"No defense is possible for accused priests. Once a civil suit has been filed, the policy in certain dioceses is to remove priests from ministry—even if the charges are decades old and lack any evidence. Cases are not even submitted to a review board prior to suspension. The filing of a civil suit is enough for a priest to lose his ministry and have his reputation as a man and a priest reduced to tatters."
Publishing the names of the accused before they are found guilty in some kind of judicial or even extrajudicial process is a horrible abuse and causes irreparable damage. If there is a single fruit of my research and publication, I hope it is the removal of those so-called “credible defendants” lists.
“Sexual abuse has always been wrong, for sure,” O’Malley said. “But how pastors have dealt with these accusations, while inadequate in some cases, should not be seen through the lens of what we know today.”
"It is immaturity—sexual and emotional immaturity—that leads to this kind of sexual abuse, because these guys are stunted, and their psycho-sexual development hits a plateau. They can’t identify with anybody beyond adolescent age, which is why they associate with them. And, in some cases, molest them. That’s the God’s honest truth.
The alleged victim has asked the Diocese of Yakima to remove Father's remains from the priests’ circle. The episcopal vicar for the diocese, said his request has been considered and will be denied. “It has been our practice to celebrate with a minimum of ceremony the funeral Masses of priests accused of abuse. However, burying the dead is one of the corporal works of mercy. These works are central to our response to the gift of the faith, and in our carrying out the mission of the Church.
The term “boundary violation” does not have a clear definition or universal meaning. There is no legal definition, in civil or canon law, of what a boundary violation could be. Because “boundary violation” is an ambiguous term, it could be used for something quite serious, or it could be meant to signify something akin to excessive swearing at someone — that could be a boundary violation. It’s not necessarily clear that all boundary violations are inherently physical, or that they are inherently sexual, either. They are not a category of crime.