Readers React: When priests sexually abuse children — and their bosses cover it up

To the editor: The singularly disturbing report alleging widespread child sexual abuse by Roman Catholic Catholic priests in Pennsylvania over the last half-century should give pause to even the most pious among us.

Beyond the horror of individual crimes was the church’s systemic coverups. Diocese supervisors facilely downplayed molestation by priests. For example, one opted to not divulge that a priest was being defrocked for his serial sexual abuse because “nothing else need be noted.” Another discounted molestation by one priest because it “will not necessarily be a horrendous trauma” for the boy.

Surely the most outrageous coverup involved a district attorney who didn’t prosecute a notorious serial molester priest lest the church suffer “unfavorable publicity”; he cited his “respect” for church leadership.

Yet many religious adherents feel that a war is being conducted against religion. Tell that to those whom priests have violated in Pennsylvania and elsewhere.

Robin Groves, Pacific Palisades

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To the editor: For decades now, we have heard continuing media coverage of sexual abuse of children by Catholic clergy that ranged from neighborhood priests up to cardinals. Yet, it is still a shock to learn this week that prosecutors in Pennsylvania have disclosed that since the 1940s, more than 1,000 cases are documented in previously secret files of children allegedly being abused by clergy involving at least 300 priests!

But this is not the shocking aspect of this story. Court officials found that there was a consistent, coordinated effort to conceal this abuse, to sweep it under the rug. This is not just speculation by prosecutors and the media. High-ranking Catholic officials acknowledged this practice taking place.

Other denominations aren’t blameless either. Recently, insurers of churches and Christian nonprofits reported that they received 260 claims of reported juvenile sexual abuse by staff at those organizations in a single year.

I see ranking church administrators frequently denying existences of the problem and making efforts to “cover up” complaints.

We cannot as a society continue to “wink and look the other way” pretending this problem doesn’t exist. It is our problem as a society. Can we not have the backbone and hold these church administrators accountable — especially for the innocent kids?

James W. Anderson, Talladega, Ala.

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To the editor: As shocking as the grand jury’s findings were, it was heartening to read the recommendations to change the statute of limitations on rape and sexual assault. Missing is a grand recommendation to do away with celibacy in the Catholic Church. Misconduct like that in Pennsylvania is not only nationwide but worldwide, and it appears to me that there is some link between this archaic tradition and the crimes we are seeing.

Stephen Saks, Santa Monica

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