As a Catholic, I am a firm believer that the public has the right to know the facts regarding the abusive actions of some priests, but this evidence should be presented as information — not inflammatory facts to further condemn all members of the clergy. There is no need for the press to present every sordid detail of these acts. Presenting the salacious aspects of these encounters is the job of the tabloids and scandal sheets, not the daily newspapers.
Everyone agrees that this abuse is detestable, nauseating and heinous, but we must keep in mind that these actions were committed by between 2 percent to 7 percent of the total number of priests. Yet the way in which the evidence is presented condemns the entire priesthood.
Where is the respect for the 93 percent of men who have devoted their entire lives to doing good? Why are these men being tarred with the same brush?
Wearing a Roman collar now evokes a negative reaction instead of being regarded as a sign of dedication and commitment. The clergy have been found guilty by association.
Last Sunday, the 93 percent were directed to address the abuse issue during Mass and to present vindication to the priesthood to which they have devoted their lives. This is a sad situation.
Yes, the public has the right to know. But the job of the press should be to state the facts, avoid incendiary accounts and put pressure on the hierarchy to investigate these abuses and aid the victims.
Shift the focus from the parish priests to the bishops responsible for hiding this scandal. Allow the 93 percent to continue doing their work with dignity and respect.
— Mary Ann McGinley, Wilmette
