The Hush-Up And Cover-Up Attempts Continue Unabated

Yesterday the pope met with Cardinal DiNardo and other US prelates.  Ostensibly they were discussing the ever-growing scandal of bishops covering for priest-rapists and/or engaging in those rapes as well.  They were serious.  They were somber: an appropriate attitude for crimes of this magnitude.  Can't you see their sincerity, their contrition, their firm resolution in this picture?

JUST RELEASED: Vatican Media photos of Pope’s encounter today with US Bishops’ Conference President Cardinal DiNardo, @CardinalSean, @ArchbishopGomez, and Msgr Bransfield pic.twitter.com/IxZGcHK2br

— Zenit English (@zenitenglish) September 13, 2018

I agree with my blogging colleague Conquered By Love that the jocularity evident on the faces of the pope and the others is a slap in the face to the victims, their families and the aggrieved church at large, not to mention a spit in the eye to God Almighty Himself.

They must have been discussing strategies to silence faithful Catholics, that is, we the Great Unwashed, for they got right to it.  He used his homily to take jabs at Catholics who have had enough, calling us the "Great Accuser" This term has often used for Satan.  Perhaps this is a good entry for the Little Book of Insults.  He said, and I kid you not, "in these times, it seems like the Great Accuser (i.e., us) has been unchained and is attacking bishops".  Awww!!  The poor widdle bishops!  Their widdle feel-bads are hurt!  Let us all shed a tear!  Boo-hoo!  Seriously!  How many bishops knew and uttered not one peep?  Even if they did not engage in the perversions themselves, they cooperated in sin by their silence.

His faithful "vice-pope" lapdog, Cardinal Maradiaga, took his cue from that homily and tried to tell us that McCarrick's abuse of hundreds of young men was "of a private order", decrying its exposition.  Well, most abusers do try to keep their crimes "of a private order".  Perhaps Maradiaga bears some scrutiny?  Regrettably he is "talking the talk" of a serial abuser.  I'm not necessarily saying that he is an abuser, but he's using the language and tactics of an abuser.

These strategies are nothing new.  Church Militant reminded us of the usage of them in Bridgeport about eleven years ago.  A priest brought to light the massive embezzlement committed by another priest.  When then Bishop Lori dragged his feet in addressing the matter, Father Madden hired private investigators to help jail the embezzler.  Bishop Lori's response was to force Father Madden to apologize at Mass for "overstepping his bounds".  I suppose for Lori it was more important for him to save face rather than bring a criminal to justice.

Sometime before that in the Diocese of Arlington, Father James Haley attempted to get Bishop Lori to rein in some priests who were also embezzling, or using pornography, or conducting affairs with married parishioners.  As a reward, Loverde not only defrocked him but excommunicated him as well.  I might point out that Arlington is a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.  Lori took over as Archbishop shortly after this excommunication.  While he didn't commit that injustice against Father Haley, neither did he address it.

If they think they will silence us, they deceive only themselves.