The Independent News Source
Twitter - Facebook - Email Alerts - RSS
Cardinal Bernardin, clerical culture, nuns and homosexuals.
by Thomas C. Fox on Aug. 10, 2009
Printer-friendly version
Send to friend
PDF versionIn the file are letters from Cardinal Bernardin to several priests who had been accused of sexually molesting young Catholics.
Printer-friendly versionSend to friendPDF versionI have always had respect for the late Archbishop Joseph Bernardin. In so many ways he was an exemplary leader. But it is also clear he had a blind spot, one shared seemingly with nearly all the other U.S. bishops of his time and far more than any one might imagine possible today.
I am speaking about the way he shuffled and coddled sex abusing priests in his archdiocese. When having to choose between what seemed a compassionate act for a child, parents or family, on the one hand, or the continued functioning of his archdiocese, on the other, the latter got the nod, time after time after time.
Many church observers today write commonly about a "clerical culture." The dimensions and functioning of this culture come to light in the exchanges which follow.
What leads me to this conclusion are letters uncovered reacently in Chicago, as a result of court orders, and reported in a recent column by a Chicago writer Chuck Goudie.
Here is what Goudie writes .
Bernardin uses the code word "sabbatical" to refer to the five months of paid time off awarded to suspected pedophiles. He describes how the pastor will return to his parish position after the sabbatical.
"May I take this opportunity to thank you for your fine work," he writes to one horrendous violator who was later imprisoned. "As you look forward to this important transition in your priesthood, please know that you have my support and prayers."
Transition in your priesthood.
Such wordplay and manipulation of reality was the normal.
Cardinal Bernardin saw life as a "seamless garment" where human existence was wrapped in purity and blessedness from conception to death.
I wish he was still alive so I could ask him where the seam was ripped and why so many young lives were left hanging on a thread.
Honestly, what I find especially disturbing today is that these isolated men, seemingly so cut off from reality for so many years, are part of the very group, through the same time period, that have been so suspect and judgmental about the women religious, who for the most part, have been carrying on doing the works of mercy throughout the church.
Considering one of the investigations of U.S. women religious sponsored by the Vatican, against the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, one of the areas of stated Vatican concern is the women's teachings on "homosexuality." It appears the women have not been judgmental enough, have not taught openly that, according to the bishops, homosexuality is a "intrinsically disordered" state.
Teach that to your son or daughter.
I am convinced by church
I am convinced by church history and now sciencethat homosexuality isindeed "ordered" andcreated by God. Those who persecute these people whom Jesus loves risk His anathema. This is a cultural issue now and needs to stop hiding behind the skirts of theology.
i am convinced when i see so
i am convinced when i see so many fine men,young& old ,caucasian and asian,who are honestly convinced of their sexuality, and are at peace.Then there are the scripture scholars,from Catholic or Evangelical[e.g.BAPTIST] traditions who have become convinced of the mis-understanding of those quotes of O.T &N.T.And their optimism that over time more,and the curia, will see that like Slavery or Usary, there is a development.
finally::JUDGE NOT.........
rob in thailand
Well, while I wont be looking
Well, while I wont be looking for ways to shout that teaching from the rooftops, it is true. When relevant, I will teach it without shame. Now, it must be taught in light of the connected teaching that people afflicted with Same Sex Attraction are still owed dignity and respect and we must be willing to support them as they struggle with their condition. But, if they choose to revel in their disorder and not try to overcome it, we must be unafraid to charitably correct them (which does not involve violence or verbal abuse).
No one, repeat NO ONE, is
No one, repeat NO ONE, is "afflicted" with "same-sex attraction."
Being lesbian/gay is not an affliction, no matter how much you would like to belive it is.
The only afflication we have is from the attitudes of people who constantly harp that we are "afflicted."
The sooner you get over that canard, the better for all concerned.
I sure will teach my kids
I sure will teach my kids that homosexual sexual activity is "disordered" just like I'll teach them that heterosexuals having lurid sexual fantasies are "disordered", or those that cheat on their husband or wife are "disordered". In fact I will teach them that most of us could suffer from disorder if we are not obeying the natural law and how God intended we use the gift of our sexuality through a self-giving act between a man and woman that promotes marital bonding and procreation. I suggest you go back and read Humane Vitae and Pope JP II's Theology of the Body to learn the true meaning of our sexuality. It's not about judging as we are not to hate those with a same-sex attraction or any other sexual "disorder". We should love them so much that we want them to know and live the Truth. While I do believe that this website and paper once had a valid voice, now it seems to be a voice that only opposes the Church unless it agrees with a politically charged leftist agenda. It's very sad that the bloggers and contributors here are so deeply connected to a worldly way of life and not the life of Church teaching.
Sadly, it has taken until now
Sadly, it has taken until now for the public to know what survivor advocacy groups have known for many years; Cardinal Joseph Bernardin chose to protect abuser priests over the lives of innocent children.
Bernardin's halo has crashed to the ground at the expense of the pain, suffering and trauma of countless child sex abuse victims.
It is exhausting to know that so many Catholics will continue to excuse the likes of Joseph Bernardin for enabling these horrific crimes against children. As Sister Aloysius so wisely reasoned in the movie, "Doubt," it's just much simpler for people to deny the truth and look the other way.
I grew up during the fifties and sixties. My parents didn't need to read a white paper on child abuse or recidivism rates to know that if the little league coach sexually assaulted a child, none of us would ever be allowed to be anywhere near that person again.
My parents always put their children first.
I always found the adulation
I always found the adulation of Bernardin disturbing. Like John Paul II (and Benedict XVI, et al.), he was another hierarch in Opus Dei's pocket.
http://www.google.com/search?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENUS257&q=berna...
It would be interesting to know what information the Escriva group had on him that made him tow their line.
Mr. Fox, If I take your last
Mr. Fox,
If I take your last two lines out of context...
"homosexuality is a "intrinsically disordered" state.
Teach that to your son or daughter."
...for the first time I actually agree with you. I realize that you were being somewhat sarcastic and that as a CINO, you really don't agree with the Church's teaching on Homosexuality.
But let's discuss the main point of your article, sexual abuse by priests. I think you are being unfair to Cardinal Bernardin. Sexual abuse is more than just a problem for the Catholic Church, it is a crime, and as such, it should be both investigated and prosecuted by the civil authorities to the maximum extent. In past years, 1950-1990 or so, the civil authorities did not want to investigate/prosecute the allegations of sexual abuse by priests, in fact many of the allegations were not even made until many years after the alleged abuse. The reason being is that in most cases, there was no evidence of the alleged abuse. The civil authorities would routinely tell the complaintants to take their complaint to the Bishop/Cardinal. Now seriously, what would you have the Bishop/Cardinal do? Should he accept complaints as true and defrock all priests who were accused of sexual abuse? Don't priests have rights too? You're not so naive as to believe that all the allegations of sexual abuse were true? The sexual abuse problem was a difficult problem for both the Church and the civil authorities and you are being unfair to both the Church in general, and Cardinal Bernardin in particular.
In your mercy please pray for
In your mercy please pray for the repose of the soul of Cardinal Bernardin. And be grateful for his service to the Church over a long career.
Remember the Feast of the Assumption of the BVM on Saturday. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Post new comment