Diocese Can Show Compassion for Public

Editorial
Quad-City Times
October 7, 2004

http://www.qctimes.com/internal.php?story_id=1036734&t=Opinion&c=22,1036734

Father David Brownfield demonstrated the qualities shared by every priest we’ve met from the Davenport diocese: compassion, courage and honesty. Brownfield, of Grand Mound, spoke up publicly when he saw a defrocked colleague inexplicably attending a workshop for people involved with the care of foster children.
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James Janssen was kicked out of the priesthood July 28 by Pope John Paul II following 10 civil lawsuits alleging sexual abuse by Janssen. The diocese acknowledges Janssen was pulled from parishes for past sexual abuse allegations.Yet there Janssen was, mingling at a Davenport meeting with people whose job it is to care for the most vulnerable children in our society.
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Since the diocese years ago decided to protect rather than prosecute alleged pedophiles, there is nothing anyone can do. Had Janssen decided to take his interest in foster children to another state, it would have been likely people there would have appreciated his interest.
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Except for one thing: The courage of his former parishioners to publicly pursue justice.
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Because they didn’t sit still for the diocese’ complacency, civil suits exist exposing the allegations that led to Janssen being booted from the Catholic church. Do a Google search on Janssen and the first hits reveal news accounts of the lawsuits. It’s likely now that even cursory background checks in any state would find those accounts and raise the appropriate red flags.
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We know the diocese remains in a tough spot. Janssen is an elderly, seemingly kind acquaintance to diocese staff. He still lives in a diocese-owned apartment, though has been asked to pay his own rent since losing his collar. And he hasn’t been convicted of anything. The compassion inherent in Brownfield and the priests we know certainly must and should influence the diocese thoughts about this matter.
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This week’s episode suggests a new outlet for that compassion: the public.
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Defrocking apparently isn’t enough to keep suspected pedophiles away from interactions with children. Even if Janssen’s intentions were benign, his presence is legitimately upsetting to those who say they are his victims and to those trying to protect children from people just like him.
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Some say state law should be changed to track priests who avoided prosecution, yet remain a threat. That shouldn’t have to happen.
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The diocese, we’re sure, recognizes that as Janssen’s former employer and current landlord, it retains an obligation to protect the public.