This story evolved over time. Actually, it turns out to be a lot like 2002. I will pass.
Set up a go fund me, Patreon, PayPal links. The $$ withheld from the institutional Church by the faithful will easily find your efforts.
“He went on to describe the two-fold purpose of their report: to provide information to every cardinal in hopes of better informing them about their fellow papal-electors, as well as to make the information available publicly so that lay Catholics can have access to it.
“Cardinals need to be held accountable publicly, so there has to be some sort of culture of shame,” he said. “They know if they vote for this person…the people that they shepherd, and their pastors, will know about it.”
“This is difficult. There is a dark side to this decision. We recognize that,” he added. “We are willing to take this on with prayer and fasting…because we can’t allow people to continue to allow our kids, the innocent, the young, seminarians to be devoured the ways that they are.”
Imam also said that 10 former FBI agents are involved in the investigation, with two individuals being the agency’s former lead investigators on ecclesiastic matters.”
Follow up on Fr Zs blog. No investigative power, no punitive authority, handing findings to bishops who can’t find they way out of a brown bag. Thanks for the clarification.
“The Crux article proved inaccurate in a number of fronts.
First, we are not at all well-endowed. We are in debt! We are Catholics in love with Jesus and His Church willing to risk a lot for the visible purity of the Church.
Second, we are not against homosexuals and will not note cardinals who are. Where the ellipsis is in the quotation is me clarifying that they have to be sexually activate (which, of course, goes for those heterosexually involved as well).
Third, our attempt is to be above reproach. That means that we do not favor or negatively target any one prince. We hope to find an immaculate record for every single cardinal!
Fourth, we do not intend to change a conclave. I stated that we will not publish the report if a conclave is already called so as not to risk that appearance. The goal of Better Church Governance is to help the hierarchy help itself. By dispassionately scrutinizing the records of spiritual leaders, we hope to vindicate those unjustly accused on one hand and, on the other, draw attention to those who have credible accusations made against them. It is then the job of the hierarchy to do what it wills with the information.
Fifth, I converted from Islam a decade ago(!)
There are a number of other critiques but I won’t take more of your time.
We are compelled by love and by hate: love of Christ and of His children; hate of sin and abuse.
Originally Published on: Oct 1, 2018”
“We did a lot of research, but a lot was kept from us and we knew it,” she said.
“It was happening in Chicago, but we had to rely on files the bishops were willing to give us — and we knew there had to be more, but we had no subpoena powers,” said Burke to her interviewer. “We had no government authority!”
“And shockingly,” Burke noted, “the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops charter our National Review Board was appointed under did NOT include investigating the BISHOPS! Or even penalizing the bishops or cardinals for transferring these priests!”
The judge said she would like to see more states have similar investigations into the Church’s handling of sex abuse allegations. She was quoted as saying, “Finally … at last … government authorities — like those in Pennsylvania — are getting involved in investigation of this criminal activity.”
She opined, “I think every state should convene a grand jury into this culture of secrecy that protected offenders at all costs.”