To the editor: Church not being transparent

Toledo Blade
November 21, 2018

https://www.toledoblade.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/2018/11/21/church-not-being-transparent/stories/20181120103

When it comes to abuse and coverup, it is clear the Toledo Catholic bishop is going backwards ( “Man’s allegations of abuse by Fostoria priest surface after 40 years,” Friday). For years, Bishop Daniel Thomas and dozens of his staff have publicly and deceptively claimed how they’re now allegedly more “transparent” about abuse than before. But they’re not.

In 2003, an alleged victim of the Rev. Joseph Schmelzer got to speak with the diocesan abuse panel. But in 2016, despite two years of trying, another alleged victim of the same now-suspended cleric was denied. Bishop Thomas’ public relations staffer refused to explain the change or say when it happened.

Bishop Thomas claims Father Schmelzer is being overseen. But The Blade reports that “the diocese has not informed (the priest’s victims) of any oversight measures,” and the circumstances of Father Schmelzer’s supervision “were not disclosed by the diocese” to the press or the public.

Finally, a church website “glosses over the circumstances of Father Schmelzer’s removal (and) makes no mention of why the priest was removed,” according to The Blade.

This is not “transparency.” It’s spin. And it’s the “same old, same old” that’s caused this crisis to fester for centuries.

DAVID G. CLOHESSY

St. Louis

The writer is the former national director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.

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Inept city strikes again

Congratulations to the city of Toledo. You have once again proved how inept the people in charge are. Against the wishes of the people, they found a way to bow down to another corporate giant.

Kroger just had to have the property of the former Sisters of Notre Dame Toledo provincial headquarters. City officials made sure it happened. Now Kroger decides, we really don’t want to build there after all. I guess we know who really runs the city.

Some things never change.

JERRY WELKER

Maumee

Cell phones cause harm

In reading the editorial “Put the phones down,” Monday, I found myself wishing that the opinion piece had started out with, “Do cell phones cause cancer? We’re not sure, but they do cause traffic collisions and some deaths.”

ROBIN SWAIM

Oregon

The writer is a chiropractic physician.