There were about 305 people who attended the Listening Session of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Priests at St. Eugene Parish in Fox Point on May 16, 2002. About 80% of these people appeared to be over 50 years old; of the remainder, about 5% may have been under 30 and 15% were between 30 and 50 years old. About twelve of the participants were people of color. There were eight priests in attendance, including three deans. At the beginning there were complaints against the process used (some people wanted an open mic for the entire session), and five or six people left. Feelings of anger and frustration were expressed quite openly, but there were also many comments in support of priests. Overall the participants appeared concerned about the Church. Both the opening and closing prayer services appeared to bond the group together. Some participants lingered on after the session was over, talking quietly in groups, and seeking out the representatives from Catholic Charities and Project Benjamin.

Six major themes surfaced in the small group reports and individual responses.

1. Credibility of the Church, trust of the hierarchy
The following comments were heard many times in the reports:

The hierarchy has got to stop the secrecy; there is no trust of the hierarchy. The fact that priests with allegations against them are still serving in ministry discredits the bishops. The names of these priests must be made public. The bishops have not been accountable. The archbishop should acknowledge that policies in the past are no longer acceptable.

There should not be a different standard for priests than lay people. Bishops should be held accountable if they have allowed pedophiles to remain in ministry. Priest offenders should be reported to police like lay people. All priests should be mandated reporters of any sexual abuse.

Where does the seal of confession fit into this? Can a priest be refused absolution for sexual abuse? Sin should be emphasized in all this.

The conspiracy of covering up must be stopped by the hierarchy. Release the names of the six still serving in ministry to restore credibility. Some questioned whether any investigation can be independent.

There needs to be more checks and balances in the Church. Anger was expressed over what is perceived as abuse of power. There had been “blind trust” in the past, but that will not be the case in the future.

There needs to be uniform standard policy across the nation. The local bishop should be able to laicize a priest.

2. Seminary Screening, Training and Recruitment
Future seminarians need to be better screened. Do not diminish the standards because of lack of clergy. There was a fear expressed about the immaturity of seminarians and the lack of education in sexuality.

Two divergent concepts were heard: 1) those that related homosexuality to child abuse and 2) those that negated the relationship of abuse to homosexuality.

There should be better training in self-awareness, communication and priests should have to have continuing education to get ‘re-certified’ to be in active ministry.

Some suggested not admitting seminarians who are under 21 years old.

Seminarians should know before ordination that if they abuse children they will be laicized.

Some wondered if the Church is attracting sexual deviants to the priesthood.

Some commented that they do not want their sons to become priests and turn out to be child abusers.

Some wondered what could be done to increase vocations.

3. Optional Celibacy, Women in the Priesthood
It was stated over and over again that celibacy should be optional. Allowing married men and women to be ordained was reflected in many small group reports and individual reports.

4. Financing the care of victims/survivors
There was support and caring for victims/survivors.

The following questions and comments reflect the ideas of many.

• The archdiocese needs to follow up with victims/survivors long after therapy is over. How do you know they are healed?
• What is the process for determining if a victim is truly a victim?
• We also need to know how much money has been paid to victims/survivors and the source of the funding.
• Is an apology enough?
• How are the families of the victims/survivors looked after in terms of counseling, etc.?

Role of the laity
The need for lay involvement was strong. The laity need to be involved more in this matter. All meetings of the Commission and Project Benjamin should be open to the public.

This is not the Middle Ages. The Church must listen to the laity. We are the Church and if the Church is going to change, we must change. We do not like to be treated like children.

Special Commission Report and Zero Tolerance Policy
The Archbishop should be congratulated for setting up the Special Commission. However, one person questioned why there wasn’t a woman who is a mother on the Commission.

Many wanted the recommendations to be taken seriously and implemented.

Many agreed that the zero tolerance policy should be enforced in all cases. Some thought if the offence happened years ago, the priest could be reassigned, but not near children. Others thought that zero tolerance should only be for the most serious offenses. Some wanted a distinction between past cases and current cases. Some thought that zero tolerance needs to be attended to on a case by case basis. Some felt the tone of “guilty until proven innocent” could be very damaging. Have forgiveness play a role, but make a distinction between personal forgiveness and society’s forgiveness, reflected some thinking. Be sure parishioners are notified if their priest has victimized anyone. We definitely need outside investigators.

We also need to be careful about false allegations. One priest was named as abusing a boy 20 years ago, and he is still in active ministry—he should not be.

General Comments about Priests

1. We need to support our faithful priests.
2. Priests are human and can make mistakes, but they need to talk about these offenses.
3. How is the accused priest’s reputation protected?
4. Homosexuality in the priesthood needs to be addressed. Many good priests are true ministers and lead celibate lives; some of them are gay. They should all be respected and supported in their priesthood. We should be careful not to go on a “witch hunt.”
5. Does the shortage of priests make it impossible to remove abusing priests?
6. Priests cannot police themselves.
7. Will priests now be so inhibited that they will not be friendly to children?
8. Change the clerical structure. Power corrupts.

Suggestions for the future

1. Have concurrent investigations by the police, the Church and Child Protective Services.
2. Help our children to speak up now, not when they are adults?
3. Adopt a uniform policy across the country on this issue.
4. Have lay women, especially mothers, on the Commission.
5. Help parents to talk to children about these issues.
6. Extend the Statute of Limitations.
7. We need to support chastity.
8. Be sure priests hear us.
9. Establish a policy on quickly “defrocking” a priest.
10. Make Project Benjamin better known.
11. Make Project Benjamin independent of the archdiocese.
12. Provide prevention programs such as “Good Touch, Bad Touch” in religious education programs, better education of seminarians as well as screening and supervision of church personnel.
13. Report everything to civil authorities immediately.
14. Help us to know how to forgive priests.
15. Encourage all priests to have monthly spiritual direction.
16. Have priest pay malpractice insurance.
17. Have one listening session per district.
18. Provide a support group for children and youth to discuss their concerns regarding abuse by all adults, not just priests.
19. Have laity at the bishops’ meeting.
20. Provide a profound study on the theology of human sexuality.

Some comments and questions not included in what has been previously stated:

1. Should we look to how other professional bodies deal with sexual abuse?
2. Questions about the Question & Answer Sheet: #9 - don’t see that much difference today; #4 - any illicit sexual contact is morally wrong and a crime; #21 - answer is unclear; #7 - priests should not be put back in parish even if it was only one incident.
3. Why was the word rape not used on the Question & Answer Sheet? Some felt the Q & A sheet was inadequate and simplistic. Some saw it as comprehensive and helpful.
4. The meeting was delayed and “rigged” by prayer. This is shameful.
5. Why is the institution protected more than our children?
6. One group was very concerned about Sexually Transmitted Diseases being given to children.
7. One table was outraged by the article on zero tolerance.
8. There seems to be a “conspiracy of silence.”
9. Why has it taken so long for sexual abuse to come to light?
10. It is not true that pedophiles were not prosecuted 25 years ago. They were prosecuted 50 years ago (Q & A #7).
11. The archdiocese needs to acknowledge their part in reassigning priests who continued to abuse children.
12. Where are all the Catholics under 40 years old?
13. What is the Archdiocese doing to help priests who are currently active but innocent?
14. How does the Church protect the sacrament of Reconciliation from being a means to confess to pedophilia without repercussions?
15. Why do males (priest) have this tendency and not females (nuns)?
16. Don’t call acts mistakes; they are sins.
17. What is the real meaning of, “Inappropriate relationship with a minor.” question #24?
18. Can we rely on information given by the psychological community?
19. Gay priests are hurt by this scandal. They did not and have no intention of hurting children.
20. One way to support victims/survivors is to support SNAP (Survivors Network Abused by Priests).
21. Withhold contributions, then we’ll be heard.
22. The abuse is strengthening the Church.
23. The Archdiocese has been a leader dealing with this problem and should continue to be.
24. This listening session was a joke.
25. The listening session was helpful.
26. I don’t appreciate hearing a group of angry people speak up and vent steam.
27. Where are the priests tonight?
28. I am the mother of a victim, abused in 1967, but no one will listen to me. (Please call Project Benjamin at (414) 769-3436).
29. Who will handle civil investigations?
30. We need to know the truth about Mother of Good Counsel. Why were some people fired for reporting the abuse?
31. Develop a better “exit” policy for people who want to leave the priesthood.
32. Address the root of the problem—illicit self-gratification.
33. The whole topic should include sexual abuse of any person.
34. The answer to question # 7 was a whitewash.
35. Chicago has an accurate report on the number of gay priests and sexual perversion.
36. Wish the media would cover abortion, like this scandal.
37. We needed trained facilitators at each table.
38. Have an “Open Mic” evening, no process.
39. Work with other religions on the transcendent reality.