Top Philly Catholic Official Testifies; SNAP Responds

By SNAP
Peter Isely
May 25, 2012

http://www.snapnetwork.org/top_philly_catholic_official_testifies_snap_responds

“I was just following orders” is not accepted as a defense – legally or morally – in any civilized setting. When colleagues or supervisors give you unjust or criminal orders or requests, you have a moral duty to refuse. When such orders or requests are repeatedly reckless – and endanger kids- you have a moral duty to expose them.

Msgr. Lynn claims top Philly Catholic officials repeatedly told him to defy common decency and common sense and essentially hide and minimize child sex crimes. But Lynn admits he never once contradicted, or even seriously challenged, those immoral edicts. He also admits that he never once even surreptitiously undermined them by quietly calling police about dozens and dozens of known and suspected child predators.

Lynn makes the stunning claim that he "did [his] best, with the parameters given to me." But let’s remember that his “parameters” included many, many options. Among them:

Quitting

Blowing the whistle

Calling the police

Refusing to lie or deceive

Trying to excuse inexcusable inaction and callous decisions, one of Msgr. Lynn’s colleagues said, on the witness stand "You don't say no to Cardinal Bevilacqua." He’s right – IF your goal is to climb the corporate ladder. If, however, you take your religious seriously and care about kids, you DO say no to any official who tries to insist that you conceal and enable child sex crimes.