There were 224 people who attended the Listening Session of Sexual Abuse of Minors by priests at St. John the Baptist in Plymouth on May 16, 2002. About 144 of these people seemed older than 50 years old and 80 were younger than that. People commented positively about the Question and Answer Sheets and the Summary of the Special Commission’s work. The general tone of the meeting was positive. People were open and honest and shared their thoughts and feelings on very deep levels. Many of those who attended thanked the facilitators as they were leaving and appreciated the people of the Archdiocese listening to them and the insights they had to offer.

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

1. Credibility of the Church, trust of the hierarchy
The following and similar comments were heard from many groups and individuals:
How do we address the arrogance of the hierarchy where secrecy and power abide?
How can we reestablish trust?

The Archdiocese has covered up the abuse of children for too long. There has been too much “sweeping under the rug.” Some felt the Archdiocese was contributing to “enabling” deviant behavior. Incidences should be reported to authorities to help build trust. Identification of offenders still in active ministry would help restore trust in the hierarchy. It seems that sexual abuse of minors by priests is pure evil. Suggestions were made about having people report to officials other than the hierarchy. Many questioned why it has taken so long to bring this issue to light. Some suggested the archdiocese needs to admit its guilt and apologize publicly.

We need some good public relations to restore pride in our Church. We are concerned that people are leaving the Church over this.

2. Seminary Screening, Training and Recruitment
There were many feelings expressed that candidates for the priesthood need to be better screened and tested before being admitted to the seminary. One table suggested that we need to support orthodox candidates for the priesthood. Do not exclude them through toxic psychology and screening.

Sexuality needs to be discussed more openly in the seminary. Did we knowingly ordain homosexuals, or did that show up after ordination? Use Thomas Aquinas’ teaching on sexuality in the seminary.

3. Optional Celibacy, Women in the Priesthood
Many noted that this is the time to expand the rule of who can be ordained, including married men and women. One group questioned how can we be sure that celibacy is not the cause of sexual abuse? Another group noted that homosexuality has nothing to do with abuse.

4. Financing the care of victims/survivors
Many have questions about where the money comes from to help victims/survivors. Who is liable? All felt victims/survivors should be helped but wondered what was the source of funding. Some suggested that money to help victims/survivors should come from the perpetrators’ assets. Many expressed a desire to reach out to the victims/survivors.

5. Role of the laity
Lay people need to be involved to insure greater accountability. Put lay people on priest placement board. Empower people to see that they are the Church and that they have obligations to address issues when they see them. Some felt that generally in the Church adults are treated like children and their thoughts do not count. Now is the time for a change.

6. Special Commission Report and Zero Tolerance Policy
There was support for “zero tolerance.” Some thought it should begin immediately and that past cases should be treated with justice and mercy. Some thought it should be used with common sense. Some thought it should only be used for the most serious cases. Some thought the priest should not be “defrocked” but allowed to work in the Archdiocesan Offices where there are no children. Many recognized the complexity of the issue. Many felt that if civil authorities cannot proceed because of lack of evidence, then a third party should be assigned to investigate.

Please require priests who have knowledge of another priest being an abuser to report the incidents to civil authorities and the Archdiocese. If the priest who is an abuser of minors is laicized, who will monitor him in society? If a third party investigates be sure it happens. Some wondered if the Special Commission recommendations don’t assume guilt of the accused, so they have to prove they are innocent.

Be careful that the seal of confession is not broken.

Some felt that the recommendations are too vague and do not address the early tendencies toward abuse. What does ministry mean? Could a priest be assigned to cloistered prayer?

How will the Archbishop assure us that there is follow-through with the recommendations?

Is Rome going to implement a “zero tolerance” policy?

The recommendations are a good start. The Archbishop is light years ahead of his contemporaries.

General Comments about Priests

1. Many people expressed concern and support for the priests who have not abused anyone.
2. Some felt that we need to discuss sexual abuse of priests toward young women and young girls.
3. Priests need to be held accountable.
4. If a priest entered the seminary out of 8th grade, what kind of sex education and psychological courses was he offered?
5. Concern was raised for priests who have been abused as children.
6. Did the shortage of priests contribute to the decision to reassign priests?
7. Now we know priests are no longer on a pedestal.
8. All priests need education on what is appropriate and inappropriate behavior. Touching particularly needs to be addressed.
9. Please do not allow homosexual priests to be the scapegoats in relation to sexual abuse of minors.
10. Provide priests with counseling, stress management and substance abuse counseling before they become abusers.

Suggestions for the future

1. Evaluate Project Benjamin to see if it is really working or should it be re-designed.
2. Bring Parish Councils in. They should be advised on these issues.
3. Provide more statistics? Make better distinction between pedophilia and ephebophilia. Facts related to #29 on Question & Answer Sheets. Provide statistics related to religious vs. diocesan priests, Catholic celibate clergy and Protestant married clergy.
4. Have independent investigators review cases and provide recommendations.
5. Extend Legal Statute of Limitations.
6. Promote Project Benjamin.
7. Have criminal background checks on all employees including priests.
8. Deal with the fear of publicity. Children are afraid to tell parents.
9. Provide healing sessions for the faithful who are not involved in these sessions, but are greatly troubled. Have many healing sessions over time.
10. Investigate how patriarchy and power contribute to all kinds of physical and emotional abuse.
11. Provide all Catholics with a copy of the Special Commission Recommendations as well as the Question and Answer Sheet.
12. Establish a special fund to help victims/survivors so that people can contribute to it.
13. Clarify the process for reporting if someone knows of sexual abuse.
14. Don’t have male dominated prayer at these sessions. Get some women involved.
15. Don’t cut off victim’s stories.
16. Have a “world policy” in the Church.
17. Always have two adults present with a child. No adult should be alone with a child unless it is a parent.
18. Do not allow priests to conduct the victims/survivors healing services. They should sit in the pews and let parish staffs run the service.
19. Make it easy for victims/survivors to come forward.
20. Educate children from kindergarten on about inappropriate conduct by priests or anyone.
21. Provide support groups for sexuality abused victims/survivors?

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

1. Are there priests in current ministry who are not pedophiles but have allegations against them?
2. Will the Archdiocese open old cases given new understandings today?
3. How do we handle disillusioned people who are dropping out of parishes?
4. Why is not the Archdiocese a “mandatory” reporter like teachers and social workers?
5. How will the Archdiocese support those who were victimized many years ago and do not want to come forward to the DA at this point?
6. There is a need for more “top-down” apologies to victims/survivors from the hierarchy.
7. What is being done to prepare parishes for the announcement that one of their priests has been involved in sexual abuse?
8. Clarify number 29 (on Q&A; sheet). Give statistics.
9. Will “gag order” continue?
10. The Church won’t do anything until they feel it in their pocketbooks.
11. Number 2 and 3 on the Question and Answer Sheets are untrue.
12. Wish the Archbishop was here.
13. “Settlements” do not heal. Let’s get to the healing of victims/survivors.
14. Explain in more detail why priests can’t be removed from the priesthood? What is the difference between removing from ministry and removing from priesthood?
15. How do we know celibacy does not have something to do with sexual abuse?
16. We need to protect our children.
17. Why did you rely so heavily on therapists?
18. I have difficulty encouraging vocations with my children and sending them to a Catholic school.
19. I’d like the Archbishop to respond to the book “Good-bye Good Men” by Michael S. Rose. We need to get back to the Bible. We do not need homosexuals in the seminaries.
20. Sin was never mentioned.
21. How is monitoring done?
22. Aren’t whole families affected, not just victims/survivors?
23. Are we a legal Church or a pastoral Church?
24. Victim just wanted a letter and did not get it. (Mt. Calvary)
25. I question the answer to Question #21.
26. We have all been abused in some way.
27. We should be concerned about priests who were abused as children.
28. What is the long term plan for healing?
29. Are priests reported for other crimes, like robbery?
30. Priests who have turned their life around are often great instruments of healing.
31. One survivor commented that he/she did receive an apology and that was very important.
32. Be careful what victims/survivors are put on the planning committee for the victims/survivors healing session, so that it does not become a venting session instead of a healing session.
33. One table questioned whether the Archdiocese was really listening or just “pretending” to listen, like everything else it does.
34. Will fear of media prevent open discussion?