BishopAccountability.org
	Let the Federal Search Warrants Flow… Off My Knees January 30, 2009 http://michaelbaumann.wordpress.com/2009/01/31/let-the-federal-search-warrants-flow/ Yesterday’s news, chronicled in the Abuse Tracker by Kathy Shaw, was full of stories about the Federal Grand Jury Investigation of the Diocese of Los Angeles and Cardinal Roger M. Mahony for his alleged role in covering up child molestation by priests. The grounds on which the grand jury’s work is to be based centers on whether Mahony or other church officials violated a law prohibiting schemes to “deprive another of the intangible right of honest services.” I am sure that this news has shaken Chancery buildings across the country. Even as we speak I have little doubt of the quaking cassocks that are turning to their shredders to purge Diocesesan records of proof of the continued policy of hiding and enabling pedophile priests . I fully support any crusading U.S. Attorney, especially the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, to get a warrant and raid Chancery Buildings before the Bishops obstruct justice (again) to hide their complicity in the scandal that will not go away. May I suggest that they start with the Diocese of Scranton on Wyoming Avenue in Scranton. Hey, it is a short walk from the William J. Nealon Federal Building and Courthouse on North Washington Avenue, where the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania is located. If Cardinal Mahony and the Diocese of Los Angeles can be investigated, then lets afford the same legal courtesy to victims of pedophile priests in Northeast Pennsylvania (NEPA) and investigate Bishop Timlin, Bishop Martino and the Diocese of Scranton’s handling of the sexual assaults and abuses by priests in NEPA. The Diocese of Scranton is still hiding information and protecting pedophiles at the expense of parishioners and to the detriment of victims. Their “transparent” process is filled with roadblocks and secrecy. They attempt to keep victims silent and act as if we are the villians. If the process is transparant, whay are the names of the members of the Review Board that advises the Bishop on Sex Abuse cases are kept confidential? I’m not sure that the Diocese grasps the concept of “transparent”. Remember, this is not about religion. This is about a large business enterprise (the Diocese) consolidating their power and influence while trying to manage risk by obstructing justice, hiding information and protecting pedophiles and rapists. If any other business venture were to conduct themselves in this manner the CEO and the leadership of that business venture would be in jail, and rightfully so. Now is the time to act. Now is the time to push for Window Legislation in Pennsylvania and force the Catholic Dioceses of that Commonwealth to do the right thing. The seem to lack a conscience , only the legal system will be able to compell them to do what should have been intuitive to the leaders of a religion. Please contact your legislators and the U.S. Attorney’s office in your region to support any initiative that forces the Catholic church to be accountable for their actions.
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