Church Officials Using Health Excuses to Disguise Criminal Behavior?

By Barbara Dorris
SNAP
January 18, 2013

http://www.snapnetwork.org/church_officials_using_health_excuses_to_disguise_criminal_behavior

I feel sorry for priests who resign or take a leave for health or personal reasons. Most of them, I’m sure, are honest when they say and do this. But many of them, I’m also sure, do so under a huge cloud of suspicion. The blame for that falls squarely on the shoulders of their deceptive bishops.

A Connecticut priest used that phrase – resigning “for health and personal reasons” back in 2011. Now, he’s been arrested on drug charges. And his Catholic supervisors allegedly knew that he engaged in bizarre sex acts in the church rectory.

According to the CT Post:

"But sources knowledgeable with the case said the situation with Msgr. Kevin Wallin went deeper than diocese officials will publicly admit.

While pastor of St. Augustine's, sources said he often disappeared for days at a time, and rectory personnel became concerned and notified diocese officials when Wallin, sometimes dressed as a woman, would entertain odd-looking men (some who were also dressed in women's clothing) and engaging in sex acts.

In addition, diocese officials found bizarre sex toys in Wallin's residence, the sources said."

We’ve seen this happen over and over and over. A priest steps down for vague reasons. Later, it emerges that the resignation stemmed from sexual misdeeds.

Many priests must get ill. They must struggle with addictions. They must have family issues, like ailing parents. All of these are, of course, perfectly legitimate reasons to leave one’s job.

Sadly, it must be hard for priests to do this now, knowing that bishops’ long pattern of deception means many will question whether the reasons given are true or false.