Times Writers Group: Archdiocese Leaders Fail to Practice What They Preach
By Lois Thelen
You know there’s a problem in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis when one of its priests in his Sunday homily says “It’s the first time, I must say, in 69 years that I’m embarrassed to be Catholic.” During the past decade, some of its Roman Catholic priests have been accused of sexually abusing children and minors, frequenting areas known for men seeking anonymous same-sex encounters and having pornographic images on their computers. Since last spring, the diocese has been under almost constant fire. Its former canon lawyer resigned after her entreaties to investigate a priest whose discarded computer possibly contained more than 2,000 images of child pornography were ignored. Several priests have been sued for sexual abuse by their victims. And most recently, the archdiocese’s vicar general, the Rev. Kevin McDonough, was accused of protecting priests to limit damage to the church. He has since resigned. All this occurred despite the archdiocese being warned a decade ago to clean up its act. Just embarrassing Having been raised a cradle Catholic taught to revere church officials as I would my parents, I feel embarrassed by the archdiocese. For example, the behavior of the vicar general — who during his 17 years as the top deputy of the archbishop seems to have chosen to cover up priests’ behavior while investigating sexual abuse charges — hardly fills me with respect. A few of his investigative exploits tell the story: • For eight years church officials struggled with whether a priest was fit for ministry after discovering his computer, sold at a church rummage sale, had 1,300 potentially pornographic images on it. This ought to be a no-brainer, but McDonough in a memo concluded the collection should not prevent the priest from re-entering the ministry as long as “archdiocesan leaders believe he has made the necessary changes in his life.” No charges were filed, although officials did put him on leave. St. Paul police reopened a criminal investigation last month. • In May 2011, McDonough recommended against informing parishioners about the behavior or their pastor, the Rev. Curtis Wehmeyer, who church officials knew for several years had displayed inappropriate sexual behavior. He had admitted “cruising” in areas known for men seeking anonymous same-sex encounters. Wehmeyer is serving a prison sentence after admitting in 2012 to sexually abusing two children and possessing child pornography. • In 2006, McDonough led an investigation but then dismissed allegations that the Rev. Michael Keating sexually abused a teenage girl in late 1998. The victim filed a lawsuit last month claiming abuse by Keating and adding that church officials dismissed her accusations to protect Keating. The right thing McDonough now is being portrayed as a nice guy who decided not to do the right thing and instead prevent the unsavory exploits of sexual abusers from tarnishing the image of the Catholic Church. But the church has been much more tarnished by such efforts to hide these criminals and brush off their victims as troublemakers. Those blowing the whistle on the abusers and their enablers have been accused of victimizing the church and its officials. But it shouldn’t be hard to know the right thing to do in this situation. A priest is to be a representative of Jesus Christ. Ask yourself if Christ would have 1,300 pornographic images on his computer. Would he be cruising for an anonymous sexual encounter? Would he even think of abusing children? I don’t think so. Explanation needed Those priests who don’t embody the virtues of Christ should be weeded out. They are not fit for ministry and hardly are the religious leaders we need in the church. As for the so-called shortage of Roman Catholic priests, I have two suggestions: Allow priests to marry and ordain women. On the former, all priests could marry until about the year 1,000. On the latter, Roman Catholics are one of the only Christian denominations not to allow female clergy. Most of all, the church needs to quit protecting and enabling sexual predators. A good start would be for Archbishop John Nienstedt to open up to his people why matters were handled as they were in his diocese. Or as the Rev. Stephen O’Gara said in his homily, “He needs to stand before us and explain himself.”
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