On November 4 I posted a piece on Archbishop Harry Flynn's take on the Associated Press study on abuse of children in public schools. Flynn's article elicited at least one strong critique to which he has responded in his diocesan newspaper.
11/18/07
More from Archbishop Flynn
On November 4 I posted a piece on Archbishop Harry Flynn's take on the Associated Press study on abuse of children in public schools. Flynn's article elicited at least one strong critique to which he has responded in his diocesan newspaper.
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We do not deny that sexual abuse of children occurs in settings other than the Church but the Archbishop's critic has it right, I think, on all the points he has made. It is not that others do it too, it is that the Church, holds a special and privileged role vis a vis children and families and that the bishops had not been forthcoming in solving this problem until the media brought it to light. Even then, there is a lot of buck-passing and sweeping under the rug still going on. Yes, Cardinal Bernadin was unjustly accused but already there is recognition of that. Many of those abused have not been thus recognized.
ReplyDeleteEither Archbishop Harry Flynn has a problem comprehending what he's reading or his priority is to duck the issue raised. Hmmm... I wonder which it could be?
ReplyDeleteDoes he seriously expect people to believe that he thinks RC laity view priests in the same light as they view public school teachers? After all those decades, centuries even, of building up the role of "the good Father" in people's minds? If I didn't feel protective of my recovery I'd wonder what he was smoking and if he could spare me a hit or two.
I mean really! Can you tell that one of the things that really piss me off is people with power treating people without power as if they were idiots. Sheesh.
Connect to the blog listed in the links column - Whispers in the Loggia and read about, yet another, abuse settlement. This one in Alaska.
ReplyDeleteWhen the bishops refer to problems in public schools it is as if they are seeking the excuse of "well they do it too"! Two wrongs....
I believe Archbishop Flynn failed to answer the last question. It only called for a "Yes" or "No." The Archbishop gave a lengthy answer, but never answered the question. After five years, one of the bishops has still not put any of the protection of children mandates by the USCCB into place. He has refused to do so. Has he been "fraternally corrected" by his fellow bishops? "No." Did Archbishop Flynn mention this in his response? "No."
ReplyDeleteThe sexual abuse of children is a problem that cuts across lines of racial, educational, financial and professional backgrounds. It is everywhere. And it persists and survives at least in part because of how easily the deeds of perpetrators are denied, hidden, shielded and covered up by victims and those closest to them and to those who interact professionally with the perpetrators.
ReplyDeleteAnything we learn about the sexual abuse of children by one class of perpetrators may be helpful in helping us understand this phenomenon which is so widespread. No one rejoices in finding yet another group of perpetrators but every time something of this nature is uncovered, the safety of children is advanced and our knowledge of the problem grows.
There was a time when people were sure that their child would always be safe in the company of a Catholic priest. That time is past.
What we need to learn, of course, is not only that children must be safeguarded in the company of priests but that the same cautions must extend to children left alone in the company of ANY adult. I used caps for ANY because the majority of sexual abuse of children is not committed by those who are strangers to the victims far more frequently by family members and friends.
I believe the reason bishops not meeting the USCCB mandates are not being called to accountability is that a national bishops' conference has no authority to hold its member bishops so accountable. The more remarkable thing, then, is that the vast majority of American bishops are living by the mandates. I don't say that in any way to defend those not collaborating with Conference policy but only to give a perspective on what's happening there.
(If a canonist would like to correct any error here, I'd be most welcoming of a comment.)
Sometimes I wonder if anything any Catholic bishop says or writes on this topic will get any measure of a fair hearing. Over and over again I see the comments of bishops who are working hard on these questions discounted because they are suspected of being self-serving or because their comment did not address every possible issue connected to the horrific past.
I think that if I were a bishop I might be tempted to just shut up and stop writing. But then I'd know that I would be criticized for that, too.
I agree that it is important for those bishops working with good will to protect children should be recognized but I think the tone of your previous post is not the tone of Archbishop Flynn's remarks which still, to me, do not recognize the particular guilt in the Catholic Church. That is not to say abuse doesn't exist in other sectors.
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