The “Paschal Mystery” we have celebrated this past Lent, Holy Week and Easter reminds all Christians that being faithful to discipleship does not always mean that the Christian has an easy spiritual journey. There are events in the lives of every Christian involving abandonment, betrayal, and false accusation. Sometimes institutional structures and authorities take short cuts that are about “saving face” and expediency. Such dynamics were clearly present as Jesus moved through his human life into suffering, dying and then, rising out of it all—despite what preceded the Resurrection.
As pastors we are familiar with what happens to people when they are sexually traumatized. We also have some understanding about the nightmarish situations that develop when chanceries and bishops must address such matters and act on behalf of the accusers and those accused. When a priest is found to have truly traumatized someone, action and consequences must follow—as a matter of justice. This is not a matter for debate.
But it is crucial that not only civil authority, but more importantly, church authority know what “due process” looks like and meticulously follow it. When there is “lack of due process” for an accused priest or months (even years) of no resolution, protracted suffering happens. Tenaciously following “due process” these days is complicated by a growing societal confusion regarding fundamental principles of justice. In many public forums, calls for arrest, incarceration, or deportation are made based solely on suspicion—an approach fundamentally at odds with justice. When these broader cultural dynamics intersect with the complexities of ecclesial justice, the situation becomes even more difficult to analyze and resolve. Nevertheless, it remains a fact that a significant percentage of accusations are false, and great suffering begins when a priest is falsely accused.
For this reason, the AUSCP Mutual Support Committee has spent 2 years writing a document: “Moving Toward Restoring Justice for Priests”. We have shared this document with the USCCB, various bishops and the Nuncio in hopes that we will be engaged in a conversation about this area. We don’t claim to have all the answers, but we do believe we have some things to say. Having such a conversation is about enhancing protections against sexual abuse while ensuring that every victim and named priest cleric receive the due process to which they are entitled.
Rev. Kevin Clinton — Mutual Support Committee Member