Tuesday, November 20, 2007
BUT IS HE AN ABUSER ?
The Baltimore Sun reports on the flap created in the parish of Father Michael Salerno over his removal as pastor resulting from an allegation of sexual abuse 30 years ago. Parishioners are outraged. They LIKED their pastor. You've heard it all before. Many of the removed priests were very well liked. I know from experience. Priests who abuse do not go around advertising their deviance. That deviance is fueled in many cases by their winning personality used not only to make the parish like them, but also to persuade their victims that cooperation is a good thing to do. Here we have another priest with a winning personality. Even the non-Catholics liked him. It puts the victim, if there is one, at a serious disadvantage.
This priest was apparently a great humanist. No where in the accolades do I see any indication that he was holy. His accomplishments are all in the earthly realm, and apparently they are many. But what about God?
There is another interesting feature of the article. All of his pictured supporters are women. Possibly this is coincidental. Or maybe not.
Whatever is the case, I hope that Father Salerno is innocent, and that his innocence can be quickly established. But if he is not innocent, I hope that he will at last have to face what he has done and make restitution. A priest who faces accusations should not be tried by his parish and found innocent before the facts.
