BishopAccountability.org
	Monsignor Urell And Trial-By-Media, Part II OC Blog September 28, 2007 http://www.ocblog.net/ocblog/2007/09/i-read-frank-mi.html I read Frank Mickadeit's column today. I look forward to his column unspinning John Manly's spin. I also read Gustavo Arellano's article on the Diocese of Orange's clergy sex abuse scandal in the new OC Weekly. Article primarily focuses on Msgr. Urell's role as the diocesan point man for clergy sex abuse cases. Question: Gustavo knows that the current litigation isn't about Monsignor Urell, but about Mater Dei High School Coach Jeff Andrade conducting a 2-year sexual relationship with a student in the mid-1990s, right? He mentions it in the beginning of the article, but more as a current events peg upon which to publish a recount of events that are already known. I don't dispute that Monsignor Urell shares culpability in the mishandling of clergy sex abuse cases. I doubt he does, either. If he were the cold, vicious man some seem bent on portraying him as, he wouldn't be in a treatment facility trying recover from acute anxiety disorder. This story is another sortie in John Manly's media offensive to secure a pre-trial settlement of as much Church money as possible. I'm not accusing Gustavo of being Manly's accomplice, but I think hey are serving each other's purposes. The current litigation is about Jeff Andrade, who has admitted to his offense. He was a coach, not a priest, so Monsignor Urell would not have caught his case. So why is all the media attention is on Monsignor Urell, not Jeff Andrade? Monsignor Urell has been out of the Diocesan hierarchy and in the parishes where he belongs for several years. The cases Gustavo goes over have been well-reported on. They make for "better" stories. The Andrade case is about one abuser and his victim. Making Monsignor Urell the subject opens the door to writing about multiple cases of abuses and their victims, and to attack the Catholic Church without fear of blow-back. I'm sure some will accuse me of wanting to sweep the sexual abuse scandal under the rug. Nothing is further from the truth. I am thankful for media exposure of these cases. It was investigations by the secular media that forced the Catholic Church in America to face itself and its culpability, to start weeding these predators out of the clergy and making amends to their victims. But at some point the coverage becomes gratuitous and self-serving. And I think that is the case with Monsignor Urell. I love and respect Monsignor Urell. He is a good priest and a good man, a well of compassion and kindness and self-giving. As pastor, he has revived St. Norbert and is a wonderful priestly role model for the children of our parish and school. Like the rest of my parish, I pray for his recovery and return. I believe he was placed in an awful position and shares the blame for mishandling cases of abuse. But repentance, forgiveness and redemption are at the heart of Christianity. And I have no doubt Monsignor Urell is repentant and remorseful about whatever mistakes and sins he committed in his handling of clergy abuse cases. One does not have to hate and excoriate Monsignor Urell in order to grieve for victims of clergy abuse. The abuse scandal has taken an enormous spiritual, financial and moral toll on the Catholic Church from which it will take years to recover. But I fail to see how destroying Monsignor Urell as a man or a priest will heal anything or anyone, and I plan to stand up and support Monsignor Urell against efforts to destroy him. I am open about my motivation. Perhaps others writing about this case could be about their own.
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