

[Alex Murphy]

The US Catholic bishops' public face over sexual abuse matters has said the hierarchy's credibility on fixing the problem is "shredded" and that the situation is comparable to the Reformation, when "the episcopacy, the regular clergy, even the papacy were discredited," according to a Religious News Service report published on NCR.

Bishop Daniel Conlon of Illinois, last month told a conference of staffers who oversee child safety programs in American dioceses that he had always assumed that consistently implementing the bishops' policies on child protection, "coupled with some decent publicity, would turn public opinion around."

"I now know this was an illusion," Conlon, chairman of the bishops' Committee for the Protection of Children and Young People, said in an address on August 13 to the National Safe Environment and Victim Assistance Coordinators Leadership Conference in Nebraska.

His talk was published in the August 30 edition of Origins, an affiliate of Catholic News Service.

Conlon said the conviction of a high-ranking church official in Philadelphia for covering up clergy abuse and the upcoming trial of a bishop in Missouri on charges of failing to report a priest on suspicions of child abuse have contributed to a widespread impression that the bishops "have failed to keep their commitments."

The bishop disputed that view, but said even close friends "turned almost hostile" over dinner recently when he said the hierarchy has adopted "an entirely different spirit of openness and accountability."

[Alex Murphy]

The US Catholic bishops' public face over sexual abuse matters has said the hierarchy's credibility on fixing the problem is "shredded" and that the situation is comparable to the Reformation, when "the episcopacy, the regular clergy, even the papacy were discredited"....Bishop Daniel Conlon of Illinois, last month told a conference of staffers who oversee child safety programs in American dioceses that he had always assumed that consistently implementing the bishops' policies on child protection, "coupled with some decent publicity, would turn public opinion around." "I now know this was an illusion," Conlon, chairman of the bishops' Committee for the Protection of Children and Young People, said....

....Conlon said the conviction of a high-ranking church official in Philadelphia for covering up clergy abuse and the upcoming trial of a bishop in Missouri on charges of failing to report a priest on suspicions of child abuse have contributed to a widespread impression that the bishops "have failed to keep their commitments."

Related thread:
Bishop Finn is Found Guilty of Failing to Report Child Abuse Suspicions

[old and tired]

And in other news, the sun came up this morning.

These bishops just don't get it. This one in Arizona waited *5* months to report a priest looking at child pornography. And he has given one of the most half assed apologies I've ever read. The judge has given him two years probation. The maximum sentence would've been a year in jail - if I were judge, I'd have given it to him.

Apparently, we need to make examples of these people so that the rest of them will fall into line. I'm sorry these priests and bishops need our corrupt civil society to teach them basic decency.

[Elendur]

public schools have abuse at 100 times the church rate.
in the past 2 decades, the church rate, has been reduced to almost zero.
...public schools, also cover it up, at 100 times the church rate.
...once again, the liberal media, ignores the alligator, to swat mosquitos.
-
the liberal media also ignores, that the church scandal,
is a HOMOSEXUAL problem.
Catholic churches have had girls, for altar servers, since 1985 ! ... has there been a SINGLE case, of a Priest abusing a girl? ...this is a gay issue.
-
just as more males are raped in the military, than females!
-
and who is doing all of it? the less than 2% of gays.
-
and the same media, that ignores all of that,
condemns the boyscouts, for realizing the risk,
and NOT letting homosexuals be with young boys.
(as i admit, the Church should have done also.)

[Servant of the Cross]

Bishop Daniel Conlon of Illinois [said] he had always assumed that consistently implementing the bishops' policies on child protection, "coupled with some decent publicity, would turn public opinion around."

Bishop Conlon now realizes that fair reporting and 'decent publicity' was an "illusion", wishful thinking and naive.

Conlon said the conviction of a high-ranking church official in Philadelphia for covering up clergy abuse and the upcoming trial of a bishop in Missouri on charges of failing to report a priest on suspicions of child abuse have contributed to a widespread impression that the bishops "have failed to keep their commitments."

"The bishop disputed that view ..."

[old and tired]

public schools have abuse at 100 times the church rate. in the past 2 decades, the church rate, has been reduced to almost zero. ...public schools, also cover it up, at 100 times the church rate. ...once again, the liberal media, ignores the alligator, to swat mosquitos.

This response is not helpful. Yes, yes the public school are Godless, secular cess pools (well, some of them are anyway). Should teachers and administrators be dealt with harshly? Of course! If they haven't been, shame on the DA's in those districts. Show me the articles where the principal AND the head of the school district okayed the transfer of an abusive teacher. Because the coverup by the people in charge is far more scandalous than anything any individual sinner has done. That's what Catholics are dealing with. Maybe it's happening in the public schools and maybe it's not. I have no idea, but I don't believe it's relevent to the behavior of men of God.

[Alex Murphy]

public schools have abuse at 100 times the church rate

You mean to say that 400% of all public school teachers have been accused of abuse in the last 50 years, and that 6600% of all public school officials were complicit in covering up for the 400%?

[Elendur]

to report a priest looking at child pornography.
///
yes.
“ make examples of these people so that the rest of them will fall into line.”
...i’m ok with that. zero tolerance.
-
...but how about starting with the school teachers,
who are actually abusing children,
instead of going after 1 priest,
for failing to report another, for looking at photos...

that’s like Obama cutting the budget, by not painting those National Park vehicles.
-
and many studies show, that other churches have a HIGHER rate of abuse. but they are simply better at covering it up.
...and the government, specifically exempts schools from abuse lawsuits. ...when they have 100 times the rate!

[whattajoke]

Your response is disturbing. What kind of person would feel good about defending child abusers - even if you're "only" casting blame elsewhere. Your "public school" vs. "church" rates hold no water when the statistics are presented carefully. AND EVEN IF THEY DID, so what? Abuse is abuse is abuse.

has there been a SINGLE case, of a Priest abusing a girl?

Stop. You're embarrassing yourself and Free Republic. A better question would have been, "has there been a SINGLE case, of a Priest abusing a girl in the news in the last 24 hours?" Why yes, yes there was. And a fairly high profile case at that.

[whattajoke]

many studies show...

You keep referencing studies and statistics but keep forgetting to provide them.

You also keep defending child-rapists, those who shield them and the worldwide, centuries old institution that coddles them by tossing out red herrings left and right. One wonders why.

[TSgt]

“How about about starting with the school teachers”

How about addressing the problem in the church rather than deflecting?

Don’t Blame Us, Everyone Rapes Children!™ - RCC

[old and tired]

instead of going after 1 priest, for failing to report another, for looking at photos...

For looking at photos of little children in sexual poses. Those were human beings in those photos and the man looking at them is sick, sick, sick and doesn't belong in society.

and many studies show, that other churches have a HIGHER rate of abuse. but they are simply better at covering it up.

I don't care. Those Churches aren't my problem and they don't have the Truth. We are the Catholic Church - God's one true church here on Earth. Is it no big deal when your 15 year old takes a few hits from the bong just because the rest of the kids are doing it? No, of course not. It's huge. It's your kid. This our Church and we need to stand up and call these bishops out when they're wrong. Just like we would anyone else whom we love. Don't be an enabler. Lots of bishops deserve lots of jail time. Maybe they should be there with public school administrators, I have no idea. I fix my own house first.

[Elendur]

certainly any large institution, has bad apples.
and certainly, the coverup, is unforgivable.
-
but overlooking much higher rates, and much great crimes and coverups... is just as bad as one priest not reporting another for looking at photos!
it should be zero tolerance everywhere! instead of only looking in one place, that has the LOWEST rate of abuse!!!
-
ever seen a story about child abuse by a Muslim Imam?
...i’ll wager, they cover up even more than the schools.
-
not to mention, have wife beating, etc. as part of their religion!
-
yet the liberal media LOVES Islam, and attacks Christians, especially Catholics. ...fitting Bible prophecy.

[TSgt]

If those darn children would just stop raping those poor priests!

New York Friar Says Kids Are Often To Blame For Seducing Adults
http://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-friar-says-the-kids-are-often-to-blame-for-seducing-adults-2012-8
“Suppose you have a man having a nervous breakdown, and a youngster comes after him,” Father Benedict Groeschel told the National Catholic Register, according to the New York Daily News. “A lot of the cases, the youngster — 14, 16, 18 — is the seducer.”

[TSgt]

Again...

Don’t Blame Us, Everyone Rapes Children!™ - RCC

[Elendur]

Lots of bishops deserve lots of jail time. Maybe they should be there with public school administrators, I have no idea. I fix my own house first.
///
so Bishops should do jail time, for coverups.
but you have no idea, if the same standard should apply,
to school administrators, like at Penn State?
-
one reason, the focus is on the Catholic church, is because they admitted they had a problem decades ago. and have worked hard to fix it.
...our schools sweep it under the table.
because the media won’t investigate and go after other institutions, as the do the church.
-
“i have no idea”, sounds a lot like a German saying “i had no idea it was happening”.
-
i “enable” nothing.
i agree in cleaning our house. but our schools, etc.,
ARE part of our house!!!

...and spending 99% of the effort going after the one institution that has ADMITTED the problem,
and now has the LOWEST rate of abuse... ?

THAT focusings attention away from places much worse.
THAT is enabling them!
-
especially when in 2011, rapes of our military men exceeded that of women?
...and no one will discuss the root cause of all this abuse?

[Elendur]

enabling something much worse:

“Survey Shows 74% Increase In U.S. Mosques Over Past 11 Years…”
“First Presbyterian Church embarks on interfaith {Islam} education program for all”
“The major networks skipped the closing prayer of the DNC in Charlotte. Here is Cardinal Timothy Dolan delivering the prayer. “

[count-your-change]

In an article in Newsweek, April of last year, appeared this comment:

“Another study released in March found that just one in 15 men in the Air Force would report being sexually assaulted, compared with one in five women.”

Since women make up about 14 to 15% of the U.S. military your statement (”just as more males are raped in the military, than females!”) could be true but it’s misleading in its lack of qualification just like the other remarks made.

[old and tired]

so Bishops should do jail time, for coverups. but you have no idea, if the same standard should apply, to school administrators, like at Penn State?

Oh, Good Grief! I know the same *standard* should apply. I just don't have any idea if they should be along side priests and bishops at your quoted rate of 400% more than our guys. Of course the secular Penn State admins belong in jail, right next to our annointed men of God.

I live in Philadelphia - have you seen the coverage that Penn State and the revered Joe Paterno have gotten? Would you consider all that explosive, front page coverage anti-Penn State? Of course not, the negative press was well deserved.

[redgolum]

Stop emoting.

Yes, public schools have a huge problem. Sexual abuse by teachers and other students is very wide spread.

But that isn't the subject here. It is about issues with the Catholic hierarchy in the US dealing with pederast priest. Despite your defense of “Well, the Catholic church is not alone in hiding sexual assaults!”, that doesn't change the fact that there are still problems.

You are doing what so many do. Rather than confront the issue, you want to change the subject. If you want a thread about public school abuse, start one. You will have a lot comments that agree with you (if I see it, I will be one of those). That is not the topic of this thread, and your repeated attempts to pull it off topic and continue the denial of problem priests is not helping.