Catholic League, Send ALL BAD PRIESTS PACKING!

William Donohue is in his office high above W. 34th St. and he's speaking in a mood of furious hope.

He's a big, burly, passionate man, the president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, which he created a decade ago to combat anti-Catholic slurs or cases of Catholic-baiting. The original conservative mission has changed. Now he is serving as one of the most intense voices looking for salvation from the sexual squalor that has engulfed the official church. The Rev. Andrew Greeley has called this mess "possibly the worst crisis since the Reformation."

William Donohue, president and founder of the Catholic League, wants bishops to adopt a zero tolerance policy on pedophile clergymen. Donohue ponders that remark, and says: "It certainly is the worst crisis in the history of the American church. I wouldn't fight with Greeley over that. Certainly in this country, there's nothing like it."

The crisis seems to get worse by the week. Two accused priests have already committed suicide, as if choosing the quickest route to hell. Another has been shot. Pedophilia cases have surfaced in 28 states. In Boston, one depraved priest is serving time, another faces trial. In Milwaukee, the 75-year-old archbishop has resigned after admitting he paid $450,000 to silence a man he sexually assaulted 20 years ago.

In New York, the district attorneys are examining a variety of cases, one arrest has been made and a popular Bronx pastor has been suspended, accused of involvement with a teenager two decades ago. Rumors swirl in Catholic circles about worse cases, involving well-known clergymen, complete with dark whispers about sexual activities, of coverups, of suborning perjury and other crimes. Donohue's anger surely expresses the feelings of many rank-and-file Catholics.

"Obviously, the perversion itself is problematic," he says. "But what is worse is the game of musical chairs that was played with these guys — moving them from place to place, after they knew what was going on. And then, for bishops, and others, to say: 'I know things now differently than I knew 10 years ago...'

"What exactly didn't you know 10 years ago that you know today? That child sexual molestation is an abomination? If the man needs help, I'm not opposed to that. But let him get it after he's been defrocked."

The case of the Rev. Paul Shanley might be the worst of all, Donohue says, because for more than 20 years Shanley made no secret of his own libertine beliefs. He was present at the 1978 conference where the North American Man-Boy Love Association was created (although he was not a founding father). In the "street" mission where he worked, Shanley made a habit of singling out troubled boys for sex, and was allowed to move on to other clerical assignments without warnings about those predatory habits.

Donohue says that at one point Shanley was appointed by Boston's Humberto Cardinal Medeiros to minister to sexual minorities. Shanley, according to Donohue, insisted at the time that there were 32 separate sexual minorities.

When Shanley was finally relieved by Medeiros in 1979, Shanley said that it was "unrealistic for gays not to have sex with each other," thus indirectly, but publicly, criticizing Medeiros. "And what happens?" Donohue says. "Nothing happens."

If the problem of pedophilia, statutory rape and priestly predators has been known for at least 20 years, why does Donohue think it has reached critical mass in the past five months?

"The Boston Globe deserves the credit for breaking it wide open," Donohue says. "Some people were on to it, but I don't think anybody recognized the scale of it, the depth of it, and that it was all across the country.

"That element of moving them from parish to parish, knowing damned well that these men should be out of the ministry — that's the most heart-wrenching element, the most unforgivable aspect of the whole scandal.

"People understand that we can all make mistakes, that we're all sinners. But when you have a recidivist, and you're dealing with children, then you've got to have zero tolerance."

In a few weeks, the Catholic bishops will be meeting in Dallas to discuss ways of coping with the scandals. What does Donohue think they should do?

"They have to have a clear zero tolerance policy for all future cases," he says. "Whether they use that language or not."

"What if you have a guy who 30 years ago was involved in some sexual indiscretion, with an adult, or worse — with a child? And what if there is no record of anything like that ever since? We have amnesty for everybody else in this country. Do you have an amnesty policy, or do you just throw them out?"

In spite of possible ambiguities, the language of church policy will have to be pretty tight.

"But people like me are still going to be somewhat skeptical. If I had somebody who was involved in that kind of trade — preying on kids — would I need a policy statement to know what to do? Would I need a lawyer? Would I need a psychologist? What is needed is common sense, and the courage of one's convictions, to follow through on it. A lot of good has been done already, because the word is out: 'Hey, fellas, the party's over, all right?'"

In Dallas, he hopes, the bishops will surrender their "almost paranoid" suspicion of the media. "If the media think you're trying to hide something," he says, "they'll keep scratching till they get it. I would, too, if that was my job."

Donohue believes that the behind-closed-doors church secrecy that allowed the problem to fester is actually part of a larger problem.

"The clerical culture that now exists has got to end," he says. "I've long felt that one of the biggest mistakes the bishops have made is to think that their first duty is to their priests. They're absolutely, inherently wrong. Their first duty is to the Catholic Church."

To Catholics like Donohue, the church includes the 63 million Catholics who are served by roughly 47,000 priests.

"The priests are an integral part of it," he says, "but they're not the whole of it." He pauses and gazes into the hazy New York afternoon. "Instead of having the attitude that 'I can't afford to lose a priest,' they should take the attitude, 'I can't afford to keep some of them.'"

"Instead of having the attitude that 'I can't afford to lose a priest,' they should take the attitude, 'I can't afford to keep some of them.'"

This says it all, Donohue never holds back. In some Dioceses around the world the Bishops uphold the law, both civil and religious, it is in these particular Dioceses where you see no priests committing these atrocious crimes and no Catholics involved in the Freemasons or Planned Parenthood or Catholics for a free Choice, Hemlock Society, etc. The Church must change and abide by civil, moral and canon law.

"The Church must change and abide by civil, moral and canon law. "

Don't know about 'Church'. The problem is not with the Catholic Faith of the Church but rather with individuals ignoring that Faith. The Reformation was a problem with Faith. This is a problem of ignoring the Faith and accepting Hollywood perversity including Washington's 'don't ask, don't tell'.

During the watch of Pope JPII, a good and holy man, the infrastructure of the Church has been in free fall. Dissent tolerated, Nuns and Priests down, and now this. What the Church needs is a General Patton type to restore discipline. He could start by slapping down the abortion loving, Kennedy type politicans.

I usually have great respect for Donoghue, but I think he misses the real target on this one. The immediate problem may be the priests, but the fundamental, underlying problem is the bishops. Too many of them have let this situation fester, because they have refused to enforce discipline against the machinations of liberal dissenters, or to teach the Catholic faith in its fulness.

I have just finished reading the June issue of Catholic World Report, which is devoted entirely to this issue, and they see it the same way. It's not a matter of some "policy," zero-tolerance or anything else. It's a matter of the bishops failing to do their job. Nor is there any sign, yet, that they are willing to admit their culpability or amend their behavior. What good is zero tolerance, when there are whole seminaries, not to speak of chanceries, infested by homosexuals?

Whatever happened to Bill O'Reilly's assertion that a famous "American Cardinal" was going to be named in one of these scandals? Was he mistakenly referring to Weakland, who is not a Cardinal? Or did I miss something?

I usually have great respect for Donoghue, but I think he misses the real target on this one. The immediate problem may be the priests, but the fundamental, underlying problem is the bishops.

I thnk you missed the part where Donoghue says: "And then, for bishops, and others, to say: 'I know things now differently than I knew 10 years ago...' "What exactly didn't you know 10 years ago that you know today? That child sexual molestation is an abomination? If the man needs help, I'm not opposed to that. But let him get it after he's been defrocked." -- It looks like you are still in agreement with him.

I believe that the monastic life might be more apporpriate for many of these repenting paedophiles and their enablers.

The world can't have too many illustrated manuscripts, as far as I can tell.

These folks have lots of handwritten bibles to produce and time's too long awaistin'.

Just a couple of weeks ago I heard Donohue defending the bishops. I guess he's done some necessary research in the meantime. It must be hard for him to admit that so many of his leaders are utter scoundrels.

The world can't have too many illustrated manuscripts, as far as I can tell.

Or spend their days copying over and over again the Messages of La Salette and all of Melanie's letters.

They refuse to accept that homosexuality is itself to blame. They don't want to admit that it is a disorder, the disorder of Same-Sex Attraction that also carries with it close connections to other disordered behaviors such as pedophilia, sado-masochism, and worse.

Richard McBrien of Notre Dame seemed to be saying that there was at least one, probably more. I believe O'Reilly said (this was on his show) that the president of the Catholic League knew the name of the cardinal. McBrien said that yes the president did know the homosexual's name. So I think the issue is that there are several active homosexuals among the cardinals. And I do not think that anyone confused Weakland with one of the cardinals. That would be like an admiral calling an aircraft carrier a boat.

Too many of them have let this situation fester, because they have refused to enforce discipline against the machinations of liberal dissenters, or to teach the Catholic faith in its fulness.

Amen! The Bishops bear the full brunt of responsibility for the mess the Church in America finds itself in. Reassigning pervert priests, presiding over the moral decay of their seminaries, the total acceptance of the gay agenda...these are among the sins of our bishops that stink to high heaven.

I agree with Mr. Donahue that we need to send all the bad priests packing...we should do the same with the bishops.

(from the Cardinal Newman Society):

JESUIT ACCUSES ORDER OF SCANDAL, CONTROL BY COLLEGE LEADERS

"In a book review published in the June 3 issue of The Weekly Standard (see http://www.weeklystandard.com), Rev. Paul Shaughnessy, S.J. argues that the Society of Jesus has experienced a “shift of de facto power from the formal hierarchy (rectors, provincials) to university presidents.” That’s among the least surprising revelations offered by Shaughnessy and the book he reviews, Passionate Uncertainty: Inside the American Jesuits by Peter McDonough and Eugene C. Bianchi (University of California Press). The book alleges widespread homosexuality among Jesuit priests as well as disloyalty to Pope John Paul II, to whom they are sworn allegiance. The book, whether or not it is accurate, is likely to get a lot of attention in the midst of the sex abuse scandals."

"I believe that the monastic life might be more apporpriate for many of these repenting paedophiles and their enablers."

One thing about these evil priests and bishops is their lack of repentance. There will be very few who will remove themselves from office, and even fewer who "get themselves to a monastery." The lack of repentance is the key. Most of these men prefer their toy-boys and and their lavender undies to discipline and penetential prayer. The only way to get them into a position of repentance is to lock their evil fundaments behind bars until the Lord's return in Glory.

I agree with your post about repentance and kicking out the bad priests and BISHOPS.

I also agree with your homepage post regarding carbohydrates (we don't need them) and fats (we need lots of the right ones). I was a student of Carlton Fredericks, PhD, and we did extensive research regarding the high fat diets of the Eskimos and their correlation of having very little heart disease and cancer.

A bit off the subject.
Best words ever from a Priest(Father, teacher) We must stay strong in Prayer Jo Those of us that have the gift of Great Goodness are really Bad when in sin
Best words of advice ever given to me. So I watch my back and check myself everyday.

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