Friday, July 22, 2005
EMAIL FROM LEE PENN
I discovered this priests' group here:
Helping Catholic Priests with Problems - Opus Bono Sacerdotii
http://www.opusbono.org/home/index.asp
Their stated mission is this:
About Us - Opus Bono Sacerdotii
http://www.opusbono.org/home/about_us.asp
Quote:
"Opus Bono Sacerdotii (work for the good of the priesthood) was founded in response to many sensitive situations with priests and religious around the world requesting unique assistance to confidential problems. These problems may encompass a whole spectrum of circumstances, however, the success in finding solutions is understanding the uniqueness of each individual and their particular needs, abilities and desires especially as it effects the extraordinary relationship between the natural and supernatural aspect of the person of the priest.
In this context, Opus Bono Sacerdotii works quickly and confidentially to assist priests and religious in crisis through a network of confidential experts in various fields that can provide the most appropriate care and handling of crisis affecting priests and religious. Always at the forefront of the mission is Divine Mercy which constrains judgment and prescribes unconditional love and forgiveness."
They drape themselves in "holiness" and the Magisterium.
And the Apologists at the Catholic Culture site love them. Here is their rating:
Catholic Culture : Site Review : Opus Bono Sacerdotii
http://www.catholicculture.org/sites/site_view.cfm?recnum=1989
The "Catholic Culture" people give "Opus Bono" a "fidelity: excellent" rating, just as they do to Opus Dei. (By contrast, they give a "yellow" rating to the ODAN, a group of Opus Dei survivors and critics.)
As a reminder, "Opus Bono" appeared in the recent SF Weekly story about Levada:
http://www.sfweekly.com/Issues/2005-07-13/news/feature_print.html
Quote:
"At about the time Ingels was arraigned on criminal charges, Jenkins and other members of the review panel learned that he was living with former San Francisco Archbishop John R. Quinn at Quinn's residence on the campus of St. Patrick's Seminary in Menlo Park. Quinn moved to the century-old mansion on the seminary grounds after his unexpected retirement as archbishop in 1995. Ingels has been living with him in the elegant mission-style home, built as a summer residence for the late Archbishop Patrick William Riordan, since then, say persons who know the men. Neither Ingels nor Quinn responded to requests for comment for this article.
Jenkins says that he and others of the six-member panel were especially disturbed by reports that a "support group" for priests accused of sex abuse had held meetings at the residence. (The founder of one such group, Detroit-based Opus Bono Sacerdotii, confirmed recently that Ingels is an "adviser" to it. "Father Ingels may be the best canon lawyer in the United States, and we're grateful to have him," said Joe Maher. "He's an excellent priest, a very holy man, and he's a great help to us.")
Jenkins says he and other panel members "didn't believe that a former archbishop had any business keeping house with someone who had acknowledged on a wiretap that he had sodomized a 15-year-old boy," and he and his colleagues saw the living arrangement as a source of scandal should it become publicly known. He says panel members conveyed those sentiments to Levada face to face, recommending that the archbishop order Ingels be moved elsewhere. "We looked at the archbishop and told him in no uncertain terms that there needed to be daylight between Ingels and Quinn," Jenkins says.
Levada responded that he would consult with Quinn, Jenkins says. A week or so later, Jenkins says, Levada reported back that he had spoken with Quinn, and the former archbishop "had seen no reason" for Ingels to move out."
There you have it ... Ingels, an abuser-priest, is an adviser to "Opus Bono," and that group's founder calls Ingels a "very holy man."
And here's a September 2002 news story about "Opus Bono":
Group raises funds to help some priests accused in sex cases
http://www.freep.com/news/religion/priest23_20020923.htm
(This story is from the Detroit Free Press, not the "Free Republic" discussion site, whose inhabitants call themselves "freepers').
Story quotes:
"The phone calls have rolled in from a dozen states, most beginning with the same question: "Are you the guy who helps priests?"
Joe Maher, surprised by the national reach of work he started in Detroit, finds himself answering, "Yep, I guess I am."
Three weeks ago, a visiting priest at Maher's parish, Assumption Grotto Catholic Church in Detroit, was acquitted of raping a choir member. Maher raised $100,000 for the priest's expenses. Word spread and the calls began.
Now Maher, 42, has quit his job as a financial systems analyst to start Opus Bono Sacerdotii -- Latin for Work for the Good of the Priesthood -- a financial and spiritual support group for priests who say they are innocent of alleged misconduct or who are repentant and reformed."
and
"Twelve people sit on an advisory board that will consult on each potential client, Maher said. He declined to name the members but said one is a bishop. The group also has decided that, in addition to helping priests with expenses, it will support abuse treatment facilities and research on sexuality."
It's business as usual for the Corporation and its defenders.
Lee
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Opus Bono Sacerdotii turned up some time ago when Reverend Donald Weeks and his St. Patrick Abbey were in the news in relation to sexual abuse charges. I blogged about him a few times. You can read the blogs here
http://runningoff.blogspot.com/2004_08_01_runningoff_archive.html#109149947039322046
There are also stories at this link
http://runningoff.blogspot.com/2004_03_28_runningoff_archive.html
When you get to the link, type "Weeks" in your web browser's search window to find the stories.
Carrie
