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	Remember Disgraced Archbishop Weakland – His Advisor to Speak at Pedophilia Conference A Blog for Dallas Area Catholics August 17, 2011 http://veneremurcernui.wordpress.com/2011/08/17/remember-disgraced-archbishop-weakland-his-advisor-to-speak-at-pedophilia-conference/ I blogged yesterday on a horrific development, a conference being held to begin the push to “normalize” pedophilia, starting with pressure on the American Psyciatric Association to “de-list” pedophilia as a mental disorder. And while I don’t like having much to do with SNAP, since they seem most interested in suing and using the notoriety so gained to push for their often heterodox agenda, they make a valuable contribution today when they note that one of the speakers at this upcoming pedophile normalization conference was an advisor to disgraced Archbishop Rembert Weakland and many other bishops, apparently, on the issue of homosexual priest abuse of young boys. Not only that, he counseled Weakland and other bishops to keep pedophile priests in service and to cover up their crimes: Dr. Fred Berlin, [Berlin was quoted extensively in the report on the pro-pedophile conference I linked to yesterday] a chief consultant for decades to the American Catholic Bishops and Religious Order Provincials on sex offender priests, will address tomorrow in Baltimore a controversial symposium sponsored by an organization that calls itself “B4U-ACT”. B4U-ACT advocates the decriminalization and tolerance of persons who have a lifelong attraction and desire for sexual contact with youngsters. B4U-ACT, when describing its core values states: “Individuals who are attracted to children are the focus of everything that we do.” Not surprisingly, Archbishop Emeritus Rembert Weakland of Milwaukee, in a deposition taken in 2008, cites Berlin as the chief expert on pedophilia that the U.S. bishops consulted when faced with the growing sexual abuse crisis. (Locally, Berlin was also hired by at least one major religious order, the Capuchin Franciscans.) [This is incredibly disturbing. The man the bishops entrusted to advise them on how to deal with pedophile priests, is an advocate for the de-criminalization of pedophilia?!? How could such an individual be chosen? While the pedophile "normalization" conference is a frightening event, given the success such push groups have had in influencing the American Psychiatric Association in the past, that pro-pedophile group is still a tiny minority. The vast majority of psychiatrists and counselors would take a very different view. How did he wind up getting selected for this very important role?] Weakland explains that Berlin addressed the U.S. bishops in 1985 and urged them against removing pedophiles from the priesthood. Of course, no one, or virtually no one, especially the Vatican and John Paul II, was making such a recommendation, and Berlin as the company doctor was simply telling the CEO’s what they already wanted to hear. And, not surprisingly, as the bishop’s psychiatrist, Berlin still remains actively opposed to reporting sex offenders to the civil authorities, [As such, he is advising bishops to BREAK THE LAW] although all major psychiatric and mental health organizations and professional associations have strongly supported mandatory reporting for decades. In a typical interview posted on a diocesan website, Berlin explained what he believes are the generally beneficent motives and characteristics of the criminal behavior of priests against youngsters: “The most common thing we see with priests is that they enjoy the company of youngsters, like the companionship, want to do good for them, and then, unfortunately, as a bond develops emotionally, begin to feel sexually tempted and persuade the youngster to go along with sexual activity.” As if normal and healthy adult respect, affection and regard for a youngster can somehow naturally and effortlessly “morph” into a criminal drive to have repeated sexual thoughts and contact with a child. The sexual abuse crisis in the archdiocese of Milwaukee and elsewhere has shown that Berlin’s controversial policy recommendations, far outside the mainstream of the psychological and research communities, was eagerly accepted, if not sought, by Weakland and other bishops….. If that’s not bad enough, at the B4U-ACT conference, Berlin will be discussing the ways in which “minor attracted individuals” (soon one can anticipate they will have their own acronym “MAI’s”) can contribute to the upcoming DSM 5 which is currently under revision, in order to change the expert mental health and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association. The DSM is the standard reference manual used by mental health professionals. So, I read the interview with Berlin. He has a view that pedophilia is “treatable,” like alcoholism. Many other psychiatrists would disagree – as the Mayo Clinic study I linked to yesterday indicated, once one is so damaged or corrupted as to have a very strong attraction to children, an attraction so strong that one is willing to break not only the law but some of the most profound cultural taboos (some of the few remaining), “treatment” becomes nearly impossible. The recidivism rate for pedophiles is very high, over 50% according to some studies, even after lengthy prison sentences and even after castration! But under the guidance of this man, the bishops collectively tried the “treatment” route, and the result is hundreds or thousands of lives damaged by abuse, and the reputation of the Church has taken its greatest hit in centuries. It is difficult to understand why this man, who appears far outside the mainstream of psychiatry (such as it is), would have been chosen to advise the bishops on this critical matter. Is SNAP correct, that the bishops chose this man because he told them what he wanted to hear? Are they still using him as an adviser? Given that an interview with him is on the Diocese of Tuscon’s “restore trust” website, it seems he is. Are the bishops, then, on board with having an advisor who is speaking at a conference aimed at “de-criminalizing” pedophilia? How incredibly wrong is all of this? Something is incredibly broken.
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