Intervention is Needed by Religious, Government & Political Leaders. The letter below was sent to Cardinal Roger Mahony's legal advisors with hope that the protections of children, adults, families and employees will take precedent over the Church's image and financial portfolio. *******************************
November 19, 2006 (Via Email)
Cardinal Roger Mahony Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles c/o J. Michael Hennigan, Esq. c/o Albert P. Ballog, Esq.
Re: Secrecy and Deception -- Protections of Children Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Dear Messrs. Hennigan and Ballog, as legal representatives for Cardinal Roger Mahony and the Los Angeles Catholic Archdiocese:
As cradle a Catholic with 4 children who attended Catholic schools, it is hard to accept that precious children and families continue to be victims of sex crimes and failures to protect by employees supervised by you and your legal advisors. The recent allegations at Daniel Murphy Catholic High School are a disgrace! Nothing has changed since the clergy sex abuse crisis erupted 5 years ago.
How many more children and families will be destroyed because your employees and legal advisors refuse to place the protections of children BEFORE your personal image and the Catholic Church?
How many employees supervised by you and your legal advisors will face the wrath of the influences of the Catholic Church in a court of law, for reporting violations of the law?
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
* Are you aware of the life-long effects of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder that plagues each and every child, adult and family that has survived horrific clergy sex abuse crimes or the wrath of the influences of the Catholic Church in a court of law?
* Why do you lie to the public?
* Why do you lie to your employees as mandated reporters?
* Why do you lie to precious children and their families?
* Why do you continue to re-victimize clergy sex abuse victims and their families as evidenced in the recent allegations concerning sex abuse crimes committed by an employee under your supervision at Daniel Murphy Catholic High School?
In the interests of public safety and justice, the ongoing political, religious and law enforcement influences that have aided the Catholic Church in covering up sex crimes and other violations of the law, must stop NOW!
As evidence of the ongoing failures to protect children, please refer to the attached .pdf copy of a letter written by two Los Angeles County Sheriffs in support of the dismissal of felony gun charges that were filed against the former principal's son at Santa Margarita Catholic High School in April 2001, R.J. Hemenway. In the midst of the clergy sex abuse crisis, political and government leaders assisted the Catholic Church in facing the consequences of violating child protection laws and the Gun Free Schools Act of 2000.
As an amateur writer, mother, wife and legal secretary for the past 25 years, my passion for the courage of clergy sex abuse victims, their families and mandated reporters, who made a choice to protect children, before their own career security and ego, has evolved over the past 5 years.
My husband, Michael, is a former Catholic high school teacher and coach, who was forced to make a career change without due process of the law. He will soon complete his Masters Degree in Special Education, his new-found passion. Our children, Nicole, Rachel, Brent and Laurel are a gift to us and all who meet them. We pray our children and the world's children will witness society correcting the wrongs committed against innocent children and families. Without justice, there will never be peace; without peace, faith and our country's laws are empty.
You are not going to change the 'Catholic Church'! It has never, ever been changed. When all else changes, has ups and downs, good times and hard times, war and peace...cycles through history over and over again, and in the same pattern...with death, and new growth, and life, and light and darkness...the 'Catholic Church' has always stood apart in that it just does not change. It never loses it's power, it's money, it's influence, and it's tradition.
You may want to read Mark Sashine's recent diary entry: Racism at it's Worst. (It's just always the same)
My point is not for you to give up. What I am trying to say is, that you look at your work from a different angle, because by changing perspective, you get a whole new and different picture.
You are educating the Public; you are making, and keeping, and forcing the public's awareness of the problem, the resistance, and the dangers that continue to be present. You prevent people from falling asleep, from forgetting, from denying, from acceptance. That is a huge accomplishment on your part, and perhaps the most important work you can do.
You may never know for sure just how much of a difference you are making, but I think you are. Everything you do affects the greater system, and changes every part of it.....as much as those creeps do, but in the opposite direction. Your spirit shines through.
XXX Katrin
by
Katrin R. (3 articles, 0 quicklinks, 11 diaries, 503 comments)
on Monday, November 20, 2006 at 10:01:34 PM
