You don't see stuff like that without your heart leaping into your throat, wondering what fresh hell this could be... until you read a bit further.
It seems this isn't a new case. It's from a few years ago, and we'd all heard about it as it was unfolding. The moment the allegation was brought forth, the archbishop revoked archdiocesan faculties from the priest and removed him from any work in the archdiocese. The priest isn't an archdiocesan priest, but is a member of a religious order, and his order has also removed him from any and all priestly ministry. The initial complaint said nothing about sexual abuse, but had to do with "interference with child custody." The accusations of sexual abuse were made later, and as they were raised with the archdiocese, the archbishop instructed the boy's family to report everything to the local law officers in Edwards County. The county officials stated that the archdiocese has given complete cooperation with their investigations.
No one in the archdiocese - and certainly not the archbishop - took any part in concealing anything. Swift and decisive action was taken. If anything is moving slowly, it's the secular legal system.
Look for more of this stuff. Anybody can say anything, and they usually do. If this nightmare happened to this boy - and it seems likely it did - then he deserves every bit of justice our legal system can provide. But to accuse the archbishop of dishonesty and of organizing a cover-up is a blatant lie. Justice has to work both ways.
But I guess when there's such a nice big stick handy, which so perfectly fits an attorney's grip, it's too tempting not to use it to beat up on that nasty ol' Church.
4 comments:
I find it incredible that plaintiff lawyers are the only sources to be had in reporting on these cases.
Everything they say should be followed by the fact that they stand to take 33% of whatever the victims stand to recover.
The SA Express-News has never been about serious journalism and it only worsened when the SA Light stopped production. Their writers are too lazy to look for, research on, and actually write about news-worthy items. Is it a smear article? Not as much as an easy to fill up a few inches of paper.
My daughter was molested at the age of 3 1/2 and I reported it to the police (this was over 20 years ago). They told me that she was too young to put her through this and she also had had a speech problem, that had been taken care of, but they also used that excuse. The man went free and my daughter and I were left with so much pain. I wonder if I can go back and sue the police department. LOL. I am not saying abuse doesn't happen, but I do wonder if the "child" is over the age of 13 why it goes on for years. I know teens and they must have some problem if they wouldn't report this to their parents or someone, my little baby told me in no uncertain terms and wanted her daddy to take his gun and kill the man. This emotion from a 3 1/2 who had been threatened also, but still told me. I do have to wonder if all the cases are what is said about them. Money plays a large part in my opinion.
Let us keep praying for our priests and the Church as Satan is really working to destroy It.
Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith.
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