BishopAccountability.org
	Purified by Fire By Andrea Slivka Review-Times May 8, 2010 http://www.reviewtimes.com/Issues/2010/May/08/ar_news_050810_story2.asp?d=050810_story2,2010,May,08&c=n As some European Catholic clergy face accusations of past abuse and concealment, the pastor of St. Wendelin Catholic Church says the church in the United Sates has worked hard in recent years to protect youth. "I would challenge any organization to see if they have as complete a procedure for educating our people, checking on our employees, and volunteers and checking up on cases as we have in the Catholic Church," Fr. Nicholas Weibl said. "And if they're not, I would challenge them to do so to protect the children." The scandal in the U.S. has been a "cleansing" for the church, he said. "I think the pain we've gone through as a church has helped to purify us and a lot of good has come out of it," he said. Protecting youth The church has taken several preventative measures among Catholic school and parish employees, volunteers and seminarians, Weibl said. All those who work with youth are now required to be fingerprinted and to undergo FBI background checks and participate in ongoing preventative education, according to requirements from policy set by U.S. Bishops. In the Toledo Diocese, background checks are required every five years and those who work with youth must participate in "Protecting Youth and Those who Serve Them" workshops or take an online course for certification every five years. Those who take part include church and school staff, coaches and volunteers. "They're taking it very seriously, obviously," said David Lang, St. Wendelin parish manager. Lang serves as the compliance officer for the parish and is responsible for reporting the parish's compliance to the policy. In each parish, the role is filled by a lay person, not a priest, Lang said. "I say we give it an A-plus effort," he said. "We've complied as much as we possibly can here at St. Wendelin." Seminaries Men preparing for priesthood undergo rigorous psychological testing, according to a local seminarian. Testing performed by independent psychologists is "meant to determine that a man is psychologically and psychosexually healthy and mature," said Deacon Phil Smith, a seminarian completing his pastoral year at St. Wendelin. Seminarians also attend several workshops, training sessions and classes to learn how to ensure the safety of children at the parish and parish schools. Seminarians are told to report allegations of abuse to civil authorities. "That's something that's emphasized -- cooperation and transparency with civil authorities," Smith said. Having entered seminary after the abuse scandal gained media attention in 2001-2002, the 25-year-old seminarian said it is upsetting and disturbing to him that certain members of the clergy abused minors in the past. But many priests have also had a positive impact on him. "I've found my own life that there are many good, holy, faithful priests who generously serve the church and are the ones that are leading the church in the right direction into the future," Smith said. He believes youth need good role models to encourage them to follow Christ, and he said he hopes to fill that role as a priest. Reporting the accused In addition to requiring education and background checks, the Toledo Diocese has published names of priests and deacons who have been removed from ministry for sexual abuse of minors in the past 50 years. The report on the diocese's Web site describes 41 cases. Of those listed, 11 went through the canonical process and were removed from ministry, nine voluntarily left the priesthood before allegations were made, one was removed from ministry and is waiting the disposition of his case in Miami, and allegations were found to be not credible against one priest. Seven belonged to religious orders and were outside the diocese's jurisdiction. Among those listed, Joseph Schmelzer was stationed at St. Wendelin and served as principal of the parish high school, but no accusations were in regard to his time at the school, Weibl said. He has been placed on permanent leave. Another priest, Lawrence Scharf, grew up at St. Wendelin but did not serve there in the ministry. He was also dismissed from the priesthood. According to a study by John Jay College of Criminal Justice, allegations were made against four percent of priests serving between 1950 to 2002. Seventy-five percent of incidents occurred between 1960 to 1984; 81 percent of the victims were males, and 19 percent were females; 51 percent were 11-14 years old and 27.3 percent were 15-17 years old. Fifty-six percent of the accused had only one victim and 27 percent had two or three victims. The best at the time In reference to accusations against the church of covering up abuse and moving priests to different parishes, Weibl said it was not known 40 to 50 years ago that pedophiles could not be cured and rehabilitated. Psychological evidence at the time indicated pedophiles could be rehabilitated, he said. Weibl said he believes the church did the best it knew at the time by sending priests to counseling and on retreats. Priests were not put back in ministry who did not have a recommendation that they were fit for ministry, Weibl said. "But the question is what are we doing today?" Weibl said. "I think today, if we're not doing anything about it, then today we need to be accused." New policy set by the U.S. Bishops in 2002 now requires priests be removed from ministry while an investigation is conducted. The policy also requires all cases be reported to the civil authorities. Weibl believes it is important for a priest to be removed from ministry but not "condemned" before an investigation is completed. "I think everyone has a day in court," Weibl said. He cited one case in which a girl accused a priest of molesting her in the church basement, but the church did not have a basement as she described. After the scandal gained media attention, some priests were afraid to even be around children for fear of being accused, Weibl said. "It was almost like a witch hunt," he said. Weibl was vicar of priests for the Toledo Diocese at the time the abuse scandal broke in the United States. As a liaison between the diocese and priests, he worked with priests who had been accused and with the parish communities. These former priests have not been able to get jobs because of their records and are suffering the consequences of their actions, he said. He does not defend anyone who has violated the trust of children and parishes, "but I want them to be healed," he said. Defending the pope The scrutiny on abuse cases in the Catholic Church is taking the focus off the real problem of abuse and pedophilia in the U.S., Weibl said. "I think the fact is we need to protect our children, whether it's the Catholic Church, whether it's our government, whether it's our schools," he said. After a letter was published by the Associated Press in early April, Pope Benedict XVI faced criticism for stalling a decision to defrock an American priest accused of sexually abusing minors. The letter was dated in 1985 and bore the pope's signature as then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger. Weibl said the letter indicates Ratizinger was asking for further investigation, and the priest in question was no longer in a position to minister to youth. Weibl compared the situation to accusing a judge of covering up for a criminal by asking for time to consider the facts before delivering a verdict. "That doesn't make sense," Weibl said. Bishop Leonard Blair of the Toledo Diocese addressed the situation in a letter published in church bulletins in April throughout the diocese. Blair said accusations were based on "deficient, even falsified, presentation of facts." The priest had already been removed from ministry, was ill and close to death at the time the letter was written, Blair said. Healing Weibl compared the church's experience of scandal to the Easter mysteries celebrated recently. Like the crucifixion and death of Christ, it was a "horrible experience," he said. But it has also brought about new life, healing and forgiveness. He said the experience has been positive in that it alerted the church to a problem which has now been taken care of. "I think we are a better church already because of it," he said. As children walked past his office and waved during the interview, he smiled and waved back. "What a joy that is ... One kid gave me a high five this morning, and I'm still hurting from it," he said. Weibl believes children bring new life to the church and hopes the scandal does not diminish ministry to them. "I just pray and hope that all the good we're doing in our ministry in hospitals and (schools) -- that we continue to do that well, especially the work with children," he said.
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