Letters to the Rockville Centre Herald Editor Sept. 16, 2010

Church uses secrecy to protect its image

To the Editor:

Bishop William Murphy's spokesman says our seed donation for a church-funded trust to help victims of clergy sexual abuse, and their families, heal from the trauma of that abuse was "an ill-conceived publicity stunt that trivializes sexual abuse" ("A message for the bishop," Sept. 9-15).

That statement is offensive, intimidating and cries out for an apology. Our donation is real. It is authentic. Does the diocese accept donations only from pray-pay-and-obey Catholics?

Publicity? Yes! Stunt? No!

Publicity is exactly what's necessary. To keep kids safe, the church must list the names of credibly accused priests on its websites. Contrast this approach to the church-sponsored Virtus program, which hoodwinks parents into believing that their kids are safe in church settings. Victims often come forward following publicity of an allegation of abuse against a priest. If it were not for publicity, other victims may not have the courage to speak out.

Exposure, not secrecy, is required. The church must no longer use secrecy as a cruel tool to protect its image, because that same damnable secrecy facilitates crimes against little kids, crimes that often result in lifelong disabilities. The church's record of protecting children from harm is appalling, as grand juries across the country have consistently determined.

The parable of the Good Samaritan requires us to help the wounded, no matter when or how the wound was inflicted, no matter who inflicted it. No Christian should strive to protect the institution's reputation and assets at the expense of suffering abuse victims. There are a number of priests still in ministry in the Rockville Centre diocese who are credibly accused of heinous crimes against children. Pedophiles very seldom strike just once. If there were no statute of limitations on childhood sexual abuse, many unindicted clerical felons would be consecrating bread and water in jail.

Frank Douglas

National director

Send the Bishops a Message

Tucson, Ariz.

Publicize, don’t hide sex abuse

To the Editor:

Thank you for publishing "A message for the bishop." Sexual abuse of minors is an epidemic, but it 's rarely given the coverage that such a crisis deserves.

The Send the Bishops a Message coalition leaders conservatively estimate that there have been 20,000 minor-age victims of clergy sexual abuse. That number is much too low. In the John Jay Study commissioned by the United States bishops, more than 4,300 clergy members were counted as being credible alleged abusers. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that the typical male sex abuser has 117 victims in his lifetime. Do the math: 4,300 x 117 = 503,100 victims.

The vast majority of victims never make an allegation, and this is understandable. In fact, the Diocese of Rockville Centre reported on its website that less than 10 percent of incidents are reported. This is certainly understandable. The very personal nature of the abuse makes it difficult to talk about. A victim is selected because the perpetrator believes that child will never speak out. After all, an abuser doesn't want to get caught. Victims also fear they won't be believed, as often the abuser is a "respected" member of the community — a teacher, coach, priest or family member.

However, just because victims choose to remain anonymous, it doesn't mean they should be ignored. As numerous district attorneys have advised, the sexual abuse crisis is actually about the cover-up. For the most part, the Catholic Church continues to hide the 4,300 priests and has not admitted to any cover-up. The church, and all its priests and bishops, could provide comfort to its half-million victims by revealing all the details about credibly alleged abusers and all details about the cover-up. Abusers were shuttled from rectory to rectory, while those inside the rectory did nothing to advise the public.

A 10-year-old child who was abused 50 years ago is now 60, and every day silently suffers because of that experience. Even though the church doesn't know the names and faces of victims, doesn't it have a responsibility to them? Think of the comfort they would receive if the priests who conspired to hide the abusers told all they know. Victims would know it wasn't their fault.

Diocese spokesman Sean Dolan denigrates the coalition for seeking publicity. But publicity, not secrecy, is what is needed. How often have we seen a report in the papers about a sexual abuser, then a few days later more of his victims come forward? Bravo to the Herald for providing much-needed publicity. 

Tom Myles

Oakdale, N.Y.

It’s the church that 'trivializes' sex abuse

To the Editor:

The Diocese of Rockville Centre's response to the Send the Bishops a Message coalition — a group of concerned parents, priest sex abuse victims and parishioners advocating on behalf of abuse victims — was to label them "publicity seeking" and "not choosing to understand all the church does to care for victims of sex abuse."

These were the same people who have been demonstrating at the diocesean cathedral every month for the past few years. If the spokesman had been there, he would have met three priest sex abuse victims as well as others who have been abused elsewhere and their supporters. He would have heard their ideas on beginning a fund to treat and care for the victims.

This is a task the Roman Catholic Church doesn't want to take on for victims of past abuse. Why insult victims and people who want to support those who've been sexually abused? The church and the diocese have held the line and not supported or taken responsibility for victims from many years past, and simply ignore or dismiss a majority of well-founded complaints as too old or potentially financially devastating.

Any caring institution would, as Jesus did, welcome the ill or poorly treated. It appears that a paid spokesman was on the offensive to drive away those harmed by the church and its inactivity in assisting many victims of clergy sex abuse. That is the trivialization of sex abuse.

Wake up, Bishop Murphy. Sex abuse is the next drunk driving campaign.

Richard Tollner

Rensselaerville, N.Y.