The nose of former bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport Edward Egan just keeps on growing and growing. He protected pedophiles, the Diocese pays out at least $30 million to settle cases and yet he continues to plead he did nothing wrong. What would Jesus do? From the Connecticut Post:
Days after former New York Cardinal Edward Egan drew harsh criticism over comments he made over his handling of the priest sexual abuse scandal, the former Bridgeport bishop is continuing to defend his actions.
In a statement published on the Archdiocese of New York’s website, Egan reaffirmed that while he was Bridgeport bishop and New York cardinal, there was not “even one known case of the sexual abuse of a minor by a priest throughout my tenure.”
That comment is contrary to church documents obtained by the Connecticut Post that show Egan was made aware of specific allegations of abuse by priests when he became Bridgeport bishop in 1988. Documents also showed not only did Egan not report the abuse claims to police, but he covered up the allegations, moving offending priests around the diocese.
Read more here.
OIB reader Tom Kelly who’s been actively documenting Egan’s protection of priest abuse writes this:
I’ve never really been able to hold my tongue. Clearly, Cardinal Egan seems to be speaking in tongues with his latest non-apologetic take back outburst tantamount to pouring vinegar on the rapier and sticking it in the wounds of abuse victims.
In his revisionist watch as the not so very Good Shepherd for the Diocese of Bridgeport, the Cardinal displays a disturbing Altar Ego that can best be described as Dr. Jekyll-Mr. Hide behind the Cassocks and $urplu$$e$ and the Secret Archives of the Diocese of Bridgeport. Bishop Lori who has reigned upon the Diocese in his Billy Pulpit should not so easily be left off the hook. Yes, he did clean up the mess but it was only after the Diocese was clearly caught with its pants down.
In the CT Post article dated February 7, 2012 and written by Dan Tepfer, the Diocesan spin doctor paints a certain compassionate portrait about Bishp Lori. “I believe it’s not in the bishops’ heart to condemn another bishop,” said Bridgeport Diocese spokesman Brian Wallace, who was unaware of the Egan interview. The Cardinal’s sins can’t be criticized by the Bishop because that would constitute a Mortal Sin under Canon Law in regards to “detraction.” These are no venial matters. No wonder why under such antiquated religious laws the flock is flying the coop.
As we enter this lenten season you will see the Bill-Boards proclaiming this a “Season of Reconciliation!” Maybe when Ash Wednesday falls on Tuesday!
It is presumptuous to think local Bishops acted autonomously with respect to the scandals of deviate priests.
Tom, I always love your Double Entendres.
Billy Pulpit, Diocese was clearly caught with its pants down.
Hide behind the Cassocks and $urplu$$e$ and the Secret Archives of the Diocese of Bridgeport. LOL Great Stuff!
*** These lies are just part of the reasons many Catholic churches are empty and closing in America! This do as we say, not as we do clergy policies are sinful to say the least. *** HIGHWAY TO HELL ***
Memory is a very tricky thing, isn’t it? So is a habit of being listened to, because no one else has a right to be listened to so you can talk freely without much chance of being opposed. And if, as Egan was, you were turned out of the seminary with a collar, then gained legal training to add to inborn political instincts, and served in some very wealthy high-profile communities where people bowed and scraped, what would you expect? The clergy sexual abuse scandal (both the actual crimes of power and rape but also the silent behavior of men ultimately in Church power positions who were not parents protecting their young from severe danger and lifetime healing) put a lie to moral authority and “FATHER KNOWS BEST.”
So Cardinal Egan has the title, the funds and the powerful self-absorption of the truly needy. Perhaps the press is not as interested in him. Perhaps the spotlight is infrequent. Whatever, this is one man’s attempt to “set the record straight” and unfortunately his failure: to understand the legal duty to report the abuser that was and is there; to live the pastoral duty of assisting the victim as Christ did, and not throwing them to your legal process; and to see and know what ten years of reporting of scandalous clergy behavior from all over the world that shows a similar lack of concern and knowledge about sexual and vocational ethical misbehavior. He looms large but his words contrast with the reality of Church leadership behavior.
Locally, Voice of the Faithful in the Diocese of Bridgeport produced a script based on the Rosado documents with segments from priest offenders like Pcolka and Brett as well as the words of Monsignors and Bishops from depositions and their own writing. It is called “Bless Me Father, For I Have Sinned!” It is on a DVD and available to you by contacting me. I have a few left. Tom Kelly and others who claim abuse have the courage so many do not. There is also courage in listening to the stories that is part of survivor healing. Finally there is adult responsibility that tells you to raise your voice and speak truth to power. A local diocese no less than a municipal government must practice OPEN, ACCOUNTABLE and TRANSPARENT behavior to gain respect and trust and maintain authority of all kinds. The diocese may not be a democracy, but scripture talks about a community of believers, and leadership of such a community does not hold a Cardinal Egan interview, unless you and the institution are not well. Time will tell.
wordy.
*** BEACON2 should have taken shorthand in high school, no? *** WINK! ***
Mojo,
Hope you get that WINK! under control or you may have to move to Trumbull with our buddy L.E.!
My school did not teach shorthand. It was unavailable.
Words, yahooy, are all that are left at the end of a day, when a Bishop in the year of his departure agrees to make settlements spending more than $10 Million without accounting for it and still leaving more than half of the sordid history to be sorted out by his successor Bishop Lori. Nothing happened on his watch? Or nothing is happening under his cap today? Pray for the guys with collars, pastors and others who fill the model of servant-leaders, and who have lived through this decade with the knowledge there has always been more than meets the eye about Church disclosure. It is ultimately human failure and imperfect human structures that need to reconcile and strengthen responses to such behavior visited upon the young, the weak, and believers who lose their faith. The wounded need tending, need heartful listening and human respect. Time will tell.
AMEN!
A Christian who is not a hero, is a pig.
–Leon Bloy