The other day I spoke at length with Paul Kendrick, co-founder of Voice of the Faithful (VOTF), to get an update on the Diocese of Portland, Maine. It appears to be business as usual since we last spoke, which is no surprise as the Catholic Church is a change resistant dinosaur.
Paul recently signed up and paid $900 for a two week course called Disciples in
In December 2008, Malone had the police issue warnings and the Bishop issued a canonical precept against Kendrick, an educated Jesuit and outspoken advocate for victims and survivors of clergy sex abuse. Kendrick and others in
It doesn’t appear that the Bishop has a tangible reason to be afraid of with Paul Kendrick, as he has never threatened him physically. The only conclusion one can come to is that his eminence (cap?) is afraid of the truth. Currently, Mr. Kendrick and other advocates are engaged in a state wide media blitz referencing a priest who has been assigned to a life of prayer and penance after admitting that he had abused a minor. What is interesting is that the diocese did not inform the
As if to add insult to injury in the case of Marie Tupper, the mother of one of the clergy abuse victims for whom Paul has been advocating the Bishop told Tupper to contact co-chancellor, Sister Rita Mae Bissonnette, who is a defendant in a civil lawsuit in which it is alleged that Bissonnette and three other current and former diocese officials covered up sex abuse allegations against Father Raymond Melville.
Malone had refused, then agreed to meet with Tupper. Tupper objected to the Bishop’s decision to have someone like Bissonnette make arrangements for the meeting. In addition, Tupper told Malone that she didn’t need or want his compassion, instead, she wanted to speak to him in a businesslike manner about policies, programs and procedures that could help protect children. She has not heard from the Bishop since.
It seems negligent of the Bishop to suggest that a woman as vulnerable as Marie Tupper contact members of the clergy who are in a sexual abuse lawsuit.
However, the Catholic Church does not seem to be known for its sensitivity regarding such issues. I know from personal experience that as part of the “therapy” or “pastoral counseling” they offer directly to victims, they often suggest the victim meet with the perpetrator. As victims can easily be “triggered” by smells, sounds and other things that remind them of the abuse, such a meeting is highly unconventional (and inappropriate) as a part of normal therapy. Their reasoning appears to be that the perpetrator and the victim may “forgive each other.”
What is ironic is for an institution that preaches “forgiveness” and “love thy neighbor”, it certainly does not appear to be what the church practices. It ostracizes survivors of clergy sexual abuse. The majority of the clergy (nuns and priests) try to portray the Church as the victim. Instead of welcoming survivors back into the fold and trying to comfort and support them, “devout Catholics” often turn their backs on their loved ones and choose the institution over the real church — its wounded members.
I know what Paul Kendrick and Marie Tupper have experienced. I have been at SNAP (Survivor’s Network of those Abused by Priests) leafletings where survivors have been cursed at, spit upon and physically threatened by “devout Catholics.” Is this what Jesus would have done?
It is time that the real “Church” -- those sitting in the pews -- as well as the criminal justice system, wake up and take their heads out of the sand and hold church officials accountable for their crimes. That is the only way real change will ever come about.
Comments
this article hits the nail on the head! Nothing more needs to be said...great job.
This Bishop is, "Afraid" for the same reasons all members of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy (Lowerarchy) are "Afraid". They are terrified, not of clergy sexual abuse victims themselves; rather the Hierarchy are afraid of coming face to face with their own guilt because they aided and protected pedophile and sexually predatory priests. There is hardly a Bishop in this Morally Bankrupt Entity posing as a religion (a.k.a.: The Roman Catholic Church) who have not ridden to their present positions of wealth and power over the tortured & broken bodies of little children, young people and vulnerable adults who were sexually victimized by Priests, brothers, Deacons, Nuns and (Yes) even some Bishops of Our Church.
Right on! The hierarchy of the church cannot face the truth. In my case, as priest AND vicitm of clergy abuse, when I told my story in the hospital chapel where I was ministering, my words were "reported" to the Archdiocese of Washington DC who read them as "accusatory" and casue for them to "pull my faculties." Washington knew I was a victim, and knew that I was leaving on a permanent medical disability -- no one took the effort to even talk with me before they made any decisions. In their minds I had "renounced" my priesthood. Talk about not listening to the truth! They (bishops and cardinals) should all be held responsible.
My experiences have been very much the say as those mentioned in the above article.
Sad to sad, there is much too much of a DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO attitude coming from the bishops and it IS the responsibility of the PEOPLE OF GOD to hold them ACCOUNTABLE.
Bishop Malone is a typical bishop coward who treasures his power, privilege and prestige. It is clear that S.N.A.P. must continue to confront evil in the Catholic church. This needs to be done very regularly outside the churches, cathedrals, communal living quarters of pedophiles, and the palaces of bishops who have covered up pedophile crimes.It appears that Bishop Malone deserves a daily reminder of the insensitivity and cruelty of child abuse, whether it be sexual, emotional or spiritual.
www.bishop-accountability.org/abusetracker for DAILY verified & vetted reporting on the USCCB (Unremoved Sexual Criminal Cabal Bishops) & Roman "La Cosa Nosta" Curia Pedo Cult costing American laity at least $4.5 Billion documented dollars, from the offetory plates & squandered laity paid for assets.
THE SOLUTION? "STOP DONATING LAITY!" as St. Peter Damien correctly asserted & was canonized for. You are either a financial supporter of this curia cause pedo cult, or you are not, there is no middle ground! HOW WILL YOU ANSWER YOUR MAKER?! "The only condition for the triumph of evil is for good men (or women) to do nothing", as St. Peter Damien correctly asserted & was canonized for!
FIAT LUX & VERITAS! Albino Luciani, MURDERED POPE
No rest until there is accountability in concert with systemic reform. Excellent analysis!
The Curia are the cause of the ongoing & uncorrected sexual assault of at least 140,000 children, just in the USA Roman Catholic Church, in the last 30 years, costing in documented laity monies are least $4.5 BILLION thus far.
The crime enabling, aid & abetting, perpetration, fraud, racketeering, lying, obstruction of justice, accessories to felonies, & lack of removal or punishment of demonics like Malone, is well established.
The Roman Catholic Church Curia is a global pedophile cult, & needs to be aggressively prosecuted under RICO by the Feds in the USA.
There is no separation of Church & State protection here, we are dealing with a TERRORIST organization in the USCCB (Unremoved Sexual Criminal Cabal Bishops) like Roger Mahony, Theodore McCarrick, Francis George, Wilton Gregory, Edward Egan, Sean O'Malley, Bernard Law, Raymond Burke, William Leveda, Tod Brown, Robert Brom, Noberto Rivera, etc.
Any monies donated to the Church ARE being diverted to curia protection.
How right you are! Yes the "real Church" - ordinary & loyal Catholics outraged at the Church's crimes and cover ups - as you say needs to speak up. The case of Paul Kendrick is a perfect example of what happens when they do. Paul is and was one of those folks who decided to raise his voice and was then villified and slapped with restraining orders in a most bizarre and exaggerated way. Most of the members of Voice of the Faithful and other groups and individuals have come from the ranks of heretofore " pillar of the Church" Catholics. They reacted with righteous anger at the scandals. They did what they were taught to do in the Church itself when faced with gross injustice. People like Mr Kendrick have challenged the Church only because they love it and deeply believed all they were taught about it, only to have that truth and trust shattered in the wake of the scandals.
Great job!!! I hope those members of the hierarchy like Malone remember that they, too, will come face-to-face with their Maker someday, and although God is merciful, God is also just.
Tear down Roger Mahony's "Mahal", OLA, sell the land, and distribute it to victims, and send such evil office holders to a Gulag-like punishment, for their remaining days, no luxury retirements, like Bernie Law (less).
No correction, removal, & punishment for the many hundreds of GUILTY curia still hiding tens of thousands of pedo priests? No Laity Monies!
Good article Kevin! As a survivor of both father and priest sexual & ritual abuse I wanted to share this brief poem I wrote a couple of years ago:
In Case You Were Wondering
by: Kathleen M. Dwyer
It is not revenge I am looking for
It isn’t even justice that I seek
One serves no purpose
The other is not possible
Change is what I hunger for
Change in me
Change in you
Change in our systems
And then, the possibility of accountability and healing may really exist
Were they happy, where they free? The question is absurd; if anything had been wrong, we should have certainly heard...
Of Behalf Of 'Red Shoes' Ratzinger & The Whole GANG Of Red Hats In The College Of Cardinals, We Thank You Suckers (Correction: 'Laity') For Continuing To Fund 'PETER'S PENCE', Where 99% Of These Tax Free Monies Go To Our Pedo Global Curia Cover-Up, Via Our Diplomatic Services, Blackmailing Various Governments Into Doing NOTHING To Harm Our Crime Sprees.
We Have Been Running Pedophile Cults For 2,000+ Years, At Your Total Cost, Do You Really Believe We Are Going To Stop Now?
Send Us Your Little Boys!!!
Ciao,
Ratzingerista
CC: NAMBLA
Catholicism is an inherently vicious thing. The malice that is Confession is undeniable. Religion knows that "man will sin again" and they strive to profit by various means of repeated forgiveness...vicious is the word. Catholics take it one step further and prey upon their fellow men knowing before that they can head for the confessional and in a sophisticated exchange, garner a light hearted forgiveness. Catholicism begets monsters and monstrous is the history of Catolicism and its unrelenting campaign to deny knowledge, hinder the advancement of civilization and prey upon the unfortunate.
I lived across the hall from Dick Malone for four years when I attended St John's Seminary in Boston, 20 years ago. (Oddly, Bishop Malone's online bio leaves out the 1980s, when he lived at St. Clement's Hall and taught the undergraduate seminarians). I never liked him, and he never liked me, but I never heard anyone describe him as a coward or a liar before. I suppose people can change, but the Dick Malone I knew was absolutely forthright about everything (including not being my biggest fan). I disagreed with him plenty of times in the classroom, and I know for sure I irritated him, but he passed me with As and never suggested I not take his next course. I don't know why I'm standing up for him, really, but this is what I know about him.
Change will occur if the criminal justice system holds church officials accountable for their actions....Amen to that.
Perhaps, without realizing it, Tom Dean had a Freudian slip. Nowhere in the article is Dick Malone called a coward or a liar. It may have been Tom's subconscious reaction.
"Afraid of the truth" does not suggest cowardice and/or dishonesty to you, Jay? Anyway, I'm not deeply involved in the issue. Have it your way.
VOTF is in the tank, financially. I say good riddance to an over the hill bunch of hypocrites. Stingy old men and ladies. Buh by dissidents.
I was in his class at Saint Joseph's College of Maine and enjoyed everyday of it. He is not a coward and after seeing his response to several students, you could see the presence of God working in him and the class. Has anyone thought about the fact that other students paid the same amount of money (and more) to attend from all over the country and that while this subject matter is important for the Church to heal, it might have been a distraction for the other students? Instead of bashing him, why are people not praying for him? Are we not instructed to pray for our leaders in and out of the Church? God bless and have a great day.
When people rely on the media for their information, facts are often lost. For example, Paul Kendrick was not issued a civil restraining order for protesting and criticizing; he was issued one for harrassment, stalking, and threatening. The Church is open to criticism, but Kendrick's behavior is escalating to include very dangerous behavior. He also frequently distorts the truth. For example: Bishop Malone has frequently said that he will meet with Marie Tupper and any advocate other than Kendrick. Additionally, the term "pedophile" is used when in fact the cases rarely involve pedophilia. Most of the cases Kendrick address involve victims who were in there late teens. Still horrible, but quite different (especially in the 1960's and 1970's) from pedophilia. Bishop Malone has made huge strides to help victims of clergy sexual abuse, and all Kendrick has done is re-victimize these poor people.
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