CRITICS: ‘JUSTICE’ LACKING
Cardinal’s interpretation of mission under scrutiny
The 2014 charter for the Vatican’s Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors states that it is the beginning of an effort “to repair the damage, to attain justice” — words an advocate says contradict Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley’s insistence that investigating priest sex abuse is not part of his panel’s mission.
O’Malley has been under heavy scrutiny by critics as the priest sex scandal reemerged in recent weeks — with the archbishop of Boston himself accused of ignoring a warning about disgraced ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick.
Peter Borre, who founded Boston’s Council of Parishes to fight church closures after the 2002 abuse scandal, said the charter preamble’s words — calling the panel “the firm beginning for initiatives of many different types, which are intended to repair the damage, to attain justice, and to prevent, by all means possible, the recurrence of similar incidents in the future” — clearly suggest probing and acting on past actions. The charter was signed by Pope Francis.
“How can this be done in the absence of any investigative effort?” Borre said. “Imagine a judicial proceeding where no evidence is presented, or even allowed.”
But archdiocesan spokesman Terrance Donilon maintained that the commission does not have authority to review and adjudicate individual cases.
“My interpretation of what the Pope is referring to is the Holy See’s responsibility to address the issue from many initiatives and areas of expertise,” Donilon said in an email. “That the combined efforts of all the entities of the Church working together with specific intent will attain the goals of justice.”
He noted that other Vatican bodies, such as the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith or the Congregation for Bishops, review, investigate and adjudicate cases of sexual abuse.
“The Commission is an advisory panel whose mission is clear and focused on three main areas and share them now with all Episcopal Conferences and the laity: Healing and Care, Guidelines and Education,” Donilon said.
But Borre countered, “I think that O’Malley is misrepresenting the mandate he got from the Pope to investigate clergy sex abuse.”
Borre noted that since the commission’s formal launch in 2015, two of its 18 members — both clergy abuse victims — have resigned.
“The resignations of the two victims on O’Malley’s commission are evidence of his strange passivity,” Borre said. “The victims were put there to give a voice to the victims and they both resigned in frustration.”
Francis plans to meet with O’Malley and Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops at the Vatican Thursday, along with other church officials over the sex abuse and cover-up scandal consuming the Catholic Church.
Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, in response to a WGBH interviewer’s question Monday about whether O’Malley should resign, said: “Look, I think that anyone who has been complicit, and remember the facts aren’t known in this particular case yet ... should never be in a position of authority.”