In the interest of truth, justice, balance and fair play.

Saturday September 15, 2007

In his commentary on my involvement in the sexual abuse scandal in the Roman Catholic Church in general and in the Diocese of Paterson in particular over a period of over twenty years, Abbot Koloff attempted to capture the highlights of my experience. [http://www.dailyrecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007709140367].

I agreed to the interview because of the surrounding publicity attached to my having been nominated along with two other priests for the “Priest of Integrity” award by the National Voice of the Faithful. The awards are typically presented at the annual meeting of VOTF that will take place this year on October 19 – 20 in Providence, RI.

This is the third time the nomination was submitted by the New Jersey Chapter of VOTF and the second time by the National Office. I declined the nomination all five times and declined it again this year. It was only after the insistence and persistence of the nominating committee that I reluctantly agreed with on condition that I might not be able to be present for the actual presentation of the award.

When Abbot Koloff asked if I would be willing to be interviewed about my involvement in the sexual abuse scandal, I agreed. I assumed that this might be a new opportunity for healing—my own and the healing of many victims whose voices have not yet been heard.

It was naïve and unfair of me to assume that a reporter could summarize the experience of over twenty-two years in the limited space provided by a front page or back page story. The interview lasted over two hours.

So in the interest of truth, justice, balance and fair play, I need to make the following observations for which I hold myself accountable.

1. Although ‘silence’ of authorities and the clergy has been a prevailing theme throughout my experience, it is not fair for me to state that there have been no notable exceptions including the most recent outreach of Msgr. Mahoney, Diocesan Vicar General. Five other priests have written words of support. My friends have stood by me but in many instances simply did not know what to say. One even cautioned me about the impact my involvement was having on my health.

2. Bishop Serratelli as many bishops, have been guided by the advice and counsel of their attorneys. While I may disagree with the fact that the legal forum is the most effective way to deal with the abuse issue, I do not assume that he is not interested in bringing closure to the issue.

3. The most important issue, however, is spiritual and pastoral. All of us desperately need healing on this and other issues that face the church in these difficult times and the only way that this can happen is for all parties to come to the table to air their wounds and hurts. Going to war is not a solution. Bashing bishops or any other Church authority will not work if for no other reason than that it is not the way of the Lord.

It is my fervent prayer and desire that reconciliation will take place in due course. The gospel for this weekend is a strong reminder of the compassionate God whom we all worship, the God who has he qualities of both man and woman, the God whose ‘Son’ Jesus, demonstrated for us in very concrete ways how we can make life work for the good of all.

The sexual abuse crisis in the Roman Catholic Church has become a quagmire not unlike the conflict in Iraq. We can and must find a new way to collaborate in the healing process through dialogue free of rancor.

I apologize sincerely for any word or action that has contributed to this quagmire and renew my earnest desire to work for the healing of all parties—victims and their families, predators and their families, and everyone and anyone who has been caught in the cross fire.

In the meantime, I will be taking ‘a sabbatical’ from my public advocacy.

I have stated often enough over the course of the last twenty years that if you want to be an instrument of healing and wellness for others, they you must be well yourself.

If only we could re-write and re-right history, how different things would be today.

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