Our Man in Vienna

from Holy Roman Shenanigans

The great crimes of this earth are murder, rape and torture.
A murderer takes the life of a human being. A rapist violates a human being.
A torturer inflicts unbearable pain on his victim.
The suffering of a murdered victim ceases after he has been killed. A victim of rape is
spiritually killed but continues to live.

Pedophilia is rape of an infant, a child or a minor. Pedophilia can be effected by violent means, intimidation or seduction. Committing the crime of pedophilia is tantamount to the murder of an infant, a child or a minor.

There are those who have taken vows in order to be in a position to abuse the underage. After having committed these crimes, they enjoy the aid and protection of their “associates.”

The victims, no matter how young, are accused of being the instigators, not only that, they are left to their fate, whatever it may be. They receive aid and payment, only if the perpetrators and their associates are forced by law or public embarrassment.

Those who committed these crimes must be brought to justice, as well as those who shielded them, no matter what their rank and attire.

A Key Phrase

“The Institution becomes more important than the people you’re supposedly protecting.” [1]
– Calvin Trillin

Not In the Know

Joachim Angerer, former Abbot of Geras Monastery, Lower Austria concerning a priest who sexually abused children
“At the time, I transferred him, which I now deeply regret. This was common procedure prior to the Groër Affair.
We placed him in therapy – you have compassion for a fellow brother, and you forgive….
We thought that a transfer would solve the problem. I did not know then what I now know….
If I had that knowledge in 1978 – namely, what pedophilia is – how much a victim suffers,
I would have had him removed immediately. I was not aware of that at the time. I adhered to customary Church procedure.” [2]
The victim was ten years old at the time of abuse.

The Belgian Catechism includes a preparation for assenting to pedophilic advances.. There is a drawing of a naked infant girl, which is captioned to show her saying she welcomed stroking of her genitals, “I like to take my knickers off with friends,” and “I want to be in the room when mum and dad have sex.” Another illustration shows a naked little boy and girl “playing doctor.” The little boy says, “Look, my willy is big.”  This catechism is used for religious instruction in Catholic schools in Belgium. Illustrations of naked children are used. Children make graphic sexual statements in dialogue bubbles.“

 

Predator’s Definition

Father Louis Fonteyne: “It was a sort of friendship.” [3]

Law and the Law

A typical instance of religious law and order: is the case of Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston.
Law was instrumental in protecting errant priests from the law. In his Boston diocese, 60 churches were forced to close due to pedophile scandals. Law in court in Boston, concerning a letter about the transfer of a pedophile priest: Attorney for the plaintiffs:

“Do you recall if you were you were troubled by the information in this letter?”
Law: ”I do not recall having seen the letter at the time.”
Attorney: “Do you recall writing the note on the letter?”
Law: “I do not recall writing that note.”
Attorney: “But that is your handwriting and signature.”
Law: “But I have no doubt that that is my handwriting and signature!“ [4]

 

 

Law on the Lam

Law got wind that state troopers were on the way with a subpoena seeking his grand jury testimony and high-tailed it to Rome where the Vatican got him off the hook.
In May of 2004, while enjoying Vatican sanctuary, he was designated as Archpriest of the St. Mary’s Basilica, one of prestigious places of worship in the Holy City. He was placed in charge of the basilica’s administration and had various ceremonial functions. Law was not only put on display, he publicly said a mass for the late Pope and voted for the new one while on the lam. Apparently, Law had not made either one blush.

And here’s an apt comment by Garry Willis on Law , who holds the American record in shuffling pedophile priests from one parish to another: The Cardinal was too deeply engaged with the fate of the unborn to care for born minors being abused by his priests.”[5]

Law I may be wanted for questioning by the authorities in the United States, but that did not deter his Roman admirers.

A birthday bash was thrown by the Vatican for him on November 4, 2011 to celebrate his eightieth. Law is noted for the 60 parish closures under his regnum. He holds the record for playing musical chairs with abusive priests. Way to go, Bernie!

Pope Francis removed Law from St. Mary’s where he was on public display. However,
he rejected a Warsaw Office of the Prosecutor’s request to hand over its former envoy to Dominican Republic. Bishop Jozef Wesolowski was whisked away from facing charges of sexual abuse in Santa Domingo and given sanctuary in the Vatican.

A Cardinal Law

A cardinal law of the underworld
is that you don’t put a man on display
who has broken the law,
or who has been an accomplice
of those who broke the law.
You stash him away.

According to the Associated Press: “The most damaging case linked to John Paul concerned the Rev. Marciel Maciel the founder of the Legionaries of Christ, a conservative order beloved by the late Pope because of its orthodoxy, fundraising prowess and ability to attract priestly vocations.”[6]

Allegations that Maciel had raped young seminarians were brought by the victims to the Vatican in the 1990s, but under apparent orders from John Paul’s No. 2, a canonical trial was shelved. Maciel’s primary protector Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Dean of the College of Cardinals and former Vatican Secretary of State. Sodano assails gossipers: “The people of God are with you and do not allow themselves to be impressed by the petty gossip of the moment, by the trials that sometimes assail the community of believers.”[7]

When Austrian Cardinal Schönborn criticized Sodano for that statement, he was rebuked by Pope Benedict. Maciel was finally sanctioned in 2006. He died two years later.

Law Leaves Us

On December 20, 2017, Cardinal Law left us. We don’t know whether he rose or sank.
I quote Phoebe Natanson of AP “In his homily, Sodano omitted any reference to the scandal,
Law’s legacy or the fact that he resigned under unrelenting public pressure —
the first head to roll for sexual abuse cover-up in the Catholic Church.
Sodano, who was Vatican secretary of state at the time and would have been intimately involved in Law’s fate, insisted that John Paul had „called him to Rome „to serve as archpriest of St. Mary Major, a prestigious position that entitled Law to burial at one of Rome’s most important and beautiful basilicas”

“Today, we want to give a final salute and thank God for giving us a good pastor,“ Sodano said. “Priests he said, “had a lofty responsibility and sometimes we can be lacking,“ but he prayed that God will „welcome him to eternal paradise.“

Sodano himself has a tainted legacy on the sex abuse front, having been a key supporter of the Rev. Marcial Maciel,  the drug-addicted founder of the Legion of Christ religious order who sexually abused his seminarians and fathered three children. It was only after John Paul died and Sodano was sidelined that Pope Benedict XVI ordered Maciel to live a lifetime of „penance and prayer“ for his crimes.

Francis has inherited John Paul’s checkered legacy on sex abuse, and has promised „zero tolerance“ for priests who rape or molest children. But his own record has been marked by questionable appointments, a reneged proposal to create a Vatican tribunal to prosecute negligent bishops like Law, and giving the issue less urgency than his predecessor, Benedict.[8]

“Petty Gossip”

Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Dean of the College of Cardinals, on abuse:
“The people of God are with you and do not allow themselves to be impressed by the petty gossip of the moment, by the trials that sometimes assail the community of believers.”[9]

When Austrian Cardinal Schönborn criticized Sodano for that statement, he was rebuked by Pope Benedict. On April “First,” 2010 Cardinal Schönborn apologized to the victims of pedophile priests in St Stephan’s Cathedral.

In these days when superficial apologies by celebrities for indiscretions abound, Pope Benedict and Otto Mühl, the Austrian pedophile artist, apologized concurrently on June 11, 2010.
As a gesture of good will two pedophile priests were reinstated in the Austrian Province of Styria by Bishop Egon Kapellary on August 10th.[10]

Perhaps this leniency should also apply to homicide. If a one-time murderer repents, why not just let him get off scot-free?

 

* * * * * * * * *

[1] Calvin Trillin, author, The Charlie Rose Show, Bloomberg TV.
[2] Schauplatz Gericht, ORF, Dec. 23, 2011.
[3] Schauplatz Gericht, ORF, Dec. 23, 2011.
[4] Int. Herald Tribune, May 10, 2002.
[5] Garry Willis: “Bishops at Bay”, The New York Review of Books, Aug. 15, 2002.
[6]Phoebe Natanson, Associated Press, May 1, 2021.
[7] Reuters, April 4, 2010.
[8] Nicole Winfield, Associated Press, Dec. 21, 2017.
[9] Reuters, April 4, 2010.
[10] Steiermark ORF.at