From Staff - BishopAccountability.Org (1) - Published on February 25th, 2009 [Ash Wednesday]
The Monitor | Cardinal Egan, Crisis-Denier | February 25, 2009
This week the Vatican announced its replacement for the retiring Cardinal Egan of the New York archdiocese. Before Egan steps down, let's look at his most dangerous legacy -- his unique success among major US bishops in suppressing information about clergy sexual abuse.
In 2002, leaked
files from the Bridgeport CT diocese revealed that Egan had
engineered a sexual abuse disaster while he was Bridgeport bishop from
1988 to 2000. In New York, however, Egan has been able to keep a lid on
embarrassing information. Under his watch, the archdiocese has not had
to make public any internal abuse documents. Small wonder that in a
2007 interview, Egan pronounced his NY tenure a "colossal
success," declaring, "I wanted peace in my diocese, and it's
peaceful."
Egan under-reported in 2004 when the US bishops released counts of accused priests. In 2004, Egan reported a mere 49 NY priests accused from 1950 to 2002, or 1.3% of total NY priests. The difference between NY and other dioceses is stark:
1.3% - New York NY
4.9% - Los Angeles
5.7% - Cleveland (grand jury counted 145 accused priests out of 2515 total)
5.9% - Cincinnati
6.3% - Manchester NH
7.0% - Boston
7.6% - Philadelphia (grand jury counted 169 accused priests out of 2204 total)
9.6% - Covington KY
According to the US Conference of Catholic Bishops' cumulative accused priest total through 2007, 4.9% of all US priests have been accused of molesting children. If the NY archdiocese's problem were merely average, its secret archives would contain allegations against 185 priests, not 49, as claimed by Egan.
In other words, Egan implied that NY's abuse problem was one-fourth the national average. Why hasn't his preposterous claim been challenged?
The answer is simple: Unlike every other major diocese, the NY archdiocese has not been forced to make public disclosures. Not one NY archdiocesan abuse document has been made public. Neither have any depositions of archdiocesan officials. Why not?
Egan under-reported in 2004 when the US bishops released counts of accused priests. In 2004, Egan reported a mere 49 NY priests accused from 1950 to 2002, or 1.3% of total NY priests. The difference between NY and other dioceses is stark:
1.3% - New York NY
4.9% - Los Angeles
5.7% - Cleveland (grand jury counted 145 accused priests out of 2515 total)
5.9% - Cincinnati
6.3% - Manchester NH
7.0% - Boston
7.6% - Philadelphia (grand jury counted 169 accused priests out of 2204 total)
9.6% - Covington KY
According to the US Conference of Catholic Bishops' cumulative accused priest total through 2007, 4.9% of all US priests have been accused of molesting children. If the NY archdiocese's problem were merely average, its secret archives would contain allegations against 185 priests, not 49, as claimed by Egan.
In other words, Egan implied that NY's abuse problem was one-fourth the national average. Why hasn't his preposterous claim been challenged?
The answer is simple: Unlike every other major diocese, the NY archdiocese has not been forced to make public disclosures. Not one NY archdiocesan abuse document has been made public. Neither have any depositions of archdiocesan officials. Why not?
-
Victims have been almost completely unable to bring civil action against the NY archdiocese: New York State's civil statute of limitations for child sex crimes is perhaps the most victim-hostile statute in the country. To bring civil charges against the institution that mismanaged his abuser, a victim almost always has only three years from the occurrence of the crime or his 18th birthday . Worse, the NY statute of limitations is almost never "tolled," or waived, as it is in many other states, for reasons such as victim's delayed realization of harm or fraudulent concealment by the institution.
-
The failure of District Attorneys: Unlike public prosecutors in Long Island NY, Massachusetts, NH, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia, metro NY District Attorneys chose not to force public disclosure from the archdiocese. In 2002, when media attention was strong, long-time Manhattan DA Robert Morgenthau issued a couple of statements but did not call a grand jury investigation. In Westchester County, DA Jeanine Pirro did convene a grand jury, but the scope of the investigation was modest -- only eight victims were interviewed -- and strangely, the report issued by Pirro was denomination-neutral. It did not contain the words "archdiocese," "Catholic," "archbishop," or "priest." The report triggered little public reaction.
What makes us think Egan would
cover up the sexual abuse of children?
Two reasons: 1) Egan was a Dallas-denier, openly hostile to the National Review Board and obstructive of the John Jay self-survey process; 2) Worse, he was a crisis-denier. As bishop of Bridgeport, he re-assigned priests with multiple allegations and expressed skepticism that victims told the truth.
Two reasons: 1) Egan was a Dallas-denier, openly hostile to the National Review Board and obstructive of the John Jay self-survey process; 2) Worse, he was a crisis-denier. As bishop of Bridgeport, he re-assigned priests with multiple allegations and expressed skepticism that victims told the truth.
As Edward Egan fades into
retirement, the public may yet learn of his concealment of abusers.
Newspapers may win a still-active case in CT to force the release of 12,000 pages of Bridgeport abuse documents, including personnel files of 5 to 6 alleged abusers who were handled by Egan. The documents will be damaging to Egan. If released, they may finally spur NY public prosecutors to investigate Egan's handling of accused priests in NY.
And there's at least one more reason for hope. Advocates of child sexual abuse victims may succeed this year in reforming NY's predator-friendly civil SOL. The new bill would retroactively eliminate the civil statutes of limitation for one year. Victims finally would be able to take civil action against institutions that mismanaged the abusers. Names of NY abusive clerics would become public. Possibly, archdiocesan documents would be made public, too.
Newspapers may win a still-active case in CT to force the release of 12,000 pages of Bridgeport abuse documents, including personnel files of 5 to 6 alleged abusers who were handled by Egan. The documents will be damaging to Egan. If released, they may finally spur NY public prosecutors to investigate Egan's handling of accused priests in NY.
And there's at least one more reason for hope. Advocates of child sexual abuse victims may succeed this year in reforming NY's predator-friendly civil SOL. The new bill would retroactively eliminate the civil statutes of limitation for one year. Victims finally would be able to take civil action against institutions that mismanaged the abusers. Names of NY abusive clerics would become public. Possibly, archdiocesan documents would be made public, too.
Sincerely,
Anne Barrett Doyle
Co-Director
________________________Anne Barrett Doyle
Co-Director
(1) Bishop-Accountability.org | Documenting the Abuse Crisis in the Roman Catholic Church
From NP @ USA - Posted on February 24th, 2009 [Discovery of the Head of John the Baptizer (Celebrated by the Orthodox Church) ]
Dear Miguel of Portugal,
A word of thanks seems appropriate. I had rejected all things
Marian at approximately the turn of the century while continuing to
adhere closely to the Lord through study of the Scriptures. Now I sense
a calling, or a wish for a calling from Mary, and have been reading The
Miracle Detective by Randall Sullivan, an excellent, well-researched,
factual and sympathetic account of the Medjugorje apparitions and the
author's own conversion. On pg. 374 the author recounts that on the
return flight home from his second trip to Medjugorje, he was
"...seated next to a jeweler from Philadelphia who offered me a lesson
in how to buy pearls. 'The most important thing to remember,' he said,
'is that you get what you pay for.'"
Immersed in Scripture as I have been, that struck a chord. The
pearl of great price, I mused. You must sell everything to get it!
Within an hour or two I was searching Google for "Marian warnings" (1) and found your site (2). You talked of the
invoice we'll be getting. I read for hours, going from link to link
within your site, wherever it led me.
What I thank you from the bottom of my heart for is the Pearl of
Divine Wisdom you recount from Our Lady's Fatima messages. Not to seek
mortification, but simply to accept what comes our way from day to day
and offer up. (3)
This apparently is advice I'm going to need.
Thanks, and God bless you,
Thanks, and God bless you,
NP
_______________________________
(1) The World has been amply warned
(2) It is for the NP's of the world - those who have not found us yet - that God Wills that these documents remain on line
(3) Redemptive Suffering and The "other" Secret of Fatima
From (Mrs.) MJR @ US - Published on February 19th, 2009
God's Peace to all of you!
Thank you for your note and your explanation clears up why I have not received all of your mailings. It puts it in a more logical light for me.
I realized I was not receiving all when someone would mention a missive that I had not received. I had to dig a little deeper into other correspondence and with God's help you always seemed to reference the missing message and/or include a copy of it with your answer. I know that it was God's will that I had to work a little harder. He knows how much I like investigative work. I love to dig for information. It's fun now to think that He did it on purpose.
Thank you so much for your copy of "The Sequence of Creation" (1). It's such a wonderful marriage of science and religious beliefs and truths; that I can't say enough about it. It flows so well and is so logical to follow --it exudes overwhelming peace when I read it.
I truly appreciate your time and energy spent on this endeavor. I'm afraid we all will completely deplete you at this crucial time though. May God give you the fortitude and strength and please know that we praise Him for all that you do!
(Mrs.) MJR
____________________________
(1) The Story of Creation
Note: The letter posted here on February 18th, 2009, has been removed. It will eventually be posted in the Private Forum with the appropriate response.
Without the response and clarifications it may lead the Faithful to very wrong and potentially dangerous conclusions. We sincerely regret the inconvenience.
From (Mrs.) IW @ US - Published on February 14th, 2009 [St. Valentine's Day]
Note: Mrs. IW (Initials Withheld) has been a dear and close member of The M+G+R Foundation family for many years and we consider her honesty and sincerity simply flawless. She has been generous enough to allow us to print her letter in its entirety since she knows well how much good can these posting do on a worldwide scale. Let us keep her, her husband and their family in our prayers so that they continue to serve God as He truly deserves and seldom is.
After reading this mornings private forum on February 13th, i immediately asked my husband if i could write to you about his NDE experience 23 years ago. he gave me permission to do so. this is our story.
On May 29, 1986, my husband and my father were in a car crash, my father escaped with only a broken shoulder and minor injuries, my husband (who was not my husband yet, but still only my boyfriend, our wedding was supposed to be a few days later) severed his renal artery, and had multiple internal injuries. upon my arriving at the hospital, i was told there was no hope for him, that the doctors were unable to help him.
it was a catholic hospital, and the hospital chaplain, who was a very loving and kind man, even knowing that i was unmarried, and pregnant, offered to escort me to the chapel and to pray with me, i will forever be grateful to that priest for the kindness and love shown to me that evening, despite my sinfulness.
while everyone in our families had given up hope and just sat in the waiting room sorrowing, that kind priest and i went to the chapel and prayed.
although i felt so far from God that night because of the life i had been living, i just kept pleading for mercy.
after a few hours, all i could 'feel' was peace and I 'knew' we would receive a miracle.
i went to the waiting room to inform everyone (who, of course, thought i was crazy or just overcome with grief).
as i sat there a woman came over to me, and asked me if i ever heard of Albany Medical Center and their trauma center. she told me that if i could get him there, they could possibly save him. i can not remember her face - oddly i could only see my own face and expression as i looked into her eyes, i will never understand how that happened. she told me to call them... i replied to her "oh lady i am so overcome with grief, and am pregnant, can you make that call for me?"
she said that she would, and next thing i knew my husband-to-be was being loaded in a helicopter and my father in law was driving me to albany. as we drove the hour to get there he kept trying to prepare me for the worst. i kept trying to prepare him for a miracle, as i was sure we would receive one. for years later we would recount this story to each other, him always telling me that that night, was the first time, he ever learned what it meant to have real faith, and thanked me for for helping him have faith. i, in turn, always reminded him that it was not me, but the grace God had given me to trust Him.
as far as that woman who helped me, i went back months later to thank her, for making that call, and found out that she didn't exist. no one ever knew how Albany Medical Center was alerted. whether she was an angel, or a human that God used as an angel for me, i don't know, i only that i will never forget that moment, despite not being able to remember her face.
as this was the 'scene' going on with us, this is what was going on with my husband-to-be and his experience of that night...
during the middle of the surgery, he died, (he actually died three times that night) and as the surgeons tried to frantically revive him, he 'descended' from his body...
falling, and falling, until he was in what appeared to him, to be like a Roman Coliseum, with people in the stands 'judging' him. although these 'people' had no bodies, he knew they were 'people' and were there to judge him.
at the far end of the Coliseum, there was a light, but it was so far away. he knew that the 'people' were voting him to go to hell and he couldn't get to the light.
he started fighting and screaming, and begging for another chance, that if given another chance that he would change his life, and live a better.
just then he 'felt himself going back up, and up until he was back in the operating room looking down at his body and all the doctors around him. then he felt himself 'slip' back into his body, and heard the doctors say 'we got him back!' when he awoke days later, he immediately told us this story, and that he was going to change his life and live it the way God wanted him to, and not do anything bad anymore.
which he has done.
before this he was a fighter, a thief, a liar, and many other bad things. today he is a loving father and husband, spending year after year of trying to do good. despite his being crippled for years afterward, he has learned to walk again, and has gone on to teach many other handicapped people to have hope,
he as well as my children, for the last 6 years, spend every sunday in the winter instructing both mentally and physically handicapped children and adults to learn how to ski despite their 'disability' and make the most of the life you have.
he has been an inspiration to many people over the years, as well as the many homeless boys, he has allowed me to take in over these last few years... giving each of them all the love, and encouragement they needed and which their own fathers were unable to give them.
most of them, despite their drug and molested backgrounds have gone on to have stable and loving lives after they have left us. two of them have their own children now, and credit my husband for teaching them how to be good fathers.
on another note, after his death, my husband-to-be woke with (for lack of a better word) many 'powers'. he just knew 'things'. sometimes he would know if someone who was ill would recover or not, sometimes he would 'know' if someone was evil or not, and later on, and while at prayer meetings and healing masses, as he looked around the room, he would see people in 'black and white' while others were 'in color'. he was not sure what this was and this terrified him, and so he begged God to take away this power, or knowledge, or whatever it was, which He did.
after the accident my husband-to-be went to mass often, but he is no longer a regular 'church goer', now only going on special holy days.
unfortuantely, their have been many over the years, who, by their unloving actions, have pushed him away from the church (as you know from previous letters) but he never doubts, and doesn't allow anyone else to either, he lives the most loving life that he is capable of... and when someone challenges me that there is 'no God' in front of him, (especially the children) - as i talk of God and His Wonderful Mercy - he immediately tells them...'don't tell me there is no God, I KNOW there is" and then he tells them his story... and what his life was like before and how he has worked hard to make a better one...
i hope this letter somehow helps you in your mission to learn more about NDE, and to confirm to you that just because someone has a negative NDE, that it does not mean they are being marked for hell, but that sometimes God in His Most Generous Mercy, gives that soul an opportunity to ammend their life, before it is too late.
i truly believe that to be the case with my husband. we have witnessed many other of God's miracles over the years, since this incident, both big and small ones... and will always remain grateful to God and His abundant Mercy and Love for us all, and will always do our best to live the life He Wills us to!
as always you and all the MGR family remain in our prayers.
love, peace,and blessings
(Mrs.) IW
From (Mr.) IC @ Philippines - Published on February 9th, 2009
Brethren,
Just as an observation, the chart below (1) shows the 9-year trend of the Baltic Dry Exchange Index - BDI - (which measures freight rates, thus demand, for bulk commodities such as iron ore and grains) against the reates/demand of gold. Unless I'm interpreting the chart incorrectly, this would seem to indicate that at a time where world trade has been brought to a standstill.
From miguel de Portugal @ US - Published on February 6th, 2009 [Devotion of First Friday
of the Month]Just as an observation, the chart below (1) shows the 9-year trend of the Baltic Dry Exchange Index - BDI - (which measures freight rates, thus demand, for bulk commodities such as iron ore and grains) against the reates/demand of gold. Unless I'm interpreting the chart incorrectly, this would seem to indicate that at a time where world trade has been brought to a standstill.
An article in the UK
Telegraph (2) shows the
unprecedented importance of that trend: Those with the money to do so
are stockpiling gold, what is considered the "safe haven" of uncertain
times. As you keep reminding us, gold price is a good indicator of how
bad the world economic situation is and juxtaposed with the BDI only
underscores that.
Those who are still
expecting things to get easier better should wake up and smell the
coffee while they can, before the "megaphone" blasts their eardrums off.
|
Baltic
Exchange Dry Index (BDI)
& Gold
(gold)
|
 |
_______________________
(2) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/4229198/Shipping-rates-hit-zero-as-trade-sinks.html
An important and confirming note has been added to the recently published document: The Story of Creation
May God Be Praised for His continued support and encouragement.
