After the local diocese emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2005, I thought it was all over.
It nearly was.
Last week I reported on a criminal investigation that had opened, looking into alleged abuse by the Rev. Kevin Barmasse, and that led to today’s story about the monitoring of suspended priests like Barmasse who were never criminally convicted.
Why is it difficult to write such stories? They are necessary, but no one likes them. The feedback I tend to get is full of vitriol.
Even some of the victims don’t want to talk about the cases anymore. They are ready to move on.
Also, the diocese routinely looks like the bad guy and the reality is more complicated. Our diocese was one of the first in the country to make public a list of clergy with credible accusations of sexual misconduct with a minor against them and has taken huge steps to prevent future abuse.
A major, positive aspect of today’s story was reminding the public of that list, and where to access it.
The problem with clergy abuse in general stems from practices more than 30 years ago that would never be accepted today – abusers moving around from diocese to diocese and leaders thinking they could be ‘cured.’ And public awareness of child sexual abuse was not nearly what it is today.
Tucson was particularly hard-hit by the abuse crisis because in the 1970s and 1980s it was a remote place where the abusive priests were often transferred.
There have been no reported cases of abuse occurring in the local diocese since 2002. That recent case involved the Rev. Juan Guillen of Yuma, who is now in prison.
There is a much greater awareness of child sexual abuse now than there was in the 70s or 80s, and the prevention measures are tremendous.
Paul N. Duckro, who is in charge of the diocese’s office of child protection, has been under enormous stress since taking his job shortly after the national scandal erupted in 2002. He has also done an enormous amount of work.
Lately, he has been ill with ulcers but continues to go into work everyday and willingly and candidly speaks to the press about what the diocese is doing.
I recently told a friend about my Barmasse stories in a general conversation about my work. She asked me why I was writing about such an old, passe subject. It was an interesting point.
However, these stories must be written. One cannot ignore a criminal investigation into clergy abuse no matter how old the case.
It is my hope that after the Barmasse story and that of the Rev. Gary Underwood, who is being prosecuted for allegations that he abused boys in the 1980s, the local abuse cases will end.
But will religion writers ever stop reporting on the abuse crisis?
No.
David Clohessy of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests says the most dangerous scenario would be forgetting about what happened. He is concerned complacency is already occurring.
And as I wrote in my blog about Barmasse victim Jim O’Brien – “Compensating a Broken Spirit,” for the victims, the effects will endure for a lifetime.
Dear Stephanie
I am so sorry that you are having to go through this as a writer & a Catholic. I too am a writer but no longer RC. It’s much easier when you find that Christ is truly within you and not in the RCC.[5 pedophiles found in our church alone,of St Maria Goretti ,in Scottsdale] Jesus Christ is not in the RCC, He is not there. I guarantee you. I am 78 yrs old and almost a cradle RC. Your allegiance should be to Christ Jesus & His Word, not some man who claims he is acting as Christ here on earth. Not so. It’s an impossibility. Scripture does not back up the way the RCC abuses the sacrements. JC left the church in the 1st century. RSVP g
— gloria 07/30/2007 02:11 PM #
Dear Stephanie,
I am really sorry that you have to keep writing about the clergy sexual abuse issue. Think of us, the survivors, who will have to live with the fallout from the sexual abuse for the rest of our lives. Yes, we all know that there are good men and women who work in dioceses around the world – but there are also bad. I am really tired of so many people putting the blame on psychiatrists and therapists who told bishops that these people could be cured. I was in a facility that treated priests and sisters, and different from the sisters, most of the priests were offenders. At that time I did not have a degree in counseling, and I knew that these men would never be cured! They were still coming on to us while they were there!! Besides, any person with normal intelligence knows that curable or not, what they did were crimes. They should have been prosecuted. But, it’s always easier to pass the buck. Anyway, don’t be surprised if this does not end. Until it is dealt with head on, and not only when the bishops’ backs are to the wall, nothing will change. Until the bishops admit their own culpability and take honest action, nothing will change. So, unless things change drastically, which does not usually happen in the church overnight, plan to write about this for a long time to come.
— Gabrielle Azzaro 07/30/2007 03:30 PM #
This certainly is a weary article. Perhaps another reporter should be assigned to the church abuse stories. And Mr. Duckro probably needs a break. It does get wearisome to keep hearing that people today feel differently about sexual abuse of children than they did 20 or 30 years ago. My daughters are 24 and 26. I promise there is no difference between how this society viewed child predators today and back when my daughters were babies. Child molesters have always been vilified. The difference is, until now, we did not know that religious people were protecting and perpetuating these vile practices. Sorry it’s become so tedious to think about.
— Sarah 07/30/2007 04:09 PM #
Dear Stephanie. Google “Father McCormack” in the Chicago Archdiocese. He molested kids last year and the Cardinal (yes, a Cardinal) did not turn him in. A principal at the school did. The principal got fired. McCormack molested several kids after the Carindal knew but did nothing.
Then, google Fr. Ochoa in Santa Rosa, California. The bishop there did not call the police after Ochoa admitted molesting at least one, again, last year. Ochoa ran to Mexico where he is still free, and dangerous.
so, you are wrong that the leaders are ‘trying’ or that the crisis is in the past
— dan mcnevin 07/30/2007 04:25 PM #
Any representaton that the NCCB, as a body, or individual members, or their PR stunt, in the Charter of so-called “Protection”, has made any real effort, or difference, to protect, fails in over 13,000 documented (JJ Report)children, who where mentally tortured, physically mained, repeatedly raped, orally copulated, sexaully assaulted and sodomized in the USA, in the past several decades, and further demonstrates a complete lack of knowledge of the FACTS by anyone asserting differently.
These credible documented cases are only about 20% of the actual number, in listening to the experts on this subjectin the Roman Catholic Church, just in the USA.
Evil enablers like Bernard Law, formerly of Boston, and currently Roger Mahony of LA, or George of the Chicago & the yet to be disbanded ‘Boy’s Club’of which McCormack was a member, or homosexual Egan of New York, Rivera of Mexico City (and the list is long and sorted globally also) need to be canonically censored, placed under life house arrest, removed fom ministry (like Marciel, founder and pedophile of the Legionnaires of Christ) or EXCOMMUNICATED swiftly.
Argumentation the cost to laity through slashed ministries and payrolls, sold off properties and assets, hiked insurance liability premiums, lawyers and court costs, hush monies and settlements is only $2 Billion Dollars in the USA is also FALSE; it’s closer to $4 Billion in the USA, and counting.
Many dozens of clerical felonious criminals have been aided and abetted to flee prosecution across international borders to this very day, by the likes of Mahony, in Mexico, Ireland, Asia & elsewhere.
We recommend for FREE to watch DELIVER US FROM EVIL, the US Academy Award Best Documentary of 2006 nominated film at: www.youtube.com
Additionally, for daily vetted global coverage of the ongoing sexual abuse crisis, and continued heiarchical criminal cover up, we suggest:
www.bishopaccountability.or/abusetracker
There is but one solution to all this “FILTH”, to quote former CDF Prelate Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict the XVI th. The laity, 1.1 Billion strong globally, must donate no monies or contributions to any funds, pences, appeals, schools, hospitalis, minitries, missions, charities, etc., controlled or siphoned off, by less than 3,500 red hats and miters globally, until TRUE accountability to each of their enabling hides occurs.
No Bishop Accountability? No Laity Monies!
Respectfully submitted,
Russ Bianchi
Lay Member of the Diocese of Monterey, CA
russ@adepthq.com
— Russ Bianchi 07/30/2007 04:50 PM #
I fail to have sympathy for a reporter who is paid to accurately report on important news. If you had followed the good reporting of your colleagues at the Boston Globe, kept up with the news reports at Bishop Accountability, rather than listen to the innacurate information pushed by the well paid RC spin doctors, you would have a different picture on how “successful” the bishops have been. Try digging a little deeper -connect the dots and you will see how exciting and enraging it gets when you discover the truth – that the cover-up still exists and is alive and well, world wide.
— Nancy from Canada 07/30/2007 06:35 PM #
Stephanie,
Perhaps you don’t like writing about clergy abuse for some of the following reasons:
1)You are no longer objective
2)You are no longer resolved to your trade
3)You are in denial
4)You did not experience statutory rape; you did not experience spiritual rape, you did not experience institutional rape
5)You are uncaring of others having suffered such experiences
6)I’m sure there could be many, many more reasons you don’t like writing about it—but why bother enumerating them—if you don’t like writing about it—you probably don’t like reading about it, either
I suspect your boss doesn’t like folks to write about clergy abuse in any kind of truthful manner—thus you have written about it so banally.
By the way—I don’t feel too bad about Paul Duckro’s ulcer. I’ve thought about suicide so many times, dear, that an ulcer to me would be like (perhaps) some chipped fingernail polish to you
Not a single bishop or cardinal has been held accountable. Scum like Mahoney, McCormack, Daily, Law still live like kings. How do catholics live with that? How do they keep dropping their money in the basket?
Stephanie, Dr. Duckro might be more healthy if he wasn’t working for such a corrupt outfit. All the good they do can’t make up for how evil they are. Declaring bankruptcy allowed them to keep so many secrets.
You in the press are the hope of so many. Please don’t abandon us.
— Kathy 07/30/2007 08:25 PM #
Stephanie,
I know how you feel and I am so sorry you have to go through this. It is definitely a ripple affect, and when you have to write unbiasly, it affects both sides you are writing about and then you’re stuck in a tug of war.
Stephanie, I want you to know that if it was not for your article in March, 2003 that had Fr. Kevin Barmasse’s name mentioned in it, I probably would not be here writing to you right now. You started my journey towards healing and because of that I am a different man today. Going through the Tucson bankruptcy and the L.A. case was a handful in life. On top of that I help other victims of clergy abuse here in Colorado, testified at legislative hearings on new child protection laws in Colorado and Ohio. I have had my share of ulcers as Dr. Duckro has. That shows that he is working hard at what he does. He has to listen to all of our stories along with Bishop Kicanas, and it’s bad enough just listening to one victim, let alone many.
Stephanie, you have a lot more support than you think. Maybe you were “victimized” in a way by all of this. The truth is ugly when exposed and the stories had to be told and you were there to tell them. Thank you!
These stories will never end. The Catholic church was just the beginning. Now many other denominations are being exposed with the cover up of children being sexually assaulted and molested by clergy and lay people. But our children and grandchildren will be more protected in the future because of what you have done! Please never forget that!
— Troy Gray 07/31/2007 03:17 AM #
Dear Stepanie-
Would you rather not know of the horrors with the reality that hundreds of children were sexually assaulted, raped, sodomised by priests when the leadership of the church knew?
The horrendous ramifications of abuse reveals just how horrifying are the lives of most of the now-adult men and women, the walking wounded, molested.
Please do not deny them a voice!
Write as a journalist if you truly are one. I’m not a huge fan of your newspaper and what it does editorially.
Stephanie, you’re doing a news report, therefore you should be objective.
Otherwise, you’re not doing your job.
Pope Pius XII helped Adolf Hitler gain power and did nothing to stop Nazi atrocities.
Sound familiar?
— jody 07/31/2007 04:23 AM #
Dear Steph, Keep your chin up and don’t let them win! Starting with #1. There have not been 5 pedo’s at St. Maria Goretti. Check an accurate source. Because I’m a Martian that’s 900 years old :)
http://www.azcentral.com/news/church/priestprofiles2.html
www.azcentral.com/news/church/
To suggest quitting church is horrid. On a bad day it’s tempting,and seductive just like forbidden fruit, but they stilll call it spiritual suicide. Jesus can still be found in church, maybe and probably in the person sitting next to you. He certainly didn’t leave in the 1st century. That’s in the Gospels.
Because of your work, you need the Holy Spirit grace and blessings of the sacraments received wherever you find it. Maybe do a little church floating and visit San Xavier. And if you miss church some Sunday because of what your’re going through well that’s between you and God and your confessor that day.
YOUR HATE MAIL IS FROM YOUR BEST FANS. IF THEY DIDN’T WRITE, IT WOULD MEAN THAT YOU WERE DOING A LOUSY JOB REPORTING ON THE VERY DIFFICULT ASSIGNMENT YOU HAVE. It is a common tactic for certain individuals to use chat rooms, blogs, etc for spin control, to minimize, to abuse, spread disinformation, etc
http://ncronline.org/ has abuse tracker and really shows just how widescale this situation is. Passe in Tucson was front page in LA.
I have visited Tucson before and it is an easy place. Which anyone who has ever been, ( standing on a corner in Tucson Arizona, What a fine sight to see, it’s a friend my Lord in a flat bed Ford turned around to take a look at me.) Knows
Bishop Kicanus is the exception to the rule with his actions. and with all the promises made by other Bishops, it’s difficult to believe that they are doing the things they do.
I consider your articles which I have read to be well written and researched. The biggest problem is there really isn’t any place like Tucson and once you visit ncronline you’ll see just how lucky the Tucson diocese is. Incidentally ncr is the reason for the many of the out of town comments.
What type of person sends hate mail to a person like yourself who helps contribute to healing for some and safety and information for others? It’s like garbage spam. I do exclude abuse victims from that question, but if they vent on a sensitive person it still hurts. They go through stuff the rest of us will never understand by the grace of God. So for them forgiveness and prayers and compassion.
So hang tough and don’t give up.
— Joe Martian 07/31/2007 04:38 PM #
I am so sorry that you are having to go through this as a writer & a Catholic. I too am a writer but no longer RC. It’s much easier when you find that Christ is truly within you and not in the RCC.[5 pedophiles found in our church alone,of St Maria Goretti ,in Scottsdale] Jesus Christ is not in the RCC, He is not there. I guarantee you. I am 78 yrs old and almost a cradle RC. Your allegiance should be to Christ Jesus & His Word, not some man who claims he is acting as Christ here on earth. Not so. It’s an impossibility. Scripture does not back up the way the RCC abuses the sacrements. JC left the church in the 1st century. RSVP g
— gloria 07/30/2007 02:11 PM #
I am really sorry that you have to keep writing about the clergy sexual abuse issue. Think of us, the survivors, who will have to live with the fallout from the sexual abuse for the rest of our lives. Yes, we all know that there are good men and women who work in dioceses around the world – but there are also bad. I am really tired of so many people putting the blame on psychiatrists and therapists who told bishops that these people could be cured. I was in a facility that treated priests and sisters, and different from the sisters, most of the priests were offenders. At that time I did not have a degree in counseling, and I knew that these men would never be cured! They were still coming on to us while they were there!! Besides, any person with normal intelligence knows that curable or not, what they did were crimes. They should have been prosecuted. But, it’s always easier to pass the buck. Anyway, don’t be surprised if this does not end. Until it is dealt with head on, and not only when the bishops’ backs are to the wall, nothing will change. Until the bishops admit their own culpability and take honest action, nothing will change. So, unless things change drastically, which does not usually happen in the church overnight, plan to write about this for a long time to come.
— Gabrielle Azzaro 07/30/2007 03:30 PM #
— Sarah 07/30/2007 04:09 PM #
Then, google Fr. Ochoa in Santa Rosa, California. The bishop there did not call the police after Ochoa admitted molesting at least one, again, last year. Ochoa ran to Mexico where he is still free, and dangerous.
so, you are wrong that the leaders are ‘trying’ or that the crisis is in the past
— dan mcnevin 07/30/2007 04:25 PM #
These credible documented cases are only about 20% of the actual number, in listening to the experts on this subjectin the Roman Catholic Church, just in the USA.
Evil enablers like Bernard Law, formerly of Boston, and currently Roger Mahony of LA, or George of the Chicago & the yet to be disbanded ‘Boy’s Club’of which McCormack was a member, or homosexual Egan of New York, Rivera of Mexico City (and the list is long and sorted globally also) need to be canonically censored, placed under life house arrest, removed fom ministry (like Marciel, founder and pedophile of the Legionnaires of Christ) or EXCOMMUNICATED swiftly.
Argumentation the cost to laity through slashed ministries and payrolls, sold off properties and assets, hiked insurance liability premiums, lawyers and court costs, hush monies and settlements is only $2 Billion Dollars in the USA is also FALSE; it’s closer to $4 Billion in the USA, and counting.
Many dozens of clerical felonious criminals have been aided and abetted to flee prosecution across international borders to this very day, by the likes of Mahony, in Mexico, Ireland, Asia & elsewhere.
We recommend for FREE to watch DELIVER US FROM EVIL, the US Academy Award Best Documentary of 2006 nominated film at: www.youtube.com
Additionally, for daily vetted global coverage of the ongoing sexual abuse crisis, and continued heiarchical criminal cover up, we suggest:
www.bishopaccountability.or/abusetracker
There is but one solution to all this “FILTH”, to quote former CDF Prelate Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict the XVI th. The laity, 1.1 Billion strong globally, must donate no monies or contributions to any funds, pences, appeals, schools, hospitalis, minitries, missions, charities, etc., controlled or siphoned off, by less than 3,500 red hats and miters globally, until TRUE accountability to each of their enabling hides occurs.
No Bishop Accountability? No Laity Monies!
Respectfully submitted,
Russ Bianchi
Lay Member of the Diocese of Monterey, CA
russ@adepthq.com
— Russ Bianchi 07/30/2007 04:50 PM #
— Nancy from Canada 07/30/2007 06:35 PM #
Perhaps you don’t like writing about clergy abuse for some of the following reasons:
1)You are no longer objective
2)You are no longer resolved to your trade
3)You are in denial
4)You did not experience statutory rape; you did not experience spiritual rape, you did not experience institutional rape
5)You are uncaring of others having suffered such experiences
6)I’m sure there could be many, many more reasons you don’t like writing about it—but why bother enumerating them—if you don’t like writing about it—you probably don’t like reading about it, either
I suspect your boss doesn’t like folks to write about clergy abuse in any kind of truthful manner—thus you have written about it so banally.
By the way—I don’t feel too bad about Paul Duckro’s ulcer. I’ve thought about suicide so many times, dear, that an ulcer to me would be like (perhaps) some chipped fingernail polish to you
Cry me a river, baby, I’ll send up a canoe.
Johnny Detroit
— Johnny Detroit 07/30/2007 07:55 PM #
Stephanie, Dr. Duckro might be more healthy if he wasn’t working for such a corrupt outfit. All the good they do can’t make up for how evil they are. Declaring bankruptcy allowed them to keep so many secrets.
You in the press are the hope of so many. Please don’t abandon us.
— Kathy 07/30/2007 08:25 PM #
I know how you feel and I am so sorry you have to go through this. It is definitely a ripple affect, and when you have to write unbiasly, it affects both sides you are writing about and then you’re stuck in a tug of war.
Stephanie, I want you to know that if it was not for your article in March, 2003 that had Fr. Kevin Barmasse’s name mentioned in it, I probably would not be here writing to you right now. You started my journey towards healing and because of that I am a different man today. Going through the Tucson bankruptcy and the L.A. case was a handful in life. On top of that I help other victims of clergy abuse here in Colorado, testified at legislative hearings on new child protection laws in Colorado and Ohio. I have had my share of ulcers as Dr. Duckro has. That shows that he is working hard at what he does. He has to listen to all of our stories along with Bishop Kicanas, and it’s bad enough just listening to one victim, let alone many.
Stephanie, you have a lot more support than you think. Maybe you were “victimized” in a way by all of this. The truth is ugly when exposed and the stories had to be told and you were there to tell them. Thank you!
These stories will never end. The Catholic church was just the beginning. Now many other denominations are being exposed with the cover up of children being sexually assaulted and molested by clergy and lay people. But our children and grandchildren will be more protected in the future because of what you have done! Please never forget that!
— Troy Gray 07/31/2007 03:17 AM #
Would you rather not know of the horrors with the reality that hundreds of children were sexually assaulted, raped, sodomised by priests when the leadership of the church knew?
The horrendous ramifications of abuse reveals just how horrifying are the lives of most of the now-adult men and women, the walking wounded, molested.
Please do not deny them a voice!
Write as a journalist if you truly are one. I’m not a huge fan of your newspaper and what it does editorially.
Stephanie, you’re doing a news report, therefore you should be objective.
Otherwise, you’re not doing your job.
Pope Pius XII helped Adolf Hitler gain power and did nothing to stop Nazi atrocities.
Sound familiar?
— jody 07/31/2007 04:23 AM #
http://www.azcentral.com/news/church/priestprofiles2.html
www.azcentral.com/news/church/
To suggest quitting church is horrid. On a bad day it’s tempting,and seductive just like forbidden fruit, but they stilll call it spiritual suicide. Jesus can still be found in church, maybe and probably in the person sitting next to you. He certainly didn’t leave in the 1st century. That’s in the Gospels.
Because of your work, you need the Holy Spirit grace and blessings of the sacraments received wherever you find it. Maybe do a little church floating and visit San Xavier. And if you miss church some Sunday because of what your’re going through well that’s between you and God and your confessor that day.
YOUR HATE MAIL IS FROM YOUR BEST FANS. IF THEY DIDN’T WRITE, IT WOULD MEAN THAT YOU WERE DOING A LOUSY JOB REPORTING ON THE VERY DIFFICULT ASSIGNMENT YOU HAVE. It is a common tactic for certain individuals to use chat rooms, blogs, etc for spin control, to minimize, to abuse, spread disinformation, etc
http://ncronline.org/ has abuse tracker and really shows just how widescale this situation is. Passe in Tucson was front page in LA.
I have visited Tucson before and it is an easy place. Which anyone who has ever been, ( standing on a corner in Tucson Arizona, What a fine sight to see, it’s a friend my Lord in a flat bed Ford turned around to take a look at me.) Knows
Bishop Kicanus is the exception to the rule with his actions. and with all the promises made by other Bishops, it’s difficult to believe that they are doing the things they do.
I consider your articles which I have read to be well written and researched. The biggest problem is there really isn’t any place like Tucson and once you visit ncronline you’ll see just how lucky the Tucson diocese is. Incidentally ncr is the reason for the many of the out of town comments.
What type of person sends hate mail to a person like yourself who helps contribute to healing for some and safety and information for others? It’s like garbage spam. I do exclude abuse victims from that question, but if they vent on a sensitive person it still hurts. They go through stuff the rest of us will never understand by the grace of God. So for them forgiveness and prayers and compassion.
So hang tough and don’t give up.
— Joe Martian 07/31/2007 04:38 PM #