Pa - SNAP Wants Philly Catholic Cleric Jailed

By Barbara Dorris
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
July 19, 2012

http://www.snapnetwork.org/pa_snap_wants_philly_catholic_cleric_jailed

If Msgr. Lynn has "endured unprecedented public scrutiny, shaming and vilification," it's because for years he repeatedly engaged in unprecedented, shameful deceit, callousness and recklessness about children's safety.

Once again, a high ranking Catholic cleric is saying 'I'm different from and better than the rest of you.' Once again, a top church official wants special treatment, even though he basically putting children – hundreds of them – in harm's way and helping perhaps dozens of predators stay hidden, employed and around kids.

Lynn does pose a threat to public safety. Behind bars, he can't shred evidence, intimidate victims, discredit whistleblowers, threaten witnesses, deceive parishioners, fabricate alibis or take any of the other steps Catholic officials take to keep clergy sex crimes hidden.

Lynn's alleged career of "service" was, in fact, a life dedicate to climbing the church's corporate ladder, and acting deceptively and irresponsibly to protect his job and reputation and the reputations of his supervisors and peers.

Lynn did not, as his lawyers claim, worked "to neutralize any danger that (Fr.) Avery posed." He kept secret about Fr. Avery's crimes and moved him to a place where those crimes could continue.

Lynn's not an idiot. He knows that child molesters are "neutralized" when they are imprisoned.

Lynn's lawyers say Lynn's recent years "were a time of reflection, penance and rehabilitation." But, as best we can tell, they produce no evidence of this whatsoever. Can they point to even a single step he's taken to better protect kids, help police, expose wrongdoing or show 'rehabilitation?'

His recent years, like his overall career, have been spent continuing to protect and defend himself and his bosses.

If we're really going to protect kids, we must throw the book at those who endanger kids. If we want scandals like Penn State and the Philly archdiocese to end, we must punish – as harshly as possible – those who cause such scandals.