Victims Condemn Pittsburgh Bishop for “11 Yrs of Secrecy”

SNAP
August 18, 2014

http://www.snapnetwork.org/pa_victims_condemn_pittsburgh_bishop_for_11_yrs_of_secrecy

For 11 years, Pittsburgh Catholic officials hid the fact that Fr. James P. Carroll is a credibly accused child molester. Yesterday, they finally “came clean” about his crimes. But Pittsburgh church staff said nothing about their callous cover up.

We strongly suspect that Fr. Carroll has spent the past decade living among unsuspecting neighbors who see him as a charming, safe, “grandfatherly” figure. We hope he hasn't assaulted more kids over these 11 years.

No matter how Catholic officials try to spin it, this is irresponsible and inexcusable. It's a clear violation of the promises made by Catholic officials – in Pittsburgh and at the national level – to be “open” about clergy sex crimes. Even worse, Pittsburgh Catholic officials, by keeping silent about a potentially dangerous cleric, may have enabled him to hurt more kids.

Two months ago, we disclosed (at a news conference) that Fr. Carroll was a credibly accused child molester.

At that time, back in June, like they have done for years and still do, Pittsburgh Catholic officials said nothing.

Bishop David Zubik's PR man claims that in 2003, he and his well-educated staff “considered child sexual abuse as a 'moral defect,' as it did with alcoholism, rather than a disease,” (according to the Tribune Review). That is insulting baloney.

In 2003, Zubik and other top Pittsburgh Catholic officials knew child sex abuse was a crime. They knew it was apt to be repeated. They knew that citizens have a duty to help police catch criminals. They knew that if they told the truth about Fr. Carroll, more victims might step forward and file charges and Fr. Carroll might be convicted and imprisoned. But they chose – for more than a decade – to stay silent and endanger kids.

Shame on every single current and former Pittsburgh diocesan staffer who knew about the allegations against Fr. Carroll and chose to protect him, not children.

And now, we beg every single person who saw, suspected or suffered clergy sex crimes and cover ups in Pittsburgh to call police, expose predators, protect kids and start healing.