Arizona Bishop aka "Cover-Up"

[El Casey S]

http://www.msnbc.com/news/927435.asp?0dm=C1CON

The article is about an Arizona Bishop who just made a deal where he didn't have to be prosecuted for covering up Priests' abuse of children, only to run over a man and leave the scene of the crime.

OK, right now I have only watched the videos, but I'm too emotional to go on. I am shaking and crying. This kind of stuff is my #1 major frustration/basis of rage in my life - when representatives of the tie between God and God's loved ones, separate themselves from the real world, and get all lost in a world of a false sense of separateness - superiority! In one of the videos he said, "I serve as Bishop at the pleasure of the Pope and not the county attorney." No, you serve the people at the pleasure of G_D - and NOT yourself - AND NOT EVEN the institution of the church. You twisted confused messed up powerful scarey dangerous distructive man! It is my major pet peeve when ordained people begin to live and act more with worldly power structures in mind then righteous and loving and Godly Justice issues!! There isn't an emoticon in the world to describe how I'm feeling right now! I'm not even sure this makes sense!

[daylily]

I'm a Catholic, and this new scandal has revived the intense cynicism I've been feeling about Catholicism. Yes, there are really great priests out there, and some parishes do some wonderful social justice work, but the *institution* as a whole is rotten, IMO. Bishop O'Brien had some nerve saying what he did about serving as bishop at the pleasure of the Pope. So, because the infallible : Pope made him bishop, he's above the law? Can turn his back on grievous harm being done to his people? And he claims he thought he hit an animal? Hard to believe, unless he was really drunk.

[Joyce in the mts.]

ECS... many hugs to you. I join you in your outrage. Abuse of power, real or perceived, is wrong, wrong, wrong. Catholicism is not the only path where this kind of thing happens. The pagan and other spiritual communities are also subject to that more negative end of the human nature continuum.

My husband, family and I, have left such a spiritual community because of such behavior in the leadership before. I have watched stuff- even stuff approaching illegal- happen often enough, that it became predictable. And when we warned people, we were shunned and attacked. (one of those "damned if you do, damned if you don't" experiences)

The excuse of context: that is, "in this context, it is excusable", as I see it, seems as common as pure denial of personal responsibility. I see it as reflection of how no one can help or lead others beyond the level of our own personal commitment, development and healing, nor teach without taking our own behavior into account; nor break laws, pledges, oaths or vows, without consequence.

We are in denial (obviously) if we don't lead from modeling whatever we profess. When we fall short publicly, well, IMO, it should be a wake-up call signalling a time to step away and focus on addressing issues revealed.

Cognitive dissonance is painful:

'Cognitive dissonance is a psychological phenomenon which has two major effects on learning:

~if someone is called upon to learn something which contradicts what they already think they know — particularly if they are committed to that prior knowledge — they are likely to resist the new learning. Even Carl Rogers recognised this. Accommodation is more difficult than Assimilation, in Piaget's terms.

~if learning something has been difficult, uncomfortable, or even humiliating enough, people are not likely to admit that the content of what has been learned is not valuable. To do so would be to admit that one has been "had", or "conned".'

This bishop sure knew better and will not admit his guilt. I bet there are many who follow him that will remain loyal. Human nature is weird sometimes. At times though the Emperor is naked he and his loyal subjects will insist that his new clothes are glorious. (Take a look at politics in our country and see it.)

More about cognitive dissonance here:
http://www.dmu.ac.uk/~jamesa/learning/dissonance.htm

I am sorry that this seems to come up alot in our world. It is saddening, worrying, and angering. Faith and trust seem to take quite a blow from time to time in human history. And humans seem to take advantage of one another an awful lot, thinking that consequences are for everyone else.

I think that cognitive dissonance is one factor involved in putting and keeping spiritual leaders in place long after they need to retreat for renewal...among many factors that come to the fore in this and similar incidents of abuse of power. It contributes IMO to the "rotting" of the core of many institutions, such as the Catholic church, by keeping people supportive of longsince deteriorating leadership. I don't think that any institution, secular or religious, is immune to that rotting. To at least have it exposed makes it possible for the rot to be excised, and for healing and new growth to occur, renewing the vitality and value of the institution.

Thanks for the post...made this one think deeply...Joyce in the mts.

[El Casey S]

Like an animal is going to leave such a crack in the windshield! : I have some really fantastic Catholic Priests and nuns as friends, so please don't anyone think I'm luming all togther - this kinda stuff happens also in other churches - but I really think it is human nature when one is in a postion that "elevates" a stink normal human being to something "else" - it creates a pathological situation - an unreal approach to the world. The most spiritual people I know take the yoke of servitude, but there are so many burocratic Spiritual leaders - which I believe is an anomaly! A Burocrat serves the Office - not human beings. And right now I'm too lazy to look up Burocrat - corrections are welcome, and I'll edit following, thank you very much!

[El Casey S]

Joyce, although I posted a few minutes after you, we cross posted. I hadn't read what you wrote before beginning my last response. Thanks for your input. I have a bachelor's degree in Psych and a Masters of Divinity which focused a good deal on Pastoral care and Counseling, and I remember the real "A HA" experience when we studied Cognitive Dissonance in College. It is amazing where one can find it in the world and in oneself!

I have been working in eastern Germany for over 10 years, trying to help people build up trust in the church and to help Pastors and communities to learn to trust afgain after 52 years of atheistic (SP!? - I'm loosing my mind!) Dictatorships. And when stuff like this happen, I go in tailspin - it's like one step forward and some jerk throws the world 10 steps back! I wanna scream at the perpetrators and say, "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT YOU ARE DOING!!!??" It makes me want to throw my hands up in frustration and quit! (But I won't!!)

[Joyce in the mts.]

ECS...resilience saves us. I support you...Joyce in the mts.

[Deirdre]

EKCS ~

I can so relate to how you are feeling. I also have a higher degree in Theology and worked for the Church (in this case the RC one) for a number of years. Like you I know many wonderful ordained religious folks, but I think there is almost a culture within the Church which fosters this type of abuse of power. The first and foremost being the notion that a priest ultimately "serves the Bishop, not the people". I knew several young men who were planning on joining the priesthood and IMHO they were doing it for all the wrong reasons.

I am no longer actively involved in the RC Church. I may get involved again when I am living closer to the Franciscan seminary where I went to grad school. That was the last place that I witnessed truly inclusive and joyful liturgies and an environment which embraced service to others.

I do know that there are people in the RC Church, especially Voices of the Faithful, that are calling for more oversight and involvement of the laity in Church affairs, finances, and priest oversight. Of course, they are being challenged by the hierarchy every step of the way (in my diocese they are not allowed to meet at any Churches).
But it is groups like these that give me hope in the possibility of renewal and transformation.

Hang in there! It sounds like you have a special calling and gift. The people you serve see the beautiful and loving face of Christ at work in the world everyday.



~Deirdre

[EFmom]

It's too horrible for words. I wonder if this guy was drunk and didn't stop for fear of being caught DUI. I was raised in the catholic church and saw how priests were revered. While all denominations have their problems, I think it is very dangerous to view the clergy as anything other than regular people.

[rainsmom]

First of all the first offense he is accused of and admitted to is the knowledge that children were being abused by other priests! That is worse than the act itself IMHO!!!

THen he hits a man, kills him, and leaves the scene of the crime! I cant believe he is sitting in the comfort of his home! And unless they charge him w/something more serious, he only faces 3years probation!

AMAZING!

[El Casey S]

Joyce, Dierdre, thanks for the support and understanding, and kind words.

EFMom:

I think it is very dangerous to view the clergy as anything other than regular people.

I totally agree, I think the responsibility lies more in the clergy - because people want to imagine that there can be perfection on this earth, so they hope it from their spiritual leaders. In reality, grace is much more important than perfection, so we as clergy should live as honestly as we can, not expecting perfection of ourselves or our parisioners, but striving to love and serve. The most perfect people I know are imperfect people who are as much aware of their screwiness as possible and work every day to deal honestly and loving with others in spite of it!! That brings the poor suffering searcher in touch with mercy (G_D) - not some false image of some "should" that they personally could never live up to! (end of sermon #??? - sorry about that back on my soapbox)

rainsmom:

THen he hits a man, kills him, and leaves the scene of the crime! I cant believe he is sitting in the comfort of his home! And unless they charge him w/something more serious, he only faces 3years probation!

What gets me also is the fact that in AZ nothing would have happened to him if he had stayed at the scene because the guy was J-walking, and the cars have right of way. Somehow that just seems very pedestrian unfriendly and unjust. It puts a whole new twist on the jokes we used to make about how many points one would get if we ran over (fill in the blank)!

[rainsmom]

I live an hour + away from Phoenix. Cars dont even stop for people in the cross walks! ITs really insane. And everyone drives really fast on the city streets.

It seems like they are looking to prosecute this guy, its just so sad....I feel bad for the victim and his family. A father of four!

He asked his secretary to get the window fixed. even if he thought he hit an animal....with a dent that big in his windshield, youd think hed stop to look at what he hit. The victim was 6'6......a big man. Not something you'd think was a dog.

As a former catholic, I never viewed the priests as "godlike". Theyre just people like everyone else. This guy obviously thinks he can get away without consecquences to his actions. He didnt get in trouble for covering up for those pedofile priests. Hopefully he wont get out of this one.

[El Casey S]

UPDATE:

Phoenix bishop resigns from post
http://www.msnbc.com/news/927435.asp?0cv=CB10 (some day I'll have to learn how to hide the link under the title thingy . . .

[Ilaria]

It's just crazy what has been happening in our diocese in the past few months...Catholics are as appalled as the next person. (me being one of them)

[MoonLissa]

I think, no matter what your spiritual path, this type of situation, whomever it was or whatever vocation they claim to have, it's simply shocking. Just about as shocking and sick as a couple of dimwits near D.C. taking crackshots at innocent people! For sport! This is what I see as the "evil" or "dark side" of humanity.

Oh, and ... "I serve the Pope...."??? What a crock of fecal matter.....

I want to shout at this idiot...."THE POPE DOES NOT HAVE AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW CONTRACT WITH (fill in name of Divine Entity here)!!!! So, what makes you think that YOU do, Kluge?" (Sorry...a great slam meaning roughly "subhuman" that my dh and I have picked up. It just seems to fit!).

With Great Power often comes Great Corruption....

People that elevate themselves to Divinity-level make me......
:Puke :Puke :Puke :Puke :Puke :Puke :Puke

T It's so cute how these little guys barf in tandem!!!

*edited for grammar*

[El Casey S]

Originally posted by Ilaria
It's just crazy what has been happening in our diocese in the past few months...Catholics are as appalled as the next person. (me being one of them)