New one act play shows passion of going public about crimes of pedophile priest

*
By Kay Ebeling

It's yet another case of a Catholic priest insinuating himself on a parish family then raping the children. Survivor Joe Capozzi of New York City is also an artist, so as he went public with his charges against Monsignor Peter Cheplic of New Jersey, Capozzi also burst out his story in a one-act play. The result is "For Pete's Sake" a portrayal of the anguish of Capozzi's first dealing with the crimes, and the obliqueness of being an adult victim of pedophile priests.

Capozzi is an actor-writer building professional credits and living in Manhattan. In "For Pete's Sake" he writes and performs what he went through before going to the media and law enforcement in 2006 to report a Catholic priest's sexual assaults that started in Joe's early adolescence. Capozzi used his art as a way of coming to terms with the serial crimes. Today performances of "For Pete's Sake" raise money for Road to Recovery, a support organization for adult victims of pedophile priests in New Jersey and New York.

Capozzi knew he couldn't just tell one or two people what happened and then let the secret continue to fester inside. So he put the angst and confusion of the experience into a one act play that is moving and dynamic and brings the experience alive.

Joe told me about the play in a recent phone conversation and sent me the script. Below are quotes from that conversation along with, in italics, quotes from the play. In the scene below Joe sees that his friend's son is the next target being groomed by Father Pete, and he has to say or do something:
*********

Pete: He is special.
Joe: I would see-
Voice3: Those hugs
Joe: The gifts, the attention, seeing Pete with Little James is like looking in the mirror.
Voice3: He’ll do it again
Joe: I gotta call him. Oh man, what am I going to say, Hey Father Pete diddled me and I’m worried about your son...?
Voice1: It’s okay
Joe: Umm Pete...
James: What?
Voice2: Oh what the heck.
Joe: Pete’s done things to me
James: What are you talking about?
Joe: Physically, Pete, Pete’s done some things to me, you’re going to be hearing some things soon, he’s sick and I’m worried about Little James
James: What?
Joe: I just want you to know…
James: What things?
Joe: …I can’t…please just keep Little James away from Father Pete.

****
From phone interview:

The play portrays the battle between these three voices in my head, the good, bad and sensitive unsure child. It takes us through a 20 year period I held the secret. I knew Father Pete since I was seven years old. Look back now it’s of course, you can see the origin - that moment when I first met him, I didn't trust him-
******

Voice1: Sunday dinners turn into Birthdays, turn into the holidays. Next thing you know-
Joe: Welcome to the family, Father.

*****
I never bought into it, as a kid, I never really did. I was scared of it, I was fearful of the place, because our family didn't always go to church, and the nuns and priests were scary people. When I first met Father Pete, I thought, this guy is scary. Then he pretty much won me over with attention.

In the play I portray a specific moment age 13 14. I yearned to have a mentor in my life, someone who understood me. My parents were great but I was definitely a sensitive kind of emotionally needy kid.

And I loved the arts, I loved talking about politics, I was interested in those things and he was the perfect person to talk to about that stuff. He was interested in theater and arts and music and we would talk about everything. Was he just telling me what I wanted to hear, and that then begins the whole struggle within. He’s telling you you're special, then he starts physically abusing you.
********

Voice2: Typical story.
Joe: We know that now.
Voice1: But you did keep your distance at first
Joe: As much as I could
Voice1: But he worked you well
Joe: He did, but I don’t think he liked me at first either.
Voice3: That was his plan.
Joe: He would call me…
Pete: You little shit
Joe: Always when mom and pop weren’t around.

****************
I didn't want the play For Pete's Sake to be about abuse, it’s a story about a relationship. And there’s a lot of humor in it, because that's how I dealt with it, and how I survived, was being the joker and with humor, and that's what's in the play.

You can affect people better with laughter, they open up, then you hit them over the head with this drama, no one wants to sit there for an hour and a half feeling miserable. Entertaining people I have a better shot at getting a message out, is my feeling, for people that come to the show.
*****************

Joe: I actually started to look forward to seeing him; I wanted him to like me. I had someone I can trust, just like that.
Voice2: You’ve been groomed!
Joe: Now that word. groomed. Sounds like I’m a dog. What do they teach grooming in the seminary, seems like these priests all use the same techniques. They must have a handbook

*****************
I had to play dead a lot of times.

Pretend to be passed out tell him I took the Dramamine when I didn't take them, then having to deal with him sneaking up on me in the middle of the night. Me pretending I was passed out and physically trying to cover myself up without letting him know that I was not passed out. ‘’I’ve had a number of years of dealing with that and that's in the play, what a typical night with him would be, passing out, faking being passed out, then dealing with him in the night coming to check on me.

Then I’d leave and be telling myself, ‘you are such a scumbag.’ And then he gives you gifts and this turns into a self hatred, disgust with yourself, you feel like people can see it and smell it on you.
********************

Mom: Father Pete is planning a trip to Australia and he offered to take you as well. It would be a gift, would that be something you’d like to do?
Voice1: No!
Joe: Australia wow, that’s far away, cool.
Pete: Here we go, are you ready for another!
Joe: Sure, I need to get used to drinking like this for college
Joe: Enough! Never got to see where Crocodile Dundee lived. I hated that trip. I still feel
like that 18 year old, and not in a good “hey I’m so cool for my age” way. I started to
look at things very differently. The world got darker.
Time to go to college. Pack up, me and my little secret.
Pete: So did you jerk off today?
Voice3: Oh crap here it comes

******************

(City of Angels: Like many adult victims - and this is a story I’ve heard several times in the last three years of interviewing the crime victims Joey asked the perpetrator priest to officiate at his wedding.

His Perpetrator Performed His Wedding?

Joe explained:)

It’s this priest that you're friends with, he’s close with your family, he’s married your brother, your cousins. When it’s time for me to get married, I have to do it in a Catholic church, marry a Catholic girl…

Then the guilt I feel towards my ex wife and putting her through that, in terms of my relationship with him. There’s a scene in the play after a dinner, me and my wife are talking and she says to me, was it just me or was he being a little bitchy to me tonight.
*****************

Ex-wife: Is it me or was Pete being kind of, I don’t know, bitchy to me tonight?
Joe: No..
Ex-wife: …at times he tries to get me to look dumb, makes fun of me a little too much
Joe: He’s joking around.
Ex-wife: It makes me uncomfortable…and it’s not the first time
Joe: He’s goofing with you, c’mon. I don’t know…he was just tired, really tired tonight.
Ex-wife: It’s like he’s jealous…
Joe: Of what?
Ex-wife: So you didn’t see any of that? It’s my imagination…

**************
Because what Pete would do was he was jealous, and I could see before my eyes, he would do his best to make her uncomfortable especially when he started drinking.

In my mind I had an exit strategy how to get him out of my life. Once I got married and that obligation was done, I would distance myself. But the problem is he’s still friends with the family. He’s still there.
**************

Ex-wife: I’ve been talking to my therapist…
Joe: What? Your shrink? About me
Ex-wife: Well for myself but of course I talk about you, us and she says that you are emotionally unavailable
Joe: Oh so a shrink can tell you what’s wrong with me, without meeting me, talking to me? So you spend the time talking about me, you should worry about yourself, emotionally unavailable, I mean what the hell does that mean?
Ex-wife: It means that you are so caught up in yourself that emotionally you cannot bethere for someone, like me
Joe: See I think I am emotionally available, because right now emotionally I’m pissed and it’s available to you.
Voice1: She was right…
Joe: (JOE looks at EX-WIFE) I know…

***************
(City of Angels: There is a scene in the play where he uses the sounds of all the voices talking at once. You can hear it. You can envision it. The words are the kinds of words actors like to wrap themselves around.

In scene below, we see how 'For Pete's Sake' portrays the confusion created by sex crimes of Catholic priests:)
***************

Voice3: Open your eyes he’s trying again, get up you have to go!
Joe: Pete, I gotta go!
Voice3: Just get to your car! Go down the stairs, through the rectory, out the door, get to your car,
Voice1: Pete is following behind, tell him you have to get home!
Joe: I have to get home
Voice2: You let it happen again,
Voice3: Just go, this is embarrassing, Say goodbye but be polite,
Joe: Goodnight Pete, thank you!
Voice2: You can end it here!
Voice1: Stop saying that!
Voice2: Wrapped around a pole in Jersey.
Joe: Just tell one person
Voice2: End it all here and you won’t have to tell anyone!
Voice1: Tell someone
Joe: Who can I tell?
Voice3: Please slow down!
Voice2: Keep the secret
Voice1: Tell someone
Voice3: Slow down!
Voice2: Keep it, keep the secret, keep it, keep the secret
Voice1: Tell someone, tell someone, tell someone
Voice3: Slow down, slow down, slow down
Joe: KEEP IT!
(MOM enters, JOE gets up from chair to greet his MOM)
Joe: Mask on. (beat) Hey mom
Mom: How was your night?
Joe: Good
Mom: How was dinner?
Joe: Good
Mom: How’s Pete?
Joe: Good, good to see him, always fun

*******************
The first person I told was my ex-wife. We, our relationship- I was in no position of being in a relationship, I had so much stuff that I had to deal with and I couldn't do that to someone. I couldn't be a supportive person, I couldn't be a partner. Until I dealt with it like I'm doing now, dealing with my own crap, how can I be there for someone else.
*********************

Ex-wife: Are you okay?
Voice1: Stop being afraid
Joe: No… I’m not okay,
Voice2: You’re just as guilty
Ex-wife: Why, what’s wrong?
Voice1: Tell her
Joe: …I don’t know
Ex-wife: Maybe you should go stay with Pete for a little while.
Joe: No…
Voice1: The truth. Say it!

***************
As an actor when you have those moments that you do it, you make someone laugh or cry, you also have the feeling of being heard and listened to, it’s a drug that thing that gets you, makes you feel alive.

Monsignor Cheplic got a better deal than I did. He’s got his full pension, his benefits, nobody knows where he is living today.

That's so funny, they say since he’s retired, they don't have to be accountable for where he is.
******************

(EX-WIFE exits)
Voice3: You are emotionally unavailable.
Joe: I know!
Voice3: You had nothing to give
Joe: I know that now, I haven’t had one honest relationship
Voice3: Well what do you expect, the last time you opened up to someone he…
Joe: I need to learn how to trust.
Voice1: Give it time.

****************
PERFORMANCES of For Pete's Sake
Often benefit Road to Recovery

"I credit Bob Hoatson Hoatson with really saving me, saving my life," Capozzi said. "When I came out with what happened to me, I was like, now what do you do, who can you trust. When I told my family, actually my brother put me in touch with SNAP in New Jersey, and then Pat Serrano from SNAP in New Jersey who’s just been an incredible supportive trusting woman, put me in touch with Bob Hoatson.

"I talked with him one night and next day met with him. He had information, he knew of Cheplic, and knew of past abuse allegations about Cheplic.

"When I came forward, Bob Hoatson already knew a history of Cheplic. So when I went public, Hoatson was very supportive, I put my name out there. I didn't trust just going to the archdiocese.

"Bob Hoatson was one of the first people who started to give that back to me. He guided me through the process of formally going to the church and to law enforcement to make record of my allegations. He would always call to check on how I was doing.

"Hoatson NEVER once asked me for anything. The church has put him through hell only because Bob wants the truth to be known and the church is afraid of the truth.

"When I started writing 'For Pete's Sake' I promised myself that if I ever presented the play to an audience Road to Recovery would benefit. Since the first reading in December of 2008, we have raised over $2000 and will continue raising money and awareness for Road to Recovery with the benefit readings of "For Pete's Sake" planned in the future."

**************
CofA: In the last three years I’ve heard these stories from so many people. The MO these priests used is too similar for there not to have been some kind of communication - a network, yes, even a conspiracy - between the predator priests who stalked families throughout the United States in the last century and the bishops who enabled them. The problem of being crime victims who are also writers and artists is -

How do we explain the depth of the damage.

When someone sexualizes a person before adulthood, it affects them at the very core of their being. Add in the factor that the rapist is a clergy person with community wide credibility of being a man somehow connected to God - lines and lines of blog posts and newspaper articles, volumes of books still can’t capture it. It takes that spark of creativity, a lightning bolt to shock an audience awake.
*******************

Pete: So did you jerk off today?
Voice3: Oh crap here it comes
Joe: uhhm actually nope not today, like I’ve told you before, not really into that…
Voice2: Liar!
Pete: I’m just wondering,
Voice1: You don’t have to tell him!
Joe: I really don’t. It’s a sin isn’t it? I don’t want to go blind.
Pete: Oh come on… what do you guys do nowadays?

****************
In “For Pete’s Sake” by Joe Capozzi you ride a roller coaster - fly parabolas in a test aircraft - experience excitement rage hilarity despair - a lot like a day in the life of an adult victim of a pedophile priest. A reading of the play is tentatively on calendar for a location in Manhattan Dec. 5.
****************

Joe: I thought, just be quiet.

Don’t be a troublemaker.

But no one hears John Doe

View Capozzi's video

Read more about Cheplic by Looking Under C in the data base of accused priests at Bishop Accountability

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LITTLE NOTICED IN THE NEWS:

Posted by artemurphy
March 15, 2009, 2:14PM
What a surprise that St. Rose of Lima Parish on the Cleveland West Side was closed by Bishop Lennon.
How vibrant was that parish? First, its former pastor, James Viall, was removed for sexual molestation of children. Second, the Parish rallied behind this perp, James Viall (aka "Father God" as it was reported in local newspaper and TV news coverage) and yet sadly, elements of the Parish excoriated the victims, essentially revictimizing the innocents who came forward with allegations which were later proven to be credible. The Parish defended Viall "fiercely," as newspaper accounts further read. Some victims’ houses were vandalized on Lake Road by irate parishioners. Third, as more victims came forward regarding Viall, representing nearly 50 years of child sexual abuse going back into the late 1950s when Viall was newly ordained and moved around the Diocese of Cleveland from parish to parish, a common practice by the Diocese, St. Rose seemed further emboldened to defend this perp, handing out supportive leaflets after Mass, suggesting a fund raiser for his defense, promoting a 50-Year Jubilee Celebration for him and continuing to list him in the Parish bulletin as Pastor. Fourth, eventually the "incensed" parishioners joined other parishes in the community, including opening a “protest school,” thereby removing large support dollars for St. Rose of Lima Parish and seeing its own school close. Tragically to this day, James Viall continues to protest his innocence and manipulatively work the Vatican, Canon Law appeals systems without regard to his victims and in spite of his fellow priests’ sensitivities (particularly those who long had suspicions, but who were themselves afraid to speak out the to the bishop). Affirmative acknowledgement and confirmation from professionals such as law enforcement and private investigators, social workers, psychologists, medical and diocesan clergy to the victims has not interrupted or short-circuited Viall’s denial. St. Rose of Lima must have been the easiest place for Lennon to close....

(Comment on:
Cleveland parishes may close but Catholic church will be resurrected within all of us: Regina Brett


This one I don't have the link but here is story:
PHOENIX RISING August 18, 2009. APwire - 1:30pmcentral: PHOENIX RISING IN CLEVELAND by, Joelyn Scott and Timothy Nolan, staff writers

Well the long awaited word is in: Former Cleveland priest and pastor of once renowned St. Rose Parish in Cleveland's inner city, James A. Viall has been found GUILTY by a three judge panel - made up of canonists and peer priests - of sexually molesting an untold number of pre-pubesecent boys during the course of his 50 - count 'em - 50 years' history as a catholic priest in Cleveland. Despite seven long years of arduous investigation, untold threats toward victims by the "good catholics" of Viall's bastion of arch orthodoxy, St. Rose of Lima Parish on Cleveland's West Side, and - at times - humiliating and degrading depositions conducted by Cleveland and Chicago attorneys and canonists, and coordinated by the Cleveland Diocesan Lay Review Board, the Office of Bishop Lennon, and Cleveland Attorney, Patricia Ritzert, Esq., four brave victims of Viall's predatory activities have won a hollow victory in their battle for Justice. (Viall plans on appealing his judgment to the Office of The Promulgation of The Faith - the Vatican's highest judicial body - through the auspices of Kay Bailey Hutchison and Women For Faith & Family). Offered hush money to fade away into the dust, these four brave men refused any remuneration from the Cleveland Diocese in their pursuit of JUSTICE. With their professional careers in tatters and their reputations ruined along the way (including those of James McCarty and David Briggs, religion writers for The Cleveland Plain Dealer - Ohio's Largest Newspaper), these men continue to suffer bouts of mental depression, physical torment and spiritual darkness. But their collective beliefs in Truth, Justice, and Fair Play gave them the strength to carry on in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. One now suffers from advanced paralysis of the left side of his face; another from wastage; and a third from obsessive scruples and feelings of guilt. On a more positive note, the four are planning a reunion/fund-raiser and reverse raffle in Cleveland at Guarino's on Murray Hill on the third Sunday in September and invite all their friends and supporters to enjoy dinner and drinks (open bar underwritten by Anthony Pilla Enterprises, pasta by Cavollis, spumoni and pastries by Corbos on The Hill). Fr. Viall was contacted as part of this story but refused comment saying instead that he still suffers mental torment, bouts of self-doubt about his vocation, and the lingering effects of a lifelong malady known as Addison's Disease. (It is reported by third parties that Viall seldom ventures outside his Brecksville home except for Oil of Ipacac, has all of his meals catered in by John Q's Steak House, is reduced to washing his own bed sheets and underwear, and has given away all of his Ivy League sports shirts to the children at Parmadale Village.) Viall, ordained in Cleveland in December 1954 by His Excellency Bishop Edward F. Hoban, is 80 and lives with his brother John Viall in Brecksville, Ohio. Declan O'Toole and Emmett Murphy also contributed to this story.

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Accused priest's parish defends him fiercely

09/03/02

David Briggs
Plain Dealer Reporter

He is a man so revered for his devotion to a traditional church that some of his followers compare him to Mother Teresa and Pope John Paul II. The nickname "Father God" is sometimes whispered in the halls of St. Rose of Lima Church in Cleveland.

Yet the Rev. James Viall is one of 15 active priests suspended by the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland after they were accused of sexual misconduct.

Viall, 73, was placed on leave July 3 after two families told the diocese and the Cuyahoga County Department of Children and Family Services that they had discovered inappropriate photos of minors and that Viall had been providing alcohol to children.

Two successful professional men later told prosecutors Viall abused them in the 1950s and '70s. One of them has sued Viall.

The case is a striking example of the two faces of the priesthood confronting Catholics across the nation.

The apparent contradiction troubles Viall's supporters at St. Rose, and they're angry with Bishop Anthony Pilla and anyone who questions their former pastor.

In fact, a priest during a July Mass asked parishioners to pray for Viall's speedy vindication, and a flier inserted into bulletins at Sunday Masses July 14 urged church members to fight for his reinstatement.

During a July 31 parish meeting, some parishioners laughed at and jeered diocesan officials when they urged compassion for abuse victims. Families suspected of helping prosecutors have been attacked in online forums and parish meet ings.

"He is just such a great example of what we believe in, in our faith," church member Marilyn Kenner said after the meet ing. "As far as we're concerned, this is spiritual warfare."

Viall's lawyer said the priest is unable to comment on the allegations because they are being investigated by church and civil authorities.

For those individuals who say they experienced his advances, Viall's suspension is long-delayed justice.

One 60-year-old man who said he was abused by Viall said the priest's actions have bothered him for 47 years. The man, who spoke on the condition that he not be identified, said he awaits the day Viall and other abusive priests are sent to prison along with Martin Louis, a former diocesan priest convicted of sexual crimes.

"I'm more than happy to forgive all these guys their sins as long as they're sitting next to Martin," he said.


Slow seduction

The seduction started slowly, the older man recalls.

Viall told him that he was a special altar boy, and pulled him out of class to serve funerals and other functions at St. Jerome in Cleveland. Viall became friends with his family, and won their confidence to take the youth to Cedar Point and on trips to CYO camps, the former altar boy said.

Later, the man said, came dirty jokes, sexual discussions and offers of alcohol. There were gifts and late-night swimming trips at the seminary, where the former altar boy said he was encouraged to swim naked.

On a trip to Washington, D.C., when he was 13, the man said he and Viall stayed in the same room and that the priest told him to take off his pajamas and come into his twin bed wearing only one of the priest's T-shirts. When he complied, the priest threw his arms and legs over the young boy and began to breathe heavily as they lay in bed together, the man recalls.

In the flier circulated at St. Rose Church, supporters of Viall said the recent allegations represent the first time in a 49-year career the priest has even been accused of improper conduct with children.

But it was as early as 1955, the year after the priest's ordination, that the man said Viall began to abuse him.

A second man also has come forward to prosecutors, saying he was abused by Viall as an altar boy in the early 1970s at St. Phillip and James. Many of the details in the allegations are similar, including Viall urging the boy to wear his T-shirt to bed.

In retrospect, some former parishioners said Viall has often shown an inordinate interest in boys. For nearly all of his priesthood, Viall went on unchaperoned trips with them. He gave some youths the honorary title "boy bishop."

Former parishioners said Viall always seemed to have young teens around him, even when visiting church members' homes for social functions.

But for decades, as is the case with many priests suspected of abusing children, no one said anything.


Supporters fight back

This image of Viall is unrecognizable to many current members of St. Rose, some of whom see the priest as the victim of a witch hunt. Critics say the church bypassed due process in suspending the priest publicly and damaging his reputation.

"A wonderful man, Father Viall. . . . He's an eloquent preacher. He's a very orthodox and holy man," said George Donnelly, a St. Rose parishioner and father of 13. "I think that we have the cart before the horse. You're guilty before you're proven innocent."

James Schneider said that when he was an altar boy, Viall was a model priest. When he got out of the Marine Corps at age 21, Viall gave him a job doing custodial work at St. Rose to help him pay for his education at Cleveland State University.

Now three of Schneider's sons are altar servers at St. Rose. He allowed one of his sons to travel alone with Viall and stay in the same room with the priest on a two-week trip to Europe. The priest told the young teen he wanted to take him to Europe because his health did not permit him to travel alone and the boy was his friend.

James Schneider, 46, trusts Viall completely. He calls him "without a doubt" one of the holiest men in his life.

For those on the other side, the parish opposition can be frightening.

"We are new arrivals to this cesspool," said one of the parents who complained.

The parents declined to speak publicly. Already, they say, they have been forced to seek new churches, and they and their children have been vilified in late-night phone calls and Internet chat rooms for speaking out. An unsigned newsletter inserted in bulletins indicated the parents who complained about Viall actually approved of alcohol being served to their children.

At the July church meeting, some hollered, "She's crazy. She's nuts" in reference to one of the parents who complained.

Most of the 200 parishioners attending supported Viall. "This is an attack on Father Viall, and it's an attack on this community of faithful believers. He is devout. He is religious. He is a man of God," parishioner Lloyd Hemphill said after the meeting.


Tradition survives

At St. Rose, the hierarchical church survives, from the cleric saying the Latin Mass facing away from the congregation down to the black biretta, the traditional square hat with silk trim, worn by the priest. It is an environment that does not brook dissent.

Supporters see Viall as a charismatic, inspiring preacher who would visit them in the hospital and be by their side through illnesses of loved ones.

For those who believe in him, it is inconceivable Viall would abuse children, several said. Some say they're frustrated that authorities haven't released details of the complaints against Viall.

But the Catholic Church, reeling from the clergy sex abuse scandal, has committed itself to investigating allegations and caring for those who say they were abused.

In the uproar at St. Rose, concern for victims has not always been a priority.

At a weekday Mass in July, the Rev. Sean Donnelly added his own prayer of the faithful that made no mention of abuse victims: "We pray for the speedy return and vindication of Father Viall."

At the parish meeting, Sister Rita Mary Harwood, diocesan secretary for parish life and development, and the Rev. Lawrence Jurcak, director of the clergy personnel board, were jeered when they spoke of extending pastoral care to people who have been sexually molested.

But Harwood and Jurcak, in the face of angry parishioners, urged church members not to ignore the suffering of those who claim to be victims of Viall.

"My heart grieves terribly for these individuals," Jurcak said.

Several times, the slightly built nun urged sympathy for abuse victims in quiet and prayerful tones. "No child should suffer harm at the hands of clergy. That should be our primary concern," Harwood said.

And when they learned parents who raised concerns this year were being harassed, the two professional men who said they had been abused said they decided to come forward. One of them said it was painful to risk emotional trauma as well as the wrath of Viall's supporters.

In the end, it was a simple moment that gave him the will to speak out. It was seeing the sheer innocent joy of childhood on the face of his preteen son when the boy brought home a frog from a pond.

"When I saw him with the frog, this is what I must have been, what I was like at 11 and 12 years old, before Viall had his way with me."

Plain Dealer reporter Margaret Bernstein contributed to this story.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

dbriggs@plaind.com, 216-999-4812


© 2002 The Plain Dealer. Used with permission.

Source:Plain Dealer 7.05.02; Akron Beacon Journal 7.05.02; Plain Dealer 8.01.02; Plain Dealer 9.03.02; Plain Dealer 9.11

If only the leaders were as good as the members

"As we sought the essential reasons for how this, the greatest of all scandals in the history of American Catholicism came about, today I would have to say that what was most important was the discovery that truthfulness, itself, had been the first victim to fall. Without truthfulness, leadership did what it willed; dragging the church into the murky world of half-truths and cover-up.

"Make no mistake - as truthfulness disappeared, each of the other great virtues became victims and faded away as well. Charity suffered; kindness was ignored; courage was discarded; and holiness disappeared. Character was traded for secrecy; honor was bartered for disguise; and moral excellence was silenced before it could utter a word."

From:

A Privatc Catholic in the Public Square
August 4, 2009
Speech by
The Honorable Anne M. Burke

(If only the leaders were as good as the members.)

A Privatc Catholic in the Public Square
Ttresdsv. Auqust 4. 2ooo
Our Ladv ofvictorr Parish
Centerville. Massachusetts
By the Honorable Anne M. Burke

f briry this small but iDtluential work up to you this evening
bcc.au.ceI belicve Kung and I appear to have come to the same point of
conclusion - though largely from very difierent journelrs, fte
concluslon is this - truthfulnesr (t rra,|tr 't") is ahe Jfutur.e oJr t re
Church.
T'his, more than should be thc goal and spirit of the
post-conciliar Church - even forty years later. And I can say tlis -
that truthfulness (both as a vlrtue and glft of the Sptrlt) ts the only
way out ofwhatever tmubles the Churdr present! faces; whether that
ie the sexurl abus€ of minors by some memb€rs of the clersr; or
pastors who cook the books; or the falling number€ in Mass-goers; or
the dwinilling of vocations and lack of clergr to etafi many fariehes;
or the emotional closure of pariches acrose the country; or the
lrertment of women oyer the centurle-s,
Truthfirlnesc, my frienils, ie the light that leads to the Lord.
Personally, I bclieve rrc hal'e nothing to ftar fi.om the tt-uth as a
Catholic; as a Justice of thc lllinois Supreme Court or as a mom, St.
Thomas Aquinae says it best - All that is tme, Dy uhomsoeuer it hos
been sald tras its origin fu t le Spi"it
This is tvtrat Kung cuggested in his treatice -ackrowledging that
there was a frech passlorr for truthfirlness ln the zoth Centuryi and
admitting that there had been a historical dicregard for truthfulnees
over the centuries in the Church; higNiShtint that tmthfulness is a
demand of the message of Jesua, lrincelf; andl finalty adrntttirrA thst
truthfirlnesc can be both a challenge and danger - for we must live
wtth the truth we uncog. Tluthfrrlnecs is necessary in moving from
virtue to doctrinc; from ideal to practice; but it is alco an essential,
prac-tical conponent ofreform, both ec.cleslal and personal.
I say thle to 1ou this evening not to elaborate on Father Kung's
personal theolog4 but rather because throughout my years of serice
to the Chur.ch, particularly to the United Strtes C.onference of Catholic
Bishopc as Interim-chair of the body the abuee of
minors by the clergr in our nation - trutbfulnEs tras alroaSrsth e one
virtue that wae hr.rdest to wrinA out of the institution durlng our
investlgadon, Truthfirlne6s, lts€lf, wa.s the vicdm everlnvhere we
tumed.
I-et me be very clear - trrrthfulness would have stopped the
trapdy of sexual abuce by t}re cleryy; truthfirlne$ would have
prevented the e!:ocion of &ith for many in the aftermath; truthfrrlneea
would have ttabllized vlctims when they r',eported abuse; and
truthfrrlness would haye brouaht a frrller healing and dignity to those
most hurting after going unheard or vilified for years. And
truthfi.dness would have stopl!€d the crisis brought on by the financial
cettlementc th&t afready have bankrupted some dioccacs in our
nation.
Ttuthfulness, I belleve, wouJd have made the task bcfore our
National Review Board less painfirl in our own livesi futh6 ness
would have madc some of the leaders we cpoke to more beliearble;
le.ss tlrreatened; and ma;ibe less crlpable.
- TtuthfuIness would have prcvented some bishops from trying to
deceive even those of us on the National Rcview Board in our efforts
on their behalf.
Truthfulness would have helped fo achieve translnrenclr for
regl.
TYuthfulness would have celranted scandal from crime - for the
terrible scandal was most ofall a result orf .the untruth"- the lies. the
deceit and the cover up.
TqriSht, I am not so much interested ln your latowing what our
boaril qid at each step of our lnvesdgNtion, as I am in reltting how I
now believe thrt while we thouSht we were searching for the correct
nurnbers of abuaers and the abused tJrer.,ew as sornething evcn more
profound to rmcover.
As we eouglrt the essendel reasona for how Oris, the greetest of
all scandals in the history ofAmerican Cgthollcism came about, today
I would have to say that what was most important was the discovery
that truthfr ness, itself, had becn tlre first victim to fall. Without
truthfirlness, leadership ilid what it wtlled; dragging the Church into
the murlry world ofbalf-lrrths and cover-up,
Make no mistake - as truthfuln€ss disappeare4 eadr of the
other great virtues became victinrs and faded away as well. Charity
srrffered; kindness was ignored; courage was discarded; and holiness
dieappeared. Character was lraded for secrecy; honor was bartered
for disguise; and moral excellence was silenced before it could utter a
word.