The child sex-abuse scandal lingers only because the Vatican and Roman Catholic bishops have never fully lifted the cloak on the cover-up.
New revelations revive the anger, distrust and unsettled questions about who could have intervened to stop the abuse or enact meaningful penalties against those guilty of it.
Don’t be fooled. These trangressions did not happen on the dark side of the moon or just across the ocean or way over in Wisconsin.
The Harrisburg Diocese of the Catholic Church identified 46 credible allegations of sexual abuse of minors by 24 priests since 1950. Through 2007, the diocese had spent $2.7 million on legal bills, therapy costs and settlements with victims.
The latest round of allegations suggest that Pope Benedict himself was among those who stood idly by. In a German case, then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger allegedly approved a plan that allowed a priest to return to pastoral work after receiving therapy for pedophilia. In another case, a priest accused of molesting 200 deaf boys in Wisconsin reportedly contacted Ratzinger and asked for mercy. Victims’ attorneys say that after the priest’s plea, the church’s investigation into the episode was quietly dropped. A statement from the Milwaukee Diocese, where the crimes took place, sought to absolve the pope from blame in Wisconsin. The assertion marches in lock step with the weak argument made by church leaders who say that the Vatican cannot be blamed for the failures of bishops. This logic asserts that the bishops run their own dioceses and do not directly report to the pope. It conveniently overlooks the fact that the pope appoints bishops and has the authority to remove them from office.
It also suggests very clearly that the Vatican and church leaders still do not get it.
The darkest days may be behind us. Studies indicate that the worst abuse occurred in the 1960s and 1970s. Most of the vile priests and the bishops who protected them are dead or have been shuffled off to retirement homes.
Moving forward, the church has set up youth protection policies that call for mandatory background checks and training for employees and volunteers.
The priests committed one sin, the bishops and the Vatican and church hierarchy committed another. The church has taken steps to better protect its children from pedophile priests. The Vatican needs to establish a procedure to punish bishops who shield rogue priests.
