What are the issues that the visitation should consider?
In the first place, they have to look at Maciel himself. What are the facts, who knew them, when did they know them, and why did it take so long for them to become public? They should look at the financial dimension. They also need to examine who the victims are, and what's being done to meet the needs of those victims.
Then, they need to look at the structure that Maciel created. There was a good deal of secrecy in his own life, and there's secrecy in the structures he created. It would be helpful to know why there is such secrecy.
You've been very public in your criticisms of the order. Why have you chosen to speak out?
I saw a lot of the Legion when I was in Rome, and I heard a lot about them back here in the States. When I came to Baltimore, I learned that [Cardinal William Keeler]had been dealing with them on a local basis for three or four years, asking for greater transparency, and basically got nowhere. Our priests were frustrated. When I told them that I would demand accountability and share the results with the priests' council, it got a very positive reception.
When word got out of what I was doing, I was surprised by the response. I've received some harshly negative reactions, but I've also had letters from all over the country saying 'Thank you, here's my story.' I got one just last week, from somebody who had been in the organization for seven years and left last week, saying how guilty they felt and that they're having nightmares. It seems to have such a hold on people, and we need to find out why. I don't know of any other organization that has created this atmosphere of suspicion. For their good, and for the good of the church, the full picture should be laid out.
All true. However, at this stage of the game, I don't see a penny's worth of difference between the Legion and the US Episcopal Conference.
Cardinal O'Malley is able to tell a bold-faced lie about hiring people to kill people, discredit truth and everyone and their Bishop, clams up.
A contract requires abortion referrals. Everyone at the Catholic Hospital is going to be required to describe abortion, be supportive, instructive and hand out phone numbers and the Commonwealth and Caritas has promised to monitor conversations to ensure compliance with the abortion referrals. Nobody in the Catholic Conference is Bishops, the Nuncio and the Vatican will stop the man or speak out in public about the corruption.
How could anybody have any kind of trust that raping children is something that would be treated differently than killing them? Unfortunately, the cult mentality is alive and well in the Catholic Church and it is hardly limited to the Legion..
Obedience is the last refuge for the wicked
If the shoe fits, wear it.
