Appointment of Bishop Ronald Gainer the Most Distressing Promotion Yet from Pope Francis

By Ivey DeJesus
PennLive
January 24, 2014

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2014/01/bishop_gainer_harrisburg_dioce_1.html

Reverend.jpg Most Reverend Ronald W. Gainer appointed as the eleventh bishop of the Diocese of Harrisburg was introduced to the community at a press conference at the Cardinal Keeler Center in Harrisburg. (Daniel Zampogna | dzampogna@pennlive.com)

The top official for a national group that advocates on behalf of people who have been abused by Catholic priests on Friday denounced the appointment of the new bishop of the Harrisburg Diocese.

David Clohessy, director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, called the appointment of Bishop Ronald Gainer a disappointing decision that signals the Vatican’s continued willingness to promote and advance clergy, he said, who shield predator priests.

Clohessy said the appointment of Gainer, announced Friday at the Harrisburg Diocese headquarters, may be Pope Francis’ most distressing promotion yet.

“It’s a painful message,” Clohessy said. “The message is nothing has changed. Church officials who continue putting kids in harms way continue getting promotions. It sounds cynical but appointments like this make us question why should we expect bishops to change when they are moved up the ladder despite clear wrongdoing.”

Gainer, who succeeds the late Bishop Joseph McFadden, arrives from the Lexington Diocese in Kentucky, which has in recent years been rocked by several allegations of clergy sexual abuse. Gainer had served there since 2003.

“It’s a painful message. The message is nothing has changed." - David Clohessy, SNAP

In the wake of Gainer’s appointment, SNAP drew attention to two priests, whom Clohessy said Gainer continued to protect and refused to ban from his diocese.

Clohessy said SNAP last year “begged Gainer to oust and warn his flock” about the Rev. Carroll Howlin, who has been accused four times of sexual abuse. Howlin was never ousted but continues serve in the diocese.

Last year, the Chicago Tribune reported that: “Despite a Vatican ruling sentencing Howlin to a lifetime of "prayer and penance" and banning him from unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 18, he serves as his own minder here in rural Kentucky.”

In addition, Clohessy said Gainer restored to his church duties the Rev. William G. Poole, even though he was twice charged with public indecency and accused in 2003 of molesting a boy.

In 2004, Gainer reinstated Poole, despite an allegation that he sexually abused a boy in Eastern Kentucky in the early 1970s, the Lexington Herald Leader then reported.

While a diocesan committee in Lexington had found allegations of sexual abuse against Poole "not credible," a separate investigation, conducted by a neighboring diocese, resulted in a six-figure settlement with Poole's accuser.

In spite of that, Clohessy said, Gainer restored Poole to his assignment.

“It’s obviously reckless to keep a credibly accused child molester on the job but even more reckless to restore to one to ministry,” Clohessy said. “Gainer had a chance, and still does, to protect his flock from a dangerous cleric and he is choosing not to.”

Similarly, Howlin has never been convicted, but several of his accusers have gotten settlements from the church, Clohessy said.

“There’s obviously no doubt the allegations against him are serious and credible,” he said. “Gainer is essentially saying, ‘No I don’t believe this victim.’”

Both cases came to light after 2002, the year U.S. bishops formally adopted a policy that promised openness and transparency in clergy sex abuse cases.

idejesus@pennlive.com