Why is Bishop Richard Malone so afraid of parishoners?

June 28, 4:06 PMLA Religion & Spirituality ExaminerKevin Masterson

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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 Mission that Bishop Malone? is teaching at St. Joseph’s College in Maine.  Several weeks later, Paul was notified by school officials that the school was establishing a separate section of the class for Paul, with a different instructor to be held off campus. Paul would be the only student in that class. The reason given was that Paul couldn’t be in the same building as the Bishop and he was forbidden from being on the main campus, including the library, during the two weeks the Bishop was teaching at St. Joseph’s.

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 Maine have been persistent in their pursuit of justice for those who were abused. Malone threatened Kendrick with sacramental sanctions, including Holy Communion, if he persisted in sending letters to the Bishop and protesting on public sidewalks. Kendrick has not stopped his advocacy.

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 Falmouth, Maine community that an admitted pedophile is living among them. At the same time, the Bishop claims that he is “doing all he can to keep children safe.”

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.