History and Moral Philosophy 347: Final Exam
The letter below reveals the moral bankruptcy of the bishops of the American Catholic Church at the start of the third millennium in its...
... attempt to convince readers that those making claims of abuse are alien strangers ("people" as opposed to "brothers and sisters" (let alone "victimized parishioners," "abused Catholic children," "our deeply wounded brothers and sisters," or any of a number of other ways of describing who they are)) who are not part of the community.
... failure to acknowledge that difficulty in determining the truth of long-ago events is in large part a result of Catholic Church policy to evade and minimize responsibility for child abuse by priests: one does not tie oneself to a chair and then expect sympathy because one finds it difficult to move.
... ludicrous implicit claim that Catholic bishops (who "stand ready to respond to legitimate claims by victims") are more trustworthy than California juries in seeking out and determining the truth.
... failure to acknowledge that victims of abuse have an extremely strong moral claim to help of all kinds--that both justice and charity mean that theirs is the first claim on the resources of the Catholic Church.
... insinuation that attempts to heal and provide recompense to victims of priestly child abuse are not works of charity.
...insinuation that attempts to heal and provide recompense to victims of priestly chld abuse are not "vital spiritual... and social" services.
December 8, 2002
Dear Brothers and Sisters:
We the Bishops of California write to advise you of a major development related to the issue of sexual abuse, a matter which has so deeply affected us all during this past year. Lazst June, the California Legislature took the unprecedented step of changing the statute of limitations applicable to claims for sexual abuse. For the duration of year 2003, this law allows people to file lawsuits against dioceses and California employers based upon claims that arose many years ago. Some of the lawsuits may involve the revival of already settled cases and some may involve alleged perpetrators and witnesses long since dead. Under these circumstances, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to ascertain the truth. The ability to conduct a fair and vigorous search for the truth has been part of the very foundation of our American system of justice for more than two centuries.
We anticipate that new lawsuits, some involving very old allegations, will be filed against dioceses in California. We bishops stand ready to respond to legitimate claims by victims of abuse.
The Catholic Church has been falsely portrayed as a large corporation with "deep pockets." In reality, the vast majority of Catholic assets belong to the people of our parishes, schools, charities, and other institutions. They are not devoted to the accumulation of wealth but to education, worship, and sacraments: to the poor and other works of charity. With God's help, the church must continue to respond to the needs of the victims of abuse, and maintain the vital spiritual, educational, and social services provied to the Catholic community and to our society at large.
During the past year, the Bishops in the United States enacted a national Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People and related "Norms" that will have the force of church law. These decisions strengthen and add to policies that have been in place in the dioceses of California for many years. They include the following provisions:
In this difficult time we reiterate our commitment to a safe environment for children and youth in the Catholic Church. We offer again our apologies to the victims of sexual abuse by clergy and we promise our prayers and ongoing support. We commit ourselves to keep you, the faithful, fully informed on these matters.