People in Pews, Church Leaders, React to Ruling, Catholic Sentinel [Portland OR], April 27, 2007

People in Pews, Church Leaders, React to Ruling

Catholic Sentinel [Portland OR]
April 27, 2007

http://www.sentinel.org/articles/2007-17/15339.html

An ordeal is over for victims of child sexual abuse and Catholics in the Archdiocese of Portland, says a Catholic military chaplain and leader in Oregon's ecumenical movement.

"No one of us in the archdiocese is so presumptuous as to think that this settlement will bring an end to the suffering of those injured," says Father Rick Sirianni, discussing last week's court approval of a plan to end the Archdiocese of Portland's 33-month bankruptcy. "It is more likely the case that the settlement is merely the first step in bringing some closure and healing to the pain they have experienced over many years."

The pastor of St. Henry Parish in Gresham, Father Sirianni says he is grateful for the Catholic community itself.

"Their compassion for victims, their desire for just compensation, and their commitment to the mission of the church has been deeply moving to me," he says, adding that pastoral care, Catholic education and construction and maintenance of churches is dependent on parishioners and school parents.

"Apart from their generosity our mission to proclaim the gospel, celebrate the sacraments, and to form minds and hearts in our schools would come to an abrupt end," he explains.

Father Sirianni thanks the archdiocesan staff who worked "tirelessly" to reach the settlement.

"Rarely do we acknowledge and properly thank the people who work on 28th and Burnside," says the priest. "In this matter and countless others, they make the archdiocese work."

He lauds Archbishop John Vlazny for "incredible leadership" during the crisis.

"He never lost sight of the fact that he was the shepherd of a flock that included those who sought justice as well as those seeking to continue the mission of the church," the priest says. "He was a bishop to us all. The mistakes made in our dealing with the sexual abuse of children in this Archdiocese were not made by him. The crimes committed did not occur on his watch. Regardless, he gave his all to bring healing to those injured, and a commitment to all that the protection of our children from sexual abuse would never again be compromised."

"People around here have been following the cases and people have been prayerful," says Kathy Reilly, pastoral associate at St. Mary Parish in Albany for more than 20 years. "Everyone wanted there to be justice for the victims, but at the same time people were concerned about parish resources.

"Relief isn't the right word, but we can now start moving forward again. Our parish had talked about expanding our school and expanding our classrooms — the bankruptcy put that off for awhile. Now we can begin that discussion again.

"There is a tremendous sense of appreciation here for the leadership of Archbishop John Vlazny and other church leaders who guided us through this time."

Al Matecko, 55, has been a member of Christ the King Parish in Milwaukie since 1997. He's relatively new to Oregon, as a career in the military has taken him in many directions and places – Texas, Nebraska and Italy.

Matecko now serves as director of public and legal affairs for the Forest Service in the Pacific Northwest.

"Like many people, I have a sense of relief now that the bankruptcy settlement has been reached," he says. "However, the next question we, as a community, need to find an answer for is where do we go from here? What do we do next?"

In light of what has come out, Matecko believes that the present time offers an opportunity to address issues concerning the future of the church based on where it has been and where it is now.

"There has been damage done to the church in light of the sexual abuse situation," he says. "We need to make sure that the victims get the help they need. We need to make sure that the clergy – the majority of whom are good people – gets the help it needs."

He added a third tier to the mix.

"There's a significant group we need to reach out to – those who fall into the 20-40 age bracket," he says, "a group that may not feel they can trust the church to get straight answers."

Matecko suspects this group may view the church differently than those in older demographics – they may be disillusioned by what they deem as a cover-up and about how the church, overall, has handled the situation. It's a relationship that's been damaged and is in need of repair.

"They represent the future of the church," says Matecko, "and many of them may feel let down. In order to bring them back into the fold, the church needs to prove that it's there for them. We, as a community, have a perfect opportunity to do just this. In this period of healing, we can reach out to disenfranchised groups to discuss the future of the church and its growth potential – so that they're a part of what we can become. What is a negative can be transformed into a positive."

Glenn and Sandra Walker, members of St. Anne Parish in Grants Pass, say completion of the bankruptcy prompts them to move on "in optimism" with renewed spirit toward Catholic goals and values.

"Through the offenses of a few, we've all experienced difficult times; their misdeeds have hurt each one of us and cost us time, accomplishments, energy, and vast amounts of money," the Walkers say. "However, the offenders are very few in light of the multitudes doing good works throughout the Church. We can continue to draw courage and inspiration from present and past accomplishments spirited by love and service."

The Walkers credit Archbishop Vlazny with giving an example of love and compassion. Like him, they are praying and will work for healing of victims through counseling, rehabilitation and fellowship.

"Many mistakes made by church, society, and our courts, were a product of the limited information existing at the time," the couple say. "With current knowledge, the Church has been working hard to correct and prevent a reoccurrence of abuse."

The courage of faithful priests and religious inspires the Walkers.

"They remain dedicated to their mission and they demonstrate trust in God while bringing love, hope, and joy into the various situations of life during these stressful times," the couple explain.

Frank Bocci, a member of St. Mary Parish in Eugene and a retired federal judge, was concerned about how parishes might get involved. The work of mediators impresses him and he calls the settlement "balanced and fair."

"I know the archdiocese intended that the involved plaintiffs be justly compensated and also that church and school properties of various parishes be protected as well," Bocci says. "It's clear to me that Chief Bankruptcy Judge Perris' and District Court Judge Jones sought to have the matter determined in accordance with the law and with fairness to the parties on both sides, as well. There were four very well respected judges on this sad part of our history who did a great service in bringing this matter to an end."

The bankruptcy has been on the minds of contemplative Catholics.

Since 2001, the Carmelite Nuns of Eugene followed direction from Archbishop Vlazny and reserved specific days for fasting and prayer, in the name of the abused.

"For several years, we have been following the events concerning the sex abuse cases and proceedings," says Mother Elizabeth St. Onge, the order's prioress. "Through this time we have been offering our prayers and sacrifices for truth, justice and healing for all the people involved: the victims, abusers, court officials and especially the archbishop, clergy and staff who have carried such a heavy burden."

Prayer and meditation are the norm for the Carmelite women. But focusing the spiritual efforts, explains Mother Elizabeth, has been gratifying.

"By the grace of God we hope to continue this contemplative presence as a source of encouragement for everyone in the years to come," she says.

"I think parishioners are pleased that the bankruptcy has come to a conclusion and as we go forward and documents are released explaining some of the actions that took place, it will give everybody a better opportunity to start the healing process," says John Rickman, a retired banker and member of St. Pius X Parish. He served as chair of the Committee of Parishioners, which was formed to protect interests of parishes in the bankruptcy.

"We all know the whole process came about because some wrong decisions were made and some very bad things happened to some very young people," Rickman says. "The whole idea is to begin the healing process not only for survivors but for parishioners and the church as well," he said.