Can It Get Any Worse?

May 26, 2002

by Larry Simoneaux

Things aren’t getting any better, are they?

As a Catholic, I read the news each day and wonder if this mess can get any worse. Without fail, it does.

The stories about cardinals admitting they knew sexual abuse was occurring but allowed it to continue by shuttling pedophiles from one parish to another have been out there for some time. They hurt.

Last week, my sister sent me an article taken from a New Orleans newspaper. It concerned two priests in that city who’ve been found to have sexually abused young boys. I knew one of those priests quite well. He was the assistant pastor in the parish where I grew up. My wife and I were married by him more than thirty years ago. As it turns out, he began abusing an altar boy at about the time I was in fifth grade. He’s been abusing this individual ever since. That one’s pretty hard to stomach. My 80-year-old mother, an ardent Catholic, can’t get her arms around it at all.

On top of all this, I just came across a story reporting that a Vatican official, the Reverend Gianfranco Ghirlanda, recently wrote a piece saying that Catholic bishops should avoid telling congregations their parish priests sexually abused someone if the bishops believe the abuse will not occur again. The article stated that “...the bishop and the superior are neither morally nor judicially responsible for the acts committed by one of their clergy.” Reverend Ghirlanda also said that priests shouldn’t be forced to take psychological tests to assess the likelihood of their committing abuse.

“To our thinking, it’s not admissible that the incriminated cleric be forced to undergo a psychological investigation to determine if his personality is inclined to commit the crimes in question.”

When, pray tell, did "dumb" become a prerequisite to be a Vatican official? Who decided to let this article see the light of day?

It gets worse. The Archdiocese of Boston recently backed out of a settlement agreement they’d reached with individuals who’ve suffered sexual abuse because it might cost too much. Additionally, it’s being reported that the Archdiocese is engaged in legal maneuvers attempting to limit their monetary liability to a $20,000 cap for each victim of abuse.

There’s an old Southern saying I think the leaders of my church might want to consider. It definitely applies to this entire situation. It states that “When you find yourself in a hole, you’d best stop digging.”

Let’s connect the dots here.

Sexual abuse of a child by an adult is evil. There’s no discussion here. Good is on one side of that line. Evil is on the other. If evil can be compounded, however, the sure way to do it is to have a child sexually abused by someone who’s supposed to be God’s representative on earth. Anyone, other than the utterly deranged and wholly perverted members of NAMBLA (the North American Man/Boy Love Association), ought to be able to see that.

So, it becomes incomprehensible when such acts are covered up by an institution like the Catholic Church. The inexplicable is added to the incomprehensible when you hear the leadership of the Church using terms such as “notorious” and “serial” in describing the priests they would ultimately dismiss.

Let me, as a parent, explain this one as simply as possible. I’m not a big fan of zero tolerance, Father, but, if you sexually abuse my kid, you instantly fit my definition of “notorious” and “serial.” That being the case, I believe you should immediately be defrocked and turned over to the authorities for criminal prosecution. No second chances. No three "Hail Mary’s" and try not to do it again. Game over.

So, with that as background, here’s my question. It’s very simple and it’s directed to the leaders of my church.

"What in God’s name are you thinking?" Look in the dictionary. Next to the word “evil” is a picture of a child abuser. You can’t see this? You can’t understand the need to put the safety of children ahead of any other consideration? You can’t comprehend the need to take an unambiguous stand on this matter and not be afraid to remove priests proven to be unfit to wear the cloth? Why, in the name of all that’s holy, not?

With all of this, I still cling to the belief that there are Catholic leaders who do understand. However, as I watch what’s going on, that belief is beginning to waver. There are, however, two things I’m absolutely and unshakably certain of.

The first is that the damage the Catholic Church has suffered will take decades to undo. The second is that if the leaders of the Catholic Church continue on their current course, that damage will soon become irreparable.

The overwhelming majority of good priests and bishops still out there should be shouting these very simple facts until they are heard by those who still don’t seem to "get it."

I pray they start soon.

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Larry Simoneaux graduated from Annapolis, 1971. He holds a BS in English Literature and a MS in Marine Biology from LSU. Larry spent six years in the Navy and is a Viet Nam veteran. He was employed 20 years with the NOAA Corps (formerly the US Coast & Geodetic Survey). Write for the Edmonds (WA) Beacon and the Mukilteo (WA) Beacon. Getting fatter and hair going gray, he has two kids starting college this fall. He resides in Edmonds, WA, with his wife of 31 years - she gets a "Get into Heaven Free" pass for that! You can e mail him at larrysim@att.net