Association of Catholic Priests call for sexual abuse accusers to be publicly named

Just this last Monday in the US (Dec 3, 2012), SNAP National Director David Clohessy issued a media statement with the following headline: “Predator priest jailed again. SNAP responds.” It’s right there on their website. A "predator priest"? Arrested? Indeed, this would be shocking if it were true. But it isn't. In truth, Carlos Rene Rodriguez, who was arrested on Monday, has not acted as a priest for nearly two decades. The Church completely stripped him of his faculties in 1993. That same year, Rodriguez tried to return to ministry, but the Church denied him. The Church officially laicized him in 1998. In other words, Rodriguez is far from being a "predator priest." He is merely a private citizen. As with any lay person, the Church has no control over his personal activities whatsoever. Actually, Clohessy should know that Carlos Rodriguez was no longer a priest from an LA Times report on his trial in September 2002. That report is featured on SNAP's own website. The headline reads "2 Ex-Priests Charged in Molestations" and the report states, "Rodriguez, who resigned from the priesthood in 1993." He is also referred to as a "former priest." SNAP's headline and story are completely false. Either SNAP knew this, and it deliberately deceived people, or it chose not to take a measly 20 seconds to learn the easily verifiable facts of the matter.

What does it say about the character of someone who will not trust the process of investigation and court trial to vindicate the names of falsely accused priests?

Smyrnian. Agree with you. The Church has a serious hand in this as well, in that had they been prepared to deal with the issue in an open and transparent manner from the start the people would have a lot less reason to be suspicious when ever a new accusation is made.

It must be a horrible feeling to be accused of something and not be allowed to know who the accuser is or have the ability to challenge that person. Sit back and watch your life, your career and your reputation be destroyed. Nothing can be right about that.

The Abuse Plague is Universal "But the facts—and the selective way they are dealt with in too much of the mainstream media—do suggest that the story line declaring the Catholic Church a uniquely perverse institution is a lie; those who perpetrate it are either ignorant bigots, or people with agendas other than the protection of young people, or both." (George Weigel, firstthings website, Dec 5th 2012) (George Weigel is Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C.)

Yes, misneac, the Truth Abuse Scandal has indeed been a very lucrative business. In fact it has been operated by a cozy cartel of controversial and unethical lawyers and certain (though not all) “victims support” groups, with the secular liberal media all too happy to disseminate often flawed, distorted and inaccurate information to keep the ball rolling and the cash registers ringing. Again, simply google david rose daily mail st williams to read all about it.

As an out and out supporter of clergy victims I think it only fair that anyone accused of such vile acts is allowed to know by whom at the earlist stage possable.

another catholic trick blocking the abused from testifying against the abusers. They remind me of the priests who helped the nazi in Germany. All religions started as cults still are cults. All religions should be taxed just like any other business.

The "abuse " industry has been lucrative !The Priests should now actively challenge their accusers in Court and claim civil damages for defamation of character !

kaydog writes, "to let them accuse in secret smacks of the old midaevil [sic] practice of anonymous accusations of witchcraft." They do not "accuse in secret." The media do not publish their names; their privacy and security are protected from individuals who might dissuade them, one way or another, from testifying in court. To publicize the names of alleged sexual abuse victims, especially children, "smacks of" ancient tribal religions whose priests demanded that parents offer their firstborn children as sacrifices to appease the gods, made angry by the sins of the community. (See Exodus 22:29-30.) I wouldn't expect Irish parents to sacrifice their children's privacy and security anytime soon, not given their reactions to the horrendous, decades-long sexual abuse scandals. This proposal by the ACP must fail. I hope they succeed, however, in changing the way the bishops handle suspensions after accusations.

Misneac, please do check out the Daily Mail report I mention below. You'll read how the police in England are going after the liars. It's a superb piece of investigative journalism.

kaydog1, those are certainly among the major contributory factors to false accusations. There is another which professionals in the field of cognitive psychology are all too familiar with. It is under-reported because it is painful, and often inconvenient for people to admit. Unfortunately, for people who feel they have failed or been denied in life, there is a compelling urge to project blame onto others. They require little prompting to scapegoat somebody else - or an organization. By reframing themselves as a victim they feel somehow exonerated, and alleviated of fault or blame. Further, they are embraced by other "victims" and their communities, they are made welcome by "victims groups." And they can even receive large monetary benefits, just for telling their "story." What's more, nobody is going to probe them, and they can remain anonymous. They have nothing to lose. And everything to gain. It is not difficult to see how memories can suddenly "resurface." Priests and other innocent victims of false allegations need to be protected from this psychopathy, just as children need to be protected from potential abusers.

The "sexual abuse " industry is a a very lucrative one ! It is time the Catholic Church started chall challenging these allegations and stop paying out compensation to all and sundry who shout "abuse " .The Priests should be more legally active against these chancers !

"Innocent until proven guilty" does NOT mean that the accused has the right to protect his good name by cover-up, transfer to another parish, shredding of incriminating documents such as payments for silence, refusing to give evidence to police, or other protections bishops are expert in providing. "Innocent until proven guilty" pertains specifically to full, unimpaired investigation by law enforcement officers and, when warranted by the evidence, trial by jury. That's what "proof" of guilty or not-guilty means! In order to protect that process, the accuser in a sexual abuse case must be safe from intimidation and humiliation by publicity, smears in the media, bribery attempts, etc. Priests are denied NO requirements of due process or justice. A falsely accused priest has recourse to law after the evidence is in hand and the jury has spoken. When the right to a 'good name' precludes the process due to victims, we do not have equal justice, and the canon law that pretends to value the reputation of the accused equally with justice for the accuser is a sham, a pious pretense for cover-ups.

One should ALWAYS have a right to face one's accusers. It is only in Ireland's kangaroo courts that the accusers may keep their identities secret, while smearing the reputations and good name of individuals DECADES after an alleged event. People will tell lies for all sorts of reasons, folks. Sometimes they are Delusional, sometimes they are hoping to extort money, sometimes they are Sociopaths, sometimes they just plain-old hate Catholics. It is NEVER proper to simply accept the word of an accuser uncritically, and to let them accuse in secret smacks of the old midaevil practice of anonymous accusations of witchcraft - there simply is no Justice in it!