There are two interviews with Antigonish Bishop Brian Dunn re the Bishop Raymond Lahey child porn scandal that you really must watch and listen to.
I suggest the video first: http://thechronicleherald.ca/NovaScotia/1241879.html
Then follow with the CBC radio interview: http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/Shows/1221254309/ID=1910877219
Do you see how terribly terribly nervous Bishop Dunn is?
After seeing him on that clip you can almost picture him fielding a few hard questions from CBC.
Have you ever heard such tap dancing?
Bishop Dunn is “very saddened.” And then, a nervous laugh “It’s a shock to me.”
Dunn is not outraged. He’s not angry. No, Bishop Dunn is “saddened.”
Think of it. A fellow bishop was caught with a bag full of sex toys and computer drives loaded with grotesque images of child porn – everything from adult males urinating in the mouths of little boys to depictions of mastery and slavery, and torture of young boys, and various sex acts between boys and men.
And, Bishop Dunn is “saddened.”
Bishop Dunn knew nothing. Bishop Dunn heard nothing.
Bishop Dunn admitted he knew Lahey when the pair were in Newfoundland and, in fact acknowledges the key role Lahey played in that province: “He [Lahey] was a leader in many ways.”
Indeed he was. Lahey was a leader “in many ways.”
So, yes, I suppose that part is sad. It’s sad that despite reports in 1989 that Lahey was into porn he continued to ‘lead’ and enjoy the respect of the naïve and trusting faithful.
And it’s sad that we Catholics are stuck with liturgical ditties composed by a bishop whose mind was NOT on God, but on naked boys and all manner of sexual depravity.
And it’s sad that the laity seem to know and hear more about what goes on in their Church than do their bishops.
All of that is sad. True. It’s sad.
But, it seems to me that sad falls short as an episcopal response to news of the sexual depravity and filth which has been occupying Bishop Lahey’s mind and eyes.
And, yes, that is sad.
Anyway, that’s where the Bishop of Antigonish is at. He’s “saddened.”
Note how Dunn avoids answering the question as to whether or not Lahey should be defrocked.
Why?
And what of the overt display of Episcopal bad nerves. Why? Why the nerves? Where did that come from?
Bishop Brian Dunn, by the way, was born and raised in St. John’s Newfoundland. He studied at the University of Western Ontario and completed his seminary formation at St. Peter’s seminary in London, Ontario. He was ordained for the Diocese of Grand Falls Newfoundland in 1980. He received a licentiate in Canon Law at St. Paul’s University in Ottawa (1990) and a doctorate in 1991. In 2008 he was installed as auxiliary bishop to Bishop Jean-Louis Plouffe in the diocese of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. He replaced Bishop Lahey as Bishop of the Diocese of Antigonish in November 2009.
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The Sudbury charges against Father William Hodgson Marshall have finally been transferred to Windsor. I confirmed today. They were transferred on 03 May 2011.
Now I personally can feel comfortable knowing that the 08-09 June 2011 Windsor court dates can proceed as planned.
There are plans afoot for a protest. I don’t know where the plans are at, but I commend you “Sorry I Can’t Say” for the idea. I hope you get the support needed to make it a reality. The voice of victims must be heard and I believe people would be interested in hearing what you have to say. I think there is a possibility that if you get things planned in advance people may travel to offer their support – no guarantees because people may be supportive but loathe to protest, but if you get the word and details out, it MAY happen.
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Father John (Jack) McCann omi will no longer be saying Masses at Mount Carmel. According to reports on CFRA radio the Archdiocese says McCann is no longer in active ministry.
Why does it take publicity to get these predators out of our sanctuaries?
I have asked before and will ask again: how many more known clerical molesters are serving in the Archdiocese of Ottawa? And what will it take for Roman Catholics to reach the day that they can know with certainty that the priest in the sanctuary, school, hospital or wherever is not a known sexual predator? Our bishops obviously aren’t screening them out.. How do we get there? What does it take?
Anyway, watch for the circling of the wagons to explain this one away.
Finally on this , I have a picture of McCann which I will scan and post shortly.
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Keep an eye on New to the Site. I will be posting articles there and, when busy will not necessarily comment. (New to the Site can be accessed manually by clicking on the “NEW” tab on the black horizontal menu at the top of the page)
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A busy day. I haven’t forgotten my promise to post my email exchange with Ottawa’s Viocar General, Monsignor Kevin Beach. I will have that done by day’s end 🙂
Enough for now,
Sylvia
Sylvia, what can we do? Everybody is dropping the ball, or ignoring the elephant in the room, or whatever re: Bishop Lahey. Correct me if I am wrong, but isn’t there a strangely disturbing element in Lahey’s past which NO ONE IS TALKING ABOUT?! I speak of the fact that he acted as a chaplain for the boys at the Mount Cashel Orphanage run by the Christian Brothers. When the investigation finally went ahead in 1989, somehow Lahey escaped the prosecution’s net. There is currently a case, slowly ‘slouching towards’ a court judgment in Newfoundland, in which a now grown man reports that as a boy he went to Lahey’s home in Mount Pearl and saw a pile of dirty magazines, in the mid-1990s. Who are the people who are burying the truth? What do I have to do – call VOCM Open Line on Monday, to tell the world?
Strange isn’t it? You know. I know. So many know. I believe actually it was 1989? It’s been out in the public domain. And still so many are shocked by Bishop Lahey’s ‘guilty’ plea?
I have actually seen several media articles which reference the porn in 1989 and the fact that it was reported to a priest who in turn reported to Archbishop Penney. From there we don’t know what happened.
“Saddened” and “Hurt” were the specific comments of Archbishop Martin Currie of Newfoundland and Labrador. His response is totally unacceptable. Lahey was one of the two priests who officiated at the ceremony in St. John’s, NL, when Currie became the Archbishop. How about Archbishop Currie coming right out to say something along the following lines:
“There is an endemic culture of child abuse in the Roman Catholic Church of Newfoundland and Labrador, going back at least 35 years. As Archbishop I want to make it clear to the public that the Church acknowledges it has failed parishioners in the past, where a zero tolerance policy and full disclosure should have been implemented by myself and my predecessors. That period is now over, and the Church is turning a new page. This has gone on long enough. I find the behavior of Raymond Lahey totally reprehensible, and believe he has been unfit for decades to fill the office of the priesthood. I am ashamed of my prior friendship with the man. I ask the Roman Catholics of Newfoundland and Labrador to pray for me and for the priests in this diocese, young and old, who are still faithful to their vows of celibacy. We will all now make ourselves available to one and all, to earn your trust and restore your confidence. Furthermore, all current lawsuits and court actions will be immediately restudied by me in order to secure swift and fair remuneration for all victims, with the costs to be born by the sale of Church properties. Our real estate in the St. John’s market is some of the most valuable real estate in all of Canada. There will be no more legal wranglings and delays. I give you my word.”
I wonder what on earth could prevent Archbishop Currie from making a similar statement. Any ideas anyone?
Cheryl Helena, I have a feeling you may just have decided to call VOCM. Did you do it? If yes, were you able to speak?
Cheryl Helena, you did a great job on VOCM this morning! Hopefully others will keep the topic front and center with Bill Rowe in the days to come because he sure is open to honest discussion and opinion on the topic. It really does need airing and it doesn’t seem like the diocese has much of a stomach to encourage forums to discuss the issue at the parish level.