Uncles weigh in on latest bishop sex charges...

Taken from an email thread between Uncle Dan, Uncle Tom, and Uncle Jer today. Uncle Dan is referencing an article I, to which I hope he posts the link in the comments section.

Subject: RE: VOTF National asks for Skylstad and George, Resign

Jer et al:

I don't know who Voice of the Faithful is and I guess I'm curious to know
what you think of that call to step down.

It's awfully easy to accuse somebody of something. Unless there is
something significant (and credible) to back up the allegations and unless
the allegations claim something significantly bad, my view is that those in
charge should carry on. Otherwise, people making specious allegations could
bring the world to a standstill.

(What if someone made an unfounded allegation about you, an elected judge,
or about Nancy, a teacher, or Tom, a Scout leader? We all wear hats that
render us vulnerable to someone who is dishonest and is out to get us.)

As I think I've said to you before, one of the worst things about this
entire ugly episode in our Church is that every allegation, regardless of
how grave or innocuous, is lumped together in a manner that conjures up in
people's minds the possibility that the accused must have committed the most
vile and despicable thing imaginable. If a priest is alleged to have shown
someone a picture out of Playboy magazine 20-30 years ago, he is cast by the
press and by the gossips in the same "sex offender"/"pedophile" light as
that sick molester of a priest who damaged so many young boys 20+ years ago
and who was murdered in the jail back in Massachusetts a few months ago.

Perhaps you have a different view but I have not lost confidence in Bishop
Skilstad or Cardinal George.

As ever,

Dan

To which Uncle Tom responds:

Dan:
Based on what I know at this point, I'm certainly on your side on this
one. TR

And Uncle Jer...

Subject: RE: VOTF National asks for Skylstad and George, Resign

I've not lost confidence in Cardinal George and not really had confidence in
Bishop Skylstad since he announced the priests who had problems in our
diocese without any explanation as to what the allegations against them
were.

And my first thought when the allegation came out about Bishop Skylstad was
I do not believe it and see it as a way of bringing the whole church (USCCB
and Spokane Diocesan matters) to a standstill which cannot be allowed.

Notwithstanding that, I see in all of this as a huge failure of a morally
based institution (the Church) to do even as much as a totally secular
institution (school districts, Washington State Judicial Conduct Commission,
Washington State Medical Assoc, etc) would do in the same situation (removal
of an offender (or his/her license)and placement of him/her on
administrative leave until the matter is investigated and or resolved)
because the Church continues to be controlled by men who refuse to
acknowledge how out of control they have let -- and continue to let -- this
problem get.

In our own country's government the divinely inspired genuises (and I mean
that in all seriousness referring to guys like Madison, Hamilton, Jay and
others of our founding fathers) who set up our governmental processes, had
the insight and courage to establish 3 separate branches of government to
balance one another. In the Church, we have only God and our (the Bishops)
consciences to balance the governance acts of the Bishops and priests since
the people in the pews really are often unaware (by design or their choice)
of what goes on and certainly not asked to participate or if asked, are
subject to the clergy totally ignoring them and their suggestions (have you
ever served on an "advisory board" --Parish council, Finance, School Board,
etc -- are you aware of any other type of board but advisory? even those
set up to investigate clergy abuse claims?). For the past 20 plus years
that this "crisis" has been building, Bishops have continued to hide,
shuffle and ignore the problem and as a result -- which may be the best
result and return the Church to its origins
-- all the property in the Spokane Diocese and others is at risk.

This problem is not going away. (I include the latest from Theresa's old
parish)
1) Few details on priest's resignation
Thursday, March 23, 2006. Sexual misconduct with adult is alleged. By
ANGELO BRUSCAS. P-I REPORTER. A standing-room crowd of more than 700
parishioners at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in West Seattle met for two
hours Tuesday night with members of the Archdiocese of Seattle but got few
answers about the abrupt resignation earlier this month of the church's
longtime pastor,
Last modified: March 22, 2006
URL: http://seattlepi.com/local/264026_priest23.html

2) Archdiocese confirms alleged sexual misconduct in priest resignation
Tuesday, March 21, 2006 . Last updated 10:44 p.m. PT. By ANGELO BRUSCAS.
P-I REPORTER. A standing-room crowd of more than 700 parishioners at Holy
Rosary Catholic Church in West Seattle met for two hours Tuesday night with
members of the Archdiocese of Seattle but got few answers about the abrupt
resignation earlier this month of the c
Last modified: March 21, 2006
URL: http://seattlepi.com/local/263899_priest21ww.html

I am inclined to believe in this non-theological, non-liturgical area which
is not a matter of doctrine, the Church leadership should open its eyes to
its continuing failures and do what is right.

Jer

We should be having these conversations on the Blog, so they don't end up formatted like this!

Feel free to weigh in in the comments section...