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Statement by Barbara Blaine of Chicago, SNAP Founder and President (312) 399-4747, SNAPnetwork.org
re: Possible Los Angeles clergy sex abuse settlements
We urge Catholics and citizens to keep in mind that:
- The credit for this settlement goes first to the brave victims,then to compassionate lawmakers (who made the lawsuits possible), and finally to victims' attorneys (who took hard, uncertain cases and overcame seemingly endless hardball legal maneuvers by bishops). The church hierarchy deserves none of the credit.
- It's an enormous personal risk, requiring tremendous courage, for any victim of a sex crime to come forward and speak up. It's even harder when the predator is a trusted religious authority figure backed by an incredibly wealthy and powerful institution like the church. Every single one of these victims deserves the gratitude of California Catholics and citizens. Every single one of these victims have made this state a safer place.
- Perhaps dozens of these predators would still be working in parishes today, if not for the wisdom of California lawmakers and the courage of abuse victims. Critics of litigation must acknowledge the tremendous social good that has been done because hundreds of child sex abuse victims were strong, brave and wise enough to report these crimes and take legal action against abusive priests and complicit bishops.
- Virtually no complicit church employees - those who deceived parishioners, stonewalled police, stiff-armed prosecutors, and helped predators - would have ever been exposed if not for these brave victims who spoke out and fought hard to reveal the truth. The victims - not the judges, mediators or anyone else - deserve nearly all the credit for this settlement.
- Mahony and his brother California bishops fought long and hard to have virtually all of these cases tossed out, by repeatedly claiming in court after court, that the law which enabled these cases to be filed is unconstitutional.
- Compensating victims of devastating child rape is the absolute bare minimum step that guilty parties should take. This settlement is a smart business move for Mahony, nothing more.
- Still, it represents an enormous achievement for these courageous victims, who had to confront their pain, share their experiences, and endure repeated spurious legal delays and setbacks, before ultimately prevailing. We commend them for their bravery, their wisdom, their patience, and their persistence.
- For decades, church officials have settled abuse cases. This is nothing new. Settlements in no way signify 'reform' or 'change' by church officials. When bishops settle child sex abuse cases, it is almost always to spare themselves court appearances, tough questions and the risk of perjury charges.
- We feel sorry for those victims who strongly wanted their 'day in court' to expose their twisted predator-priests who assaulted them and the irresponsible church officials who shielded those predators. Some of these victims may be very disappointed. We understand their pain, and hope they will persist in trying to further expose corruption and duplicity in the hierarchy in other ways.
- We believe that most of the predators involved in this settlement are still priests on the archdiocesan payroll. Most have been suspended but not defrocked. Few, we believe, have been 'cured' or no longer present a risk to kids.
- Vigilance, not complacency, protects kids. Catholics should fight the temptation to be complacent. Almost nothing about the church hierarchy and its secret mishandling of abuse cases has changed, despite massive public relations efforts that suggest otherwise.
- Every nickel that is being paid out had to be forced, through incredible courage and persistence, by the resilient, caring, still-hurting abuse victims themselves.
- Church officials will try to portray this settlement as a sign that they care. Nothing could be further from the truth. This settlement shows that Mahony cares about Mahony, and no one else. He is terrified of having to disclose under oath in open court, how much the church's corporate officials knew about and how little they did about pedophile priests, nuns, brothers, and seminarians.
- Time and time again, Mahony has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars, donated by generous Catholics, to delay the legal process. By doing this, he's also kept the truth hidden, kept Catholics in the dark, and kept victims in deep pain. His role in covering up hundreds of clergy sex crimes is despicable. His actions even now remain despicable.
- More than any bishop in the US, Mahony has authorized stunningly groundless and far-fetched legal theories to protect himself, his reputation, and his cronies from having to take the oath and tell the truth about archdiocesan complicity in child rapes.
- It's tempting but naïve to think that this settlement will deter present and future deceit and recklessness by Catholic bishops. It won't. The church always has been and still is a rigid, secretive, all-male, hierarchical monarchy. That hasn't changed. Until it does, bishops will continue to protect themselves first, even above protecting kids.
- Wrongdoing is prevented when wrong-doers experience consequences. But Mahony and his cronies are essentially getting off scot-free. Not a single church supervisor - who knew about abuse and kept silent or suspected abuse and covered it up - is losing even one day's pay. The message is clear: An abusive priest or nun might be caught and suffer a penalty. A corrupt colleague or supervisor won't be caught and won't suffer a penalty.
What should happen now?
Settlements can and usually do lead to more healing and prevention. But only if victims and decision-makers realize this is just the beginning step.
VICTIMS
- Many clergy sex abuse victims desperately need in-patient drug rehab or alcohol treatment or addictions programs. They have waited years for therapy, to cope with eating disorders, depression, and suicidal tendencies. This settlement will help these deeply wounded individuals begin to piece their lives together and move forward.
- At the same time, however, no settlement will ever magically restore stolen childhoods, betrayed psyches, shattered self-esteem, and damaged relationships. When the checks clear, abuse victims will still experience nightmares, sleeplessness, isolation, and self-destructive behaviors. It's crucial that these brave victims stay in therapy, keep attending support groups, and remain in treatment programs. It's essential that they understand that no amount of money will provide the instantly or effortlessly bring healing
- But it must be remembered that for years, often for decades, victims were made to feel that the abuse didn't happen, was their fault, wasn't severe, and didn't cause their on-going suffering. A settlement like this can be healthy validation.
CATHOLICS
- Insist that church officials 'come clean' about church finances.
- Avoid the temptation to become complacent
CHURCH OFFICIALS
- Every church employee who suspected abuse and stayed silent or knew of abuse and hid it, should step up to the plate, publicly acknowledge their wrongdoing, and ask for the forgiveness of victims and the entire church.
- Every former church employee who suspected abuse and stayed silent or knew of abuse and hid it, should step up to the plate, publicly acknowledge their wrongdoing, and ask for the forgiveness of victims and the entire church.
- Everyone - current and former church members and employees - should look within themselves, honor their civic and moral duty, and report to law enforcement any suspicions or information they have about clergy sex crimes, however small or old that information or those suspicions might be. It's our job as citizens to tell police what we know. It's their job to determine whether that information leads to prosecution.
- As the 2003 civil window period began, church officials across California launched a carefully orchestrated public relations maneuver. They began predicting ominous financial hardships if child molestation lawsuits were filed against their dioceses. This has not and will not happen.
It is now clear, and will become clearer in the months ahead, that this was pure posturing, designed to cause fewer lawsuits and smaller settlements.
They quietly began working even harder to keep victims away from lawyers and advocates, to pay off victims quietly, and to discourage and guilt trip victims into avoiding lawsuits. Church officials should publicly acknowledge and apologize for these shameful maneuvers.
- Every church official, from Mahony down to parish priests, should admit that the 'gloom and doom' predictions of church financial hardships was disingenuous legal maneuvering.
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