OKLAHOMA
Catholic Culture
By Phil Lawler Apr 26, 2016
After it emerged that a priest with a history of sexual abuse is serving as a pastor, Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City is “assessing the situation.” With all respect to Archbishop Coakley—for whom I have generally had a high opinion—I think he should be assessing himself. In light of this case, actually all the American bishops should be assessing themselves. Because what happened in Oklahoma illustrates why so many people believe—rightly, I would argue—that their bishops still don’t “get it.”
When the news first came out, Archbishop Coakley issued a statement explaining why he thought it was reasonable to assign Father José DaVila to a parish, five years after the Venezuelan-born priest had entered a guilty plea to charges of groping a young woman in California. He said that the priest understood that his behavior had been “inappropriate,” and “accepts the consequences of his lapse of judgment.” He said that the Oklahoma City archdiocese had investigated the priest thoroughly, including “lengthy interviews with leaders from dioceses in which Father DaVila has served.” (Notice the plural: dioceses; this priest has bounced around a bit.) And he emphasized that Father DaVila, like all others serving in the Oklahoma City archdiocese, would be bound by a strict code of behavior.
What’s wrong with that statement? Let me count the ways.
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