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	Cardinal Cleanses Parish of Sex Scandal Critics Pan O'Malley's Visit As Mere Public Relations Ploy By Martina Brendel Salem News May 29, 2006 http://www.ecnnews.com/cgi-bin/05/snstory.pl?-sec-News+1k589g0+fn-stagnes30-20060529- MIDDLETON — Hundreds of North Shore residents made a pilgrimage to St. Agnes Church on Saturday to beg forgiveness for the priest sex scandal at a service led by Cardinal Sean O'Malley. The "pilgrimage of repentance and hope," which coincided with the Catholic Pentecost, is one of 10 O'Malley is giving this week in Greater Boston at parishes affected by the scandal. The series of services is an effort to heal his emotionally scarred archdiocese and draw disenchanted Catholics back into the fold. Critics, however, derided the cardinal's visit and others like it across the state as a public relations ploy and a cynical attempt to gain more parishioners and replenish church coffers. St. Agnes emerged as a flashpoint during the scandal when former youth director Christopher Reardon was found guilty of molesting more than 20 boys and the Rev. Jon Martin resigned amid allegations of complacency during the abuse. A handful of protesters stood outside the church Saturday carrying signs that read, "Dirty hands cannot heal" and "We have a moral obligation to protect our children." But the majority of participants had come in earnest from as far as Lynnfield and Tewksbury to hear O'Malley's sermon. Dressed in his signature monastic robes, O'Malley proceeded into the church silently behind a crucifix taken from the closed Assumption Parish in Bellingham, where a priest pleaded guilty last year to molesting altar boys in his charge. During his homily, O'Malley recalled a scene from the Bible when Jesus is approached by a man who asks him to heal his withered hand. "That's what we are doing today — stretching out our withered hands for God's forgiveness, God's mercy," he said. O'Malley then led the congregation through a novena to the Holy Spirit — a highly solemn Catholic ritual in which worshippers appeal directly to the Holy Spirit for forgiveness. The prayer openly acknowledged the sins of the Church of Boston and implored God to cleanse its followers and renew their faith. He invited a mother of two boys molested by Reardon to address the congregation. In a heartfelt speech, she discussed the pain her family endured as a result of the abuse and her feelings of abandonment by the church. "What can the church do? I'm not sure what the answer is. I only know that there are so many victims and families trying to erase the past. (Hopefully, we can) learn from the mistakes we made so all of us can move on," she said. It was her first time inside St. Agnes since the scandal erupted four years ago. The Rev. Michael Hobson concluded the service by thanking both the woman, who asked that her full name not be used, and O'Malley for their courage. "It was beautiful," he said later of the service. "It certainly explained that the healing can only come from Christ." Those gathered to protest the event held a much different view. "They're putting themselves in a position where they can heal people, but their hands are dirty," said John Harris, a Norwood resident who was raped by defrocked priest Paul Shanley in 1979. Harris, who has been traveling to every service to protest, said O'Malley's pilgrimage was a "public relations ploy" designed to stimulate church donations. "It's a magnificent PR ploy. That doesn't mean it's not sincere," said John Moynihan, a Swampscott resident and spokesman for Voice of the Faithful, an organization for sexual abuse survivors that formed in response to the priest sex-abuse scandal. Moynihan said that while O'Malley's admission of the church's guilt in the scandal is "a great step forward," his choice of venue was "unfortunate, because those who've been abused don't want to go to church." The services, he said, were not for the victims but for the people who attend the churches where people were abused. One such person, Doug Moakley of Peabody, said the Mass was "wonderful" and "very helpful." "Michelle, whose child was abused, gave a wonderful speech that affected all our hearts," he said. "People needed some kind of closure." Litany of Repentance Below is the novena spoken at Saturday's "pilgrimage of repentance and hope." NOVENA PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT Divine spirit of light and love, we consecrate our minds and hearts and wills to you today and for all eternity. The Church of Boston has been broken by sin and scandal. Shameful acts have harmed innocent children, betrayed a sacred trust and offended you, our God. Accept this act of homage in reparation for those offenses. We beg you: Holy Spirit, send the fire of your purifying love. Holy Spirit, water our dryness with your rivers of new life. Holy Spirit, breathe on us the sweet refreshment of your mercy. Holy Spirit, restore hope and faith that we may be one with you. May our whole lives faithfully imitate the life and virtues of Christ our Lord. To the father, through Christ, in you Holy Spirit, be honor and glory forever. Amen.
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