In Spirit and Truth Reading Roundup: January Edition
Welcome to the January edition of the In Spirit and Truth Reading Roundup, with news, analysis, and reflections related to the twin crises of sexual abuse and leadership failures in the Catholic Church.
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The Big Stories
The biggest news this month was the report on sexual abuse in the German Diocese of Munich, which accuses Pope emeritus Benedict XVI of “miconduct” in his handling of four cases of clergy sexual abuse. (Further information is available in thoughtful pieces from the Washington Post and The Pillar.) While one of these cases was first made public in 2010, this report has garnered a much larger response than previous investigations on the subject. In the aftermath of the German report’s publication, Pope Francis renewed his call for justice and transparency and Benedict admitted that “incorrect” info was given to the commision about his presence at a meeting discussing an abusive priest. I shared my own suggestions for how Catholics can respond in a piece for FemCatholic, and I also appreciate this honest reflection from a self-proclaimed “B16 fan,” titled “Letting It Hurt.”
The ripple effects of the recent French and German reports continue throughout Europe. The Catholic diocese of France have already raised 20 million euros to compensate abuse victims. The Catholic Church in Portugal has commissioned an independent commission to investigate abuse, while the investigation conducted by a newspaper in Spain has led to calls for a government-sponsored investigation. Italian bishops are reportedly discussing what steps should be taken to investigate abuse in Italy. Clergy abuse victims are also petitioning the European Court of Human Rights for a ruling on whether the Holy See can continue to claim sovereign immunity to avoid prosecution for abuse and cover-up.
This month marked the twentieth anniversary of the Boston Globe Spotlight team’s reporting on clergy sexual abuse and cover-up in the Archdiocese of Boston. Many news sources drew attention to this anniversary; I particularly appreciated Barbara Thorp’s call for a national database of accused clergy and Kathleen McChesney’s analysis of whether the Catholic Church is a safer place today (note though this counter-point by SNAP, emphasizing the change that is still needed). Awake Milwaukee also hosted a Courageous Conversation event on the topic, featuring Walter Robinson, who led the Spotlight team back in 2002.
Other Notable News
In a much-publicized case, a Catholic bishop in India was acquitted of raping a nun. Advocates are unconvinced and the prosecution plans to appeal. Meanwhile, an Indian priest was sentenced to life in prison for the sexual assault of a teenage boy; the story told by the boy’s mother, of abandonment and persecution by their fellow Catholics, is heartbreaking.
A Polish diocese apologized for responding to a clergy abuse lawsuit by asking a court to determine whether the alleged victim is gay and may have found the childhood sexual abuse pleasurable.
In my home state of Wisconsin, advocates delivered boxes of documents to the attorney general, which they claim contain new evidence of sexual abuse and cover-up in the state’s dioceses. (I spoke a bit about this investigation and our response as Catholics on The Morning Show on Wisconsin Public Radio.)
A Franciscan priest will face trial next month on charges that he raped a student while he served as campus minister at Franciscan University of Steubenville. His case raises serious questions about the response by the university and other church leaders.
Right after Christmas, the Vatican laicized Robert McWilliams, the 41 year old Cleveland priest who is now serving a life sentence for sexually exploiting children.
Going Deeper
Awake Milwaukee has provided ongoing attention to the problem of abuse of adults in the Catholic Church. One blog post highlights recent developments in canon law and USCCB conversations about the topic, while the follow-up post explores the responses of five survivors.
I continue to follow sexual abuse scandals in other religious and secular institutions; it’s disturbing how similar the patterns of abuse and response are, no matter the setting. Two recent examples: This long but valuable piece on a predator employed by one of America’s largest Protestant summer camps and the ongoing fallout of the Larry Nassar scandal in USA Gymanstics - which is now extending beyond this specific sport.
You know from reading this blog that I have made the choice to remain Catholic, working for change from within this broken institution. But I am always seeking to listen to and better understand those who have made a different decision. If you are a fellow Catholic, you might find this essay valuable for your reflection: “Why I Can’t Stay.” I have heard many survivors compare staying in the Church to staying in an abusive relationship, and I believe all of us who remain Catholic have to take this comparison seriously.
Worthwhile Videos
GRACE (Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment) is an amazing organization that “empowers Christian communities to recognize, prevent, and respond to abuse,” primarily in the Protestant context. Their recent event on “Known Offenders in the Church” provided a wealth of information, myth-busting, and advice for anyone wanting to make their church safer.
Any time Rachael Denhollander speaks, I listen. This video dialogue was particularly valuable and would be well worth your time. One point she made really stood out to me: She asserted that, while policies and procedures are important, the most important thing a church can do to create safety is to transform the way it thinks and talks about abuse. She claimed that this kind of change is harder to achieve but also more effective. I tend to agree.
This presentation from one of SNAP’s past mini-conferences really got me thinking about “The Complexity of Resilience” - and why we might need to rethink our emphasis on resilience.
Thank you for reading and sharing. I’ll see you next week, for our February Survivors’ Voices post!
Peace,
Sara
There's so much to pray for.