Wilmington Diocese under Scrutiny

By Erin Quinn
The Review
March 5, 2012

http://www.udreview.com/wilmington-diocese-under-scrutiny-1.2809322#.T1sSYfWOntQ

Since the Delaware Child Victims Act passed in 2007, 150 cases of sexual abuse have been filed against the Diocese in Wilmington.

Following the release of more than 30,000 documents related to sexual abuse cases by the Diocese of Wilmington, survivors' activists are calling for the resignation of three monsignors who have received the support of the local bishop.

The diocese released the documents at the end of January as part of nonmonetary provisions of a lawsuit, when a survivors' advocacy group based on the website BishopAccountability.org released the information to the media. The group singled out diocese Monsignors J. Thomas Cini, Joseph Rebman and Clement Lemon as architects of a cover-up, by not reporting abuses to law enforcement officials.

Bishop W. Francis Malooly, who presides over the diocese, stated that he backed the accused priests in the Dialog, the Diocese of Wilmington's newsletter on Feb. 24.

"None of these three dedicated priests ever engineered a strategy to conceal priest sex abuse," Malooly said. "None of these men have ever put children at risk by placing an abusive priest back in ministry nor would they ever have had the authority to do so."

Judy Miller, director of the Delaware chapter of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, said the lawsuits stem from the 2007 Delaware Child Victims Act. The legislation eliminated the civil statute of limitations for children who have been sexually abused, allowing a two-year window for past victims of child sexual abuse to come forward with allegations.

Since the law passed, 150 cases of sexual abuse have been filed against the Diocese of Wilmington, all of which allegedly occurred before the 1980s. She said the documents reveal the three monsignors were aware of the alleged abuse because of their positions but did not openly report them.

Miller said the diocese declared bankruptcy on the eve of the first civil trial in 2009.

"It immediately halted any trials or any lawsuits against the diocese," Miller said.

Robert Krebs, director of public relations for the diocese, said the document release was part of a settlement with survivors of sexual abuse. The settlement required nonmonetary and monetary stipulations, amounting to $76 million, awarded to survivors.

Krebs said nonmonetary provisions included the release of documents such as personnel files dating back to the 1950s. Provisions also required Malooly to issue apologies to survivors of sexual abuse and meet with parishioners who wanted to discuss the issues.

Miller said victims' advocates wanted the documents' release to reveal what the diocese was doing at the time when the men were accused. She said looking at the documents indicates that the men were taking action to protect their reputation.

"They were on staff and they had positions of authority when these things were going on," she said. "Maybe they couldn't be criminally charged with anything, but they certainly are morally responsible."

Krebs said the diocese is supporting the monsignors in this matter.

"There's nothing in the documents that would indicate that these three monsignors have done anything to cover up or to perpetuate a cover-up of sexual abuse," Krebs said. "On the contrary, these three men have worked very hard to protect young people and to implement the stringent guidelines that the diocese has in place."

The diocese's zero-tolerance policy defines how to respond to credible accusations of abuse of a minor by any priest, deacon, volunteer or employee. According to its policy, the person in question would be removed from his or her position and prosecuted by the proper law enforcement agency, Krebs said.

The diocese implemented the policy in the 1980s, 15 years before the policy was publicized nationally in the 2001 Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, a set of guidelines enacted by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Krebs said the policy has been successful in deterring abuse.

"We haven't had an abuse case in the Diocese of Wilmington since the 1980s," he said.

Although there have been no legal cases since the 1980s, Miller said there is a possibility that alleged victims either never revealed their cases or never filed a lawsuit.

"I wouldn't be 100 percent sure that there was no abuse after 1980," Miller said. "I wonder about that."

Miller worked with victims of sexual abuse by the clergy for 10 years and testified in Maryland courts to extend or eliminate the civil statute of limitations for victims of child sexual abuse and strengthen reporting laws. She said it takes victims many years to come forward about abuse.

"From all the work that I have done with survivors, it has a devastating effect, not only on victims, but on their families as well," she said.

She said not releasing the documents until a lawsuit was filed reflects poorly on the diocese and displays a lack of integrity.

"I don't think that there will ever be healing within the church until there is accountability and transparency. Those are the two things I think the church tries to avoid," Miller said. "It isn't out of the goodness of their hearts that they're coming clean."

Junior Alison Wade, a parishioner in the diocese, stated in an email message that while she understands certain activists feel strongly about the issue due to the children's vulnerability, she doesn't think it's within the public's rights to demand officials to step down.

"I don't think any of us in the public can be justified in calling for anyone to resign without knowing all of the details of the situation," Wade said.

Wade said she thinks the diocese officials hoped the scandals would be forgotten more quickly this time.

"In their efforts to handle the issue with caution and sensitivity, it seems to have become a secret from the public's perspective," she said.

Chris Weinacht, a first-year graduate student at the university who attends Catholic mass in Wilmington, stated in an email message that the church tries to help those affected by hardship, and is disappointed some officials have been accused of abuse.

"It's especially troubling to hear that they could use that authority to molest innocent children," Weinacht said.

He also said sexual abuse is a problem that is not exclusive to Catholicism, or any religion or establishment and he thinks leaders of the church failed in their duties to keep their members safe from such harm, and he understands the calls for officials to step down.

"I do think that [victims' advocates do] have the right to call for the removal of any priests who have failed in protecting parishioners and it's something that Bishop Malooly should prayerfully consider if he feels the monsignors failed in their duties," Weinacht said.