Servants of the Paraclete BishopAccountability.org is preparing an extensive archive of documents relating to the Servants of the Paraclete. The archive will include links to investigative reporting and a detailed list of clerics who were treated at the order's facilities. Below is a sample of the documents we'll be posting. This selection shows how the founder, Fr. Gerald Fitzgerald sP, alerted bishops and popes to the clergy abuse of children, and how, after he was sidelined, the order and Archbishop James P. Davis of Santa Fe formalized arrangements to allow accused priests to work in parishes in New Mexico. Documents Description From To Date • Letter to a priest, refusing to accept him as a guest because of his "problem" and the danger he would pose to the children at the local parish church Fitzgerald [redacted] 1948-09-27         • Decree of Erection for the Servants of the Holy Paraclete (in Latin) Byrne   1952-06-01         • Constitutions of the Congregation of the Servants of the Holy Paraclete (12 megabyte file; also available in parts for easier download 1 2 3 4 5)     1955-02-11         • Letter about s.P. priests and their assignments Fitzgerald sP priests 1956-07-04         • Newsletter Paraclete Wings announcing a new arrangement with the Carmelites Fitzgerald   1957-03         • Newsletter Paraclete Wings discussing new developments in Vermont     1957         • Handwritten letter urging that s.P. hospitality be denied to "this class of rattlesnake" – priests "who have seduced or attempted to seduce little boys or girls"; Fitzgerald declares that he will discuss this with Pope Pius XII and mentions the idea of an island retreat (see also a transcription of this Fitzgerald letter) Fitzgerald Byrne 1957-09-18         • Letter about the proposed island retreat Fitzgerald Davis 1950-07-25         • Letter proposing that Kenneally or Cardinal McIntyre obtain Vatican disapproval of Alcoholics Anonymous Fitzgerald Kenneall 1960-07-21         • Letter urging the provincial to laicize a priest who has "sin[ned] repeatedly with little children"; Fitzgerald wishes that he knew Italian and could speak with Pope John XXIII about this, and he writes of "the many little children in this Canyon" Fitzgerald [redacted] 1960-08-11         • Letter discussing the likely end of the Servant's work in Tortola and Archbishop Byrne's opinions on "the non-suitability of Tortola 'as a place for homos,'" referring to Fitzgerald's island plan Fitzgerald Moylan 1960-09-17         • Letter explaining that Archbishop Byrne has told Fitzgerald to give up the Servants' mission in Tortola Fitzgerald Harper 1960-11-10         • Notes responding to a request from the Congregation of the Holy Office (now the CDF) for information regarding abuse of children by priests; Fitzgerald recommends a retired life in a monastery or laicization, and discusses screening and treatment (see also a transcription of Fitzgerald's analysis) Fitzgerald Holy Office 1962-04-11         • Letter summarizing at the pope's request the issues that Fitzgerald discussed with the pope on 8/26/63 in their quinquennial meeting, including priests with problems, celibacy, "sins with the young," and the need to laicize incorrigible priests Fitzgerald Paul VI 1963-08-27         • Letter ordering Fitzgerald to communicate with the Santa Fe archdiocese in writing, and to provide information on each guest's arrival and departure, as well as copies of all correspondence with the Vatican about guests and letters from the guest's bishop or superior Davis Fitzgerald 1964-04-20         • Letter returning a letter from Cody to Fitzgerald, apparently regarding a Chicago priest at the s.P. facility, and urging Fitzgerald to cooperate with psychiatrists and doctors Davis Fitzgerald 1964-07-30         • Letter about s.P. use of the archdiocesan Nazareth Hospital, Fitzgerald's building plans, and his request for consolidation of s.P. debts Davis Fitzgerald 1964-09-09         • Letter referencing Fitzgerald's meeting with Pope Paul VI and discussing laicization of priests who wish to marry, a possible secret directive to the bishops, and the shift among s.P. guests from 80% alcoholics in 1947 to 50% alcoholics, 20% priests who have problems with women, and 30% "aberrations involving homosexuality"; Fitzgerald also mentions "several seminaries that have been deeply infected" Fitzgerald Durick 1964-09-10         • Telegram confirming that the "Barbados deal" described in a 7/12/65 letter from Fitton has been accepted Fitton Fitzgerald 1965-07-19         • Letter ordering s.P. staff changes and the sale of the island (see McNamara's discussion of this Davis letter and its implications) Davis Fitzgerald 1965-08-23         • Letter requesting permission to withdraw from the island of Carriacou and summarizing the arrangement Fitzgerald [redacted] [date redacted]         • Letter giving a progress report on the development of s.P. treatment program for alcoholism using AA methods, therapy provided by John Salazar, and housing at Villa Pius XII in Albuquerque, which already "serves admmirably as a base for supply work" by other s.P. guest priests McNamara Davis 1965-10-01         • Letter in part responding to McNamara's letter on alcoholism treatment, and also hoping that Fitzgerald will cooperate and anticipating that Antoniutti will support Davis, not Fitzgerald Davis McNamara 1965-10-12         • Letter asking that Fitzgerald not move McNamara from Via Coeli and stating that the new alcoholism program will counteract bishops' "growing dissatisfaction" with Via Coeli; Cardinal Antoniutti supports the new procedures and program Davis Fitzgerald 1965-10-12         • Letter proposing that the Servants of the Paraclete give Archbishop Davis their buildings in the Santa Fe archdiocese and relocate their priests and guests to s.P. facilities in other states Fitzgerald Antoniutti 1965-10-20 • Letter asking Cicognani's help in getting Pope Paul VI to write to the s.P. congregation in support of Fitzgerald and against Davis regarding psychological indoctrination and publicity Fitzgerald Cicognani [no date]         • Agreement ostensibly restoring "splendid relations" after the "misunderstanding" by replacing McNamara with Moylan as superior at Via Coeli and excluding AA, but as McNamara explains, Fitzgerald actually lost the battle with Davis Davis & Fitzgerald   1965-10-24         • Brochure entitled "Retreat for Renewal: The What and the Why of Via Coeli Monastery"     [late 1965]         • "Via Coeli Program" describing buildings and routines     1966-12-29         • Composite report on questionnaire-survey circulated among the guest-priests at Via Coeli Monastery     1967-02-10         • Minutes of a 2/13/67 s.P. meeting with Archbishop Davis at the chancery to plan the placement of guest-priests in residence at parishes in the Santa Fe archdiocese; includes a list of parishes, comments on the interest the Vatican's delegate takes in Via Coeli, and discusses limiting what the parish's pastor would know about the priest's "past history" Feit   1967-02-15         • Agenda of s.P. meeting to discuss projects, incuding the placing of guest-priests in "local parishes for extended assignments" Salazar   1967-02-20         • Minutes of 3/13/67 s.P. meeting chaired by Salazar, including discussion of guests used as supply priests at nearby parishes and transportation to those assignments Feit   1967-03-17         • Letter notifying Connolly that Rev. James Porter has arrived at Via Coeli on the advice of Rev. Paul Shanley Swanson Connolly 1967-08-24         • Letter to Archbishop Flahiff of Winnipeg describing Sigler's path to the Servants of the Paraclete at Via Coeli Sigler Flahiff 1970-07-02         • Letter to Pope Paul VI from Fr. James R. Porter requesting laiciization (including account of Servants of the Paraclete) Porter   1973-05-17         • Letter asking Archbishop Sanchez to give Sigler faculties so that he can work in NM parishes McNamara Sanchez 1978-10-04         • Letter from Sanchez granting Sigler faculties so that he can work in NM parishes Sanchez McNamara 1978-10-25         • Bishop of Manchester NH writes to a Paraclete director: "I will, as you request, destroy" MacRae's psychological reports Gendron Lechner 1989-05-03         • MacRae writes describing his job offer from Hoare and the organization of the Jemez Springs operation MacRae Christian 1990-09-10         • Hoare writes to MacRae's bishop saying he wants to hire MacRae; it's "common practice" for the Paracletes to hire former patients Hoare O'Neil 1990-09         • Excerpts from the Deposition of John A. Salazar Salazar   1993-03-10         • Affidavit of Liam Hoare regarding the treatment, employment, and prosecution of Fr. Gordon MacRae Hoare   1993-03-28         • Affidavit of Liam Hoare regarding Paraclete history Hoare   1993-07-08         • Affidavit of Fr. David A. Holley (with links to documents) Holley   1993-07-12         • Affidavit of John Feit Feit   1993-11         • Affidavit of Joseph McNamara regarding Paraclete history, in a Sigler case (with links to documents) McNamara   1993-11-17         • Answers to interrogatories regarding MacRae, providing insight into Paraclete operations and their approach to diagnosis Lechner   1994-02

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