A National Catholic Reporter article by Tom Roberts shows that bishops, Vatican officials and other members of the church including the pope were indeed aware of abuse problems among priests in the United States.
Fr. Gerald Fitzgerald was the founder of an order called the "Servants of the Paraclete," established to deal with "problem" priests. According to documents recently obtained by the National Catholic Reporter, Fitzgerald corresponded with varying employees and officials of the Catholic Church about sexual abuse among clergymen.
A quote from one of his letters dating from 1957 states:
"May I beg Your Excellency to concur and approve of what I consider a very vital decision on our part - that for the sake of preventing scandal that might endanger the good name of Via Coeli we will not offer hospitality to men who have seduced or attempted to seduce little boys or girls? These men Your Excellency are devils and the wrath of God is upon them and if I were a Bishop I would tremble when I failed to report them to Rome for involuntary laicization. It is blasphemous to let them offer the Holy Sacrifice."
Fitzgerald's letters from the same year go on to say that with his "long experience" with "characters of this type," meaning the sexually abusive members of the clergy, that their "repentance and amendment is superficial and, if not formally at least sub-consciously, is motivated by a desire to be again in a position where they can continue their wonted activity. A new diocese means only green pastures."
This information flies in the face of any statements made by church officials that they only became aware of sexual abuse in the 1980s during the height of the media attention on priest abuse in the Catholic Church in that decade.
It is clear from these letters that Fitzgerald communicated with bishops and various other church officials on the subject of clergy abuse in the Catholic Church, expressing his views that these men should not be allowed to return to their own or any diocese.
Sexual abuse of children, adolescents, teens and young adults is not only criminally illegal, it is also morally corrupt in so many ways. If you or a loved one has been abused by a member of the Catholic clergy, please contact the Zalkin Law Firm. Their experienced attorneys will be able to offer you the legal support and assistance that you need.
