Tuesday, July 11, 2006
EMAIL FROM DR. BOND
July 10, 2006
Dear Friends,
The Times Leader has published an article that exposes once again former Bishop James Timlin's efforts to protect predator priests in the Diocese of Scranton. Entitled "The sins of our fathers," this article is appropriately subtitled "Sex abuse: What the diocese knew and didn't tell you." The article, which cites the Society of St. John scandal as an example of how the Diocese of Scranton failed its people, can be found at http://www.timesleader.com/mld/timesleader/14998976.htm.
Appearing on the front page of today's Times Leader (see http://www.timesleader.com/mld/timesleader/), the article is accompanied by a large picture of Timlin and an additional article entitled "The shame of the diocese." This latter article documents the diocesan cover-up in the infamous case of Fr. Robert Caparelli (see http://www.timesleader.com/mld/timesleader/14998996.htm), the first priest in the United States diagnosed as being HIV-positive who pleaded guilty to sexually abusing altar boys. Caparelli died of AIDS in the Lackawanna Correctional Facility in December 1994. My letters exposing Timlin's role in the Caparelli case, and the parallels with Timlin's handling of the SSJ scandal, can be found at http://www.saintjustinmartyr.org/news/BishopTimlinOpenLetter4.html and http://www.saintjustinmartyr.org/news/BishopTimlinLegacyCaparelliToSSJ.html.
While the Times Leader's account of Timlin's protection of predator priests will not shock anyone who has followed the Society of St. John scandal, it is amazing to see that the Diocese of Scranton is still operating from the same play book that was used by Timlin, who declined to be interviewed for the article. The current diocesan spokesman, William Genello, followed Timlin's lead by saying "the diocese would not answer any of the Times Leader's questions about its handling of abuse allegations." Having refused to address the issue, Genello then showed his credentials as diocesan spokesman by suggesting that the Times Leader's approach to the story might reflect "personal or institutional animosity toward the Catholic Church." Genello has apparently learned well from his superiors to attack the motives of anyone who tells the truth about the Diocese of Scranton's failure to protect young souls from abusive priests.
Genello's response on behalf of the Diocese of Scranton demonstrates that the pattern of stonewalling, lying, covering up, and attacking victims and their supporters continues to this day. Hence, predator priests will continue to operate in the Diocese of Scranton because many of their victims have been silenced by fear, guilt, hardball diocesan tactics, and a statute of limitations law that does not recognize the time required for victims to come to terms with the sexual abuse they have suffered.
Pax vobiscum,
Dr. Jeffrey M. Bond
