In his interview, Msgr. Scicluna, who was the Vatican investigator in the Maciel case, refers directly but not by name to Maciel. Spanish-language newspapers have picked this up, but the English-language press may have missed it:
Only with the 2001 “Motu Proprio” did the crime of paedophilia again become our exclusive remit. From that moment Cardinal Ratzinger displayed great wisdom and firmness in handling those cases, also demonstrating great courage in facing some of the most difficult and thorny cases, “sine acceptione personarum”. Therefore, to accuse the current Pontiff of a cover-up is, I repeat, false and calumnious.
(snip)
In sixty percent of cases there has been no trial, above all because of the advanced age of the accused, but administrative and disciplinary provisions have been issued against them, such as the obligation not to celebrate Mass with the faithful, not to hear confession, and to live a retired life of prayer. It must be made absolutely clear that in these cases, some of which are particularly sensational and have caught the attention of the media, no absolution has taken place. It’s true that there has been no formal condemnation, but if a person is obliged to a life of silence and prayer, then there must be a reason…
This is what Benedict did: he did not try Maciel, but obliged him to lead a retired life of prayer and penance.
Benedict had reversed John Paul’s policy of protecting and encouraging Maciel, and feels it somewhat unjust that he, Benedict, is now being criticized. But he should explain how Maciel managed to escape for decades, who Maciel’s protectors were, how John Paul could have made such an egregious mistake. Until Benedict is completely honest and open about the failure of the Church, his own integrity will be questioned.
Imagine yourself at the very top of the Church. How can you know what is going on in Outer Mongolia? How can you scrutinize all the details of what happens in an Order, and even less so, one that was hermetically sealed off from the world? JP II lived under Nazism and Communism, times in which priests and nuns were systematically slandered as sex maniacs, etc. I think JP II could have been quite sincere (albeit mistaken) in honoring Maciel, particularly at the outset of his pontificate. No one less than Richard John Neuhaus was duped, even after minutely studying all the relevant documents. (See the two issues of First Things back during the Lenten Reign of Terror in 2002 in which he defends Maciel. I myself wrote to Neuhaus, at that time, insisting it was very dangerous to back the Legion even with extensive “documented” studies. In the case of the Legion, it was like the Emperor’s New Clothes, for us who had personal contact with young men “before-and-after” the Legion). Again, if you place yourself at the top, I think it is possible to be hoodwinked. The top is far too distant from the grass roots where things are really happening and being commented by those who never circulate at the top. Also, I recall that when JP II came to Mexico on his later voyages, he kept Maciel at arms length. When reporters approached Ratzinger on the case of Maciel, (just before he became Pope) it is true that he pushed them away. But his words at the same time were: “Can’t you wait?” What he must have been referring to is the eventual exclusion of Maciel from public exercise of the priestly ministry. But the Church always needs to study cases of this sort before reacting. Remember the Beatles: “Mother Superior jumped the gun.” I know several ex-Legionaries who suffered greatly in the Legion, but because they were hermetically sealed inside the prison of the Vow of Silence, they really did not know what was actually going on. I don’t think I would have been in any better position than they were in. I was a major superior of a religious institute for 23 years, and quite often I was the last to find out what was going on behind my back. After saying this, I still am convinced the Legion should be committed to accountability and definitely dissolved. My main reason for seeing dissolution as the only route is because Vatican II, in Perfectae Caritatis, stipulates that all renewal of the religious life must be rooted in the “spirit of the founder.” This makes it virtually impossible for the Legion to continue, even in a modified form.
” Until Benedict is completely honest and open about the failure of the Church, his own integrity will be questioned.”
I belive with all my heart that the Holy Spirit wanted the clergy sex abuse scandal to come out in the open. I also believe that until the Pope and worlds bishops are “completely honest and open about their failure,” the Holy Spirit will not let this matter die in the Church.
Dear Truth Lover
When the head of an organization is SO cut off from and SO distant from the grass roots as you describe, than something’s definitely wrong. How can one lead what one does not know?
Yes, it’s true that totalitarian regimes with which JP had struggled did falsely accuse priests and religious. However, JP was widely traveled and knew human nature. Do you really think he believed all accusations against clergy were, de facto, false? If so, he was “cut off” from basic human experience and the history of his own church.
Finally, does the Church have to take time to study in detail cases like that of Marcial before acting in any way? Sure it need time before officially accusing him, etc. But when complaints are made by several highly credible witnesses and in the meantime souls and lives are at stake?
Until this is cleared up it would seem a good thing to hold back from canonizing JP.
This is the Catholic Church’s m0ment of truth. Not 2002, not the Reformation, not the Great Schism of 1054, but now. Will the Church’s leaders finally align themselves with the Gospel of Christ in practice, behavior and attitude? Or will they continue to sacrifice on the altars of power, expediency, political influence, intellectual fashion and material gain?
If you think that’s too strong, then consider the following definition of the Gospel from a commenter on Rod Dreher’s blog:
“The gospel of Jesus Christ…is largely about giving up power, depending utterly on Jesus, and even being ‘living sacrifices,’ and you can see where a lot of the conflict comes in. In contrast to frequent the scriptural command to ‘fear not’ and to love your neighbor, the false god of power depends in large part on fear and on getting one up on one’s neighbor.”
Can we not say that the Church has been sacrificing to the “false god of power” for far too many centuries?
We can say that the Church has been sacrificing children to the false god of power for centuries.
Dear Father Michael,
I sincerely appreciate your comment about my comment. Since I can place myself in your position (vicariously) I can agree with you. There are more sides to an argument than at first meets the eye. The words of Aristotle may help both of us: “The mark of an educated mind is to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.”
On another aspect of the Clergy Sexual Scandals, I have a thought to offer, and question to ask, based on my own experience trying to search down and blow the whistle against clergy sex predators. The topic has to do with Bishop Donald E. Pelotte who died allegedly “from a fall down his staircase.” I am a priest, living in a country whose police forces positively and routinely ignore priest pedophiles. Reason: “They don’t want to be Judases by betraying their priests.” They have a real idolatry for priests in this country which is very catholic. Now here in this foreign country, whose name I do not dare to mention for fear of its repercussions, there are small groups of priest pedophiles who communicate among each other to protect their velvet mafia and to aggressively intimidate those who would attempt to bring down their heavily armored castle. One of their favorite pastimes is sending bullies to extort and even torture those who would uncover their criminal activities. They are known even to kill victims, witnesses and my own bishop was almost stabbed to death for his valiant work against pedophile priests. Some nights I lose sleep wondering who may be leaning over my bed to stop my work and my mouth by threatening death if I don’t shut up. (I have been publishing a few articles against priestly pedophilia in general, articles that were very hesitatingly accepted for publishing locally, as it is a big taboo here. Obviously I never mention names.) I have already received insinuations. Now, returning to Pelotte. I highly suspect that he was threatened and tortured in order to force him to shut up. I know that three of our priests were murdered a few years ago. A qualified witness said they were beaten and stabbed to death. But the official story was that they were asphyxiated by kerosene lanterns. The bishop at that time publicly announced that the “official report” is they were asphyxiated. Let us suppose the bishop was forced to accept the official version under threats of murdering more priests. I suspect this may have been the case with Pelotte, although this side of paradise, I cannot know for sure. Beatings of prelates have been known where I live, especially in the last 40 years. Our first bishop was murdered in 1967. Let me know, anyone out there, what can be done in such circumstances. I pray with all my heart that Benedict XVI does not limit his remarks to the Irish church in his upcoming document that is supposed to be “definitive.” I think the document should be addressed to the universal church. I have already been told by others down here that “Oh yes, but that document is for Ireland, not for us!”
Truth lover,
Because of his very position under Pope John Paul II, Cardinal Ratizinger DID have information about the clergy sex scandal. All reports had to go through his office, including those on Maciel. Maybe he became stricter after he became pope – good PR – but he still did nothing to investigate the truth about Maciel, and so, we do not know how many more people he molested during this time.
Pelotte was nothing more than the unfortunate victim of someone he brought home for sex. This is such a common occurrence in the US. It doesn’t always make the papers, and then, only locally. So THAT scandal remains pocketed. And a cigar is just a good smoke.
OTOH, The Boys Club, Fannie George, Andrew Greeley, Francis Pellegrini. Ah, that’s another story entirely. Every once in a while a cigar is more than just a good smoke.
OH,PRIESTS,WHY DO YOU STAY IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE VERY EVIL YOU ARE TRYING TO DESTROY?
SHAKE THE( DUST?) EVIL FROM YOUR FEET AND LEAVE!
1) To Gabe: Marciel was one of the greatest con artists in history. The case, in hindsight, seems so simple. But the Pope, like anyone else, can be conned. The lawyers’ documents in defense of Maciel were extremely convincing. 2) To Gloria: I recall Jesus’ words to a nun who was upset by her Sisters: “I could have surrounded you with devils, but that would not be an excuse for you to be anything other than what you are supposed to be.” For some people leaving may be the best way to protest; for others staying may be the best way to fight. Each of us has a way of dealing with problems. The aim is to get the problem solved by any means possible, but to know what you are doing before you do it.