protector of molesters is 'defender of the faith'

the man who kept the secrets

I might not have reacted so strongly to the appointment of Archbishop William Levada as the new Pope's 'defender of the faith' had I not personally been sexually mistreated by a teacher in junior high. I would have still considered it wrong, however, to appoint someone for a position of trust who hid the identities of child molesters, and then allowed them to remain in active ministry where they could harm more children. The position Levada has been given is that of defending church doctrine from impurity and deviation, a role one would think would demand moral accountability.  He will also be responsible for investigation allegations of clerical sex abuse, an area in which he has a very poor track record.

This post is not the biggest laff-fest I've ever done, I guess, but below the fold I do point out that Levada has Torquemada's old gig.  And I invite speculation on what new instruments of torture a Levada administration might adopt. 

The new pope is showing more resemblance to conservative 'faith-based' hypocrites here in the
US  every day.  (OK, so I lied - it's not a laff-fest here, either.)   If you are a 'staunch conservative' in doctrinal or political matters, you're good enough -- and holy enough-- for us. Behavior that would put you on "America's Most Wanted" anywhere else gets you a comfortable new job in Benedict's church, I guess.

My own experience was not so terrible, compared to the victims of the priests Levada protected. My predator was a gym teacher, not a spiritual father figure, and he didn't go very far with his groping and ogling.  It also became public knowledge very quickly that he was doing this to a number of boys, so I did not have to hide a shameful secret. It was bad enough, however, that I had to struggle with it for years. I didn't think I was gay, but I had to work to overcome the resentments it created in me. The blessing in this unfortunate incident, if there is one, is that it helps me empathize with the victims of other predators, particularly those in trusted positions. (He was one of my favorite teachers until this incident happened.)

Levada was publicly criticized for his improper activities, and offered a feeble apology. "I may have unconsciously been uneasy or afraid to look at the scars caused by sexual abuse so closely," he said. Well, he better get over it. As Defender of the Faith, he will be responsible for reviewing all allegations of priestly sexual misconduct. What kind of credibility does this give Benedict's new papacy?

Let's not forget that Levada inherits the position held by Torquemada during the Inquisition. God knows what instruments of torture he might permit, were this a different age. I thought long and hard before coming forward with my own story, and I do so with great reluctance. But this coddling of child abusers has not to stop. Levada's priests should have had posters with their pictures on it put up all over the neighborhood, or been forced to put bumper stickers on their cars, or -- at a minimum -- been forced into therapy and taken away from pastoral work with kids. Instead, he chose to protect them, hide them, cover for them, and keep them in place.

This is a shameful day: for Levada, for the Pope who calls himself Benedict, and for the Catholic Church.

Comments

[jonnybutter]

Thanks for your post and story, RJ. I don't think people even now have a handle on how widespread this kind of shit has been. My father was raised Catholic, and for the first time in his 78 years, he recently told me a story about himself sort of similar to yours, if milder. In his there wasn't even really any touching, but it still left a scar - the scar of broken trust. My dad was at a sort of Catholic camp. Because - for various reasons - he had nowhere to go during a vacation, he was more/less alone in this camp when the other boys had gone home. The head priest called him into the office and suggested that they do some 'wrestling'. My dad said something to the effect of 'hell no!', and when the priests (there were two in the room, I believe) persisted, my dad made it clear that he would get 'physical' with them in quite another way (with his fists) if they didn't back off and stay backed off. That was the end of it, but what if my dad hadn't been a strapping and strong-willed athlete? What if he had been just slightly more emotionally vulnerable than he in fact was?

For every instance of full-blown abuse (and of course, there's an uncounted number of those), there are probably a hundred instances like you and I describe. There is no excuse.

'Defender of the Faith'? Enablers like this asshole and Law ought to be in jail.