UNITED STATES
Catholic Whistleblowers
By Fr. Jim Connell
What stops the bishops from providing thorough explanations and detailed information about the clergy sexual abuse crisis confronting the Church? Here are my top five picks.
1. The Cardinals’ Oath. This is an oath taken by each new cardinal as he is about to receive his red biretta. For example, here is a key portion of that Oath (printed pages 20-21) as spoken by Cardinal Timothy Dolan and 21 other new cardinals on February 18, 2012: “I, N., Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, promise and swear, from this day forth and as long as I live ….. not to make known to anyone matters entrusted to me in confidence, the disclosure of which could bring damage or dishonor to the Holy Church …..”
Surely, this oath contributes to the crisis. In other words, if the cardinals promise to be silent, and if other bishops follow their example, can truth and justice ever be served? Can this crisis ever be resolved? Also, do all bishops take an oath similar to the Cardinals’ Oath? Secrecy must not reign. The Pope needs to release the cardinals from this oath and secrecy, and require them and all the bishops to speak the complete truth.
2. Attorney-Client Privilege. At least by the late 1980s bishops were becoming aware of an increasing number of allegations against priests. So, what advice did the attorneys give? Did they help to shape the strategies used by bishops.
The attorney-client privilege means that an attorney cannot divulge information provided by a client. But, the client holds the privilege and can waive the privilege, thus releasing the attorney from that restriction, either totally or partially. Consequently, if each diocesan bishop would waive the privilege in respect to clergy sexual abuse, the attorney for the diocese and the attorney’s firm would be free to speak about the advice that was given when the first cases of clergy sexual abuse were brought to the attention of the attorney or the firm, as well as regarding cases in more current times.
What did the attorneys say? Did they inform the bishops that these actions were crimes and that the police should be notified? We need to know what the attorneys said. It’s a major part of the needed and yet-to-be-told truth.
3. Embarrassment and loss of reputation. All too frequently, victims/survivors and their supporters were not believed, traumatized, and regarded as the ones having done wrong. But, the victims are the victims! They were sexually assaulted by priests. They loved the Church and were involved in the Church, which is why they were available to be preyed upon. Why, therefore, this reaction by so many Church leaders? Why hide the truth and be so defensive? As one parishioner asked me: “Father, how much worse can the truth be as compared to what our minds dream up as our imaginations run wild?” So, what’s under the lid? What’s the secret?
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