December 22, 2004
Dear Archbishop Brunett:
The recent letter from member of your lay review board should have served as a vigorous wake up call to you and your staff. We share their concerns.
Specifically, we urge you to:
- NOT disband this hard-working, well-intentioned and experienced panel of abuse experts,
- immediately name and discipline the suspended priest who violated church policy by participating in a public service, and
- release soon the names of the other known and suspected pedophile
priests who have been suspended due to credible abuse allegations.
For a group of largely devout Catholics and other caring professionals, the language they used (in the letter and subsequent media interviews) was clear and direct: misleading, lack of diligence, deeply concerned, and Brunett had fought the board at every turn. Their thoughtful letter spoke volumes.
Let us spell out more specifically our views.
1) Making known the names of all admitted and suspected abusive clerics is common sense, and the least you can do to protect kids still at risk. As your own review board pointed out, bishops in Milwaukee, Los Angeles, Tucson, Toledo, Spokane and other dioceses have taken this long-overdue step to safeguard kids. Trying to keep the identities of potentially dangerous men hidden by blaming arcane and irrelevant church policies is simply reckless.
It’s time, Archbishop, that put the real safety of innocent kids first, not the alleged privacy of likely child molesters, by making known the names of the likely abusers.
It’s also time that you put the healing of the entire church community first, not your own well-orchestrated public relations campaign.
These potentially dangerous men might be sodomizing or raping kids today, Archbishop, because trusting parents don’t know about their histories.
2) We are especially concerned about the accused priest who, according to
your lay review board, is guilty of egregious misbehavior yet actively
participated in a liturgy against church policy.
You have a simple choice. You can either publicly and sternly discipline him,
which sends the message that you’re serious about sexual abuse. Or you can do
nothing or act quietly, which sends the message your much-touted policies and
procedures are only for show.
We strongly urge you to take prompt action against this wrongdoer, irrespective of what happens with the abuse allegation against him.
3) Finally, we implore you to keep the highly qualified board that exists, if you genuinely want to help victims heal, prevent future abuse and restore trust in the church’s hierarchy. To replace it with another body, especially at this juncture, only undermines your credibility and may hamper the willingness and effectiveness of other lay volunteers.
Thus far, you’ve offered no logical reason why they should not continue with their valuable work. In a sensitive field like this one, having an experienced functioning team is important. Having an apparently truly independent group in an archdiocese is rare and encouraging. It should be preserved.
Thank you for your prompt attention.
David Clohessy
National Director, SNAP
Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
7234 Arsenal Street
St. Louis MO 63143
314 566 9790 cell, 314 645 5915
Jim Biteman
SNAP Seattle Area Director
19203 98th Ave So
Renton, WA 98055
206-854-5175