Cardinal Burke's sex abuse analysis woefully inadequate

[rug]

by Thomas C. Fox on Sep. 03, 2012

Cardinal Raymond Burke has reportedly expressed his profound sorrow that “the failure of knowledge and application of the canon law … contributed significantly to the scandal of the sexual abuse of minors by the clergy in some parts of the world.”

His remarks, as far as they go, reveal a serious misunderstanding of the deeper nature of the clergy sex abuse crisis. Not to face its larger and, in the eyes of many, more troubling dimension, is to make it all the more unlikely we will ever get beyond it.

What makes the cardinal’s seemingly inadequate analysis all the more shocking is that he holds a critical position of authority within our church. As head of our church’s highest court, the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, any inability – or unwillingness – to face, examine and respond to the scandal, now over a quarter century old, only adds to the crisis and feeds an already widespread pessimism that our church leaders are not up to the task.

Is it personality or structure? Is it the makeup of the leadership or the way that leadership carries out (or fails to carry out) its duties?

http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/cardinal-burkes-sex-abuse-analysis-woefully-inadequate

[Angry Dragon]

1. It is the makeup of the leadership

they set the personallity

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

2. From the NCR article

It has been the collective failure by our church leaders – a failure lasting to this day – that is so disturbing to so many. It has been a failure to adequately address the episcopal complicity and cover up in the quarter century old scandal. This absence of accountability was evident in the June 2002 declaration by the U.S. bishops of their “zero tolerance” law for priests. At that time, the bishops promulgated a Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. It pledged the Catholic Church in the U.S. to providing a "safe environment" for all children in church-sponsored activities. But the documents said virtually nothing at the time about the episcopal patterns of abusive behavior that allowed the scandal to flourish for so many years.

It held no bishop accountable.

Everyone in the hierarchy, from the Pope on down, seems to have overdosed on stupid pills. They think that they are defending the Church by denying that there is a real problem, or by covering it up or by blaming everyone else. In fact, they are damaging the Church's reputation. Apparently, they have forgotten that what made Nixon resign the presidency was not the Watergate break-in itself, but his attempts to cover up the break-in.

Cardinal Law, who shielded pedophile priests is living in gracious retirement in Rome, and will not have to face a court in Massachusetts. If it were up to me, he would be named apostolic delegate to North Korea or be doing penance in the Grande Chartreuse or something like that.

[47of74]

3. You can see why St. Louis was so glad to be rid of the guy

[rug]

4. It's dangerous to have him preside over the highest court in Canon Law.

[benld74]

6. YA mean Burke the Jerk?

[47of74]

5. The entire heirarchy is turning into a mediocrity

It seems to me that the best priests are often left in the trenches as lowly parish priests, or monsignors if they're lucky. They are working hard to take care of people. They're the ones who are running three, four, five, or more parishes in addition to other duties and are getting burned out in the process. Meanwhile the ones totally undeserving of promotion are the ones who get promoted. The entire upper levels of church leadership is turning into a mediocrity that is hopelessly out of touch with the rest of the world.

[TommyCelt]

7. The abuse scandal

is 2-pronged in nature. The first prong is the abuse itself, and since the Boston Globe broker this story in 2002, IMO, the USCCB has done an exceptional job by putting preventative measures in place for the finding and reporting of future abuse by clergy and religious.

It is the 2nd prong...the blatant cover-up and shuffle of known abusers by the hierarchy...that needs to be addressed in some fashion. As has been mentioned, there has been no admission of guilt, no complicit bishops and superiors brought to justice. "Horrible mistakes were made" is the MO of the hierarchy...always passive voice, always making it sound like an accident, whoops so sorry.

Prime example is Fabian Bruskewitz from Lincoln Nebraska, who rejected the audit of his Diocese by the USCCB's National Review Board for the Protection of Children and Young People, and refused to sign the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. He is of Burke's ilk.

"Some woman...who is the chair of something called 'A National Review Board for the Protection of Children and Young People,' has said that her board 'calls for strong fraternal correction of the Diocese of Lincoln.' The Diocese of Lincoln has nothing to be corrected for, since the Diocese of Lincoln is and has always been in full compliance with all laws of the Catholic Church and with all civil laws...The Diocese of Lincoln does not see any reason for the existence of Ewers and her organization."

Until prelates like Burke and Bruskewitz change their tune or die, our Church will be in turmoil.

[rug]

8. Welcome to DU!

Appreciate your contribution.