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COMMENTARY
Response to Archbishop Chaput
Gaile M. Pohlhaus, Ph.D., National VOTF secretary
How extraordinary that Most Rev. Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M.Cap.,
Archbishop of Denver, has chosen to accuse Marci Hamilton
of making a statement that “does not withstand
scrutiny.” Her statement is supported by facts
and statistics. The archbishop’s is supported by
his personal assumptions of motives.
His first point on targeting Catholic institutions
draws a cause and effect assumption about the activities
of lawyers and then quotes an unsupported statement
by a California state senator. Evidently Archbishop
Chaput does not realize that the support for better
SOL laws and window legislation is supported by many
secular and various religious (not only Christian)
groups.
The window is designed to bring forward predators
that have not yet been publicly identified. If institutions
would let grand juries and public officials inspect
records of malfeasance, such a step might not be necessary.
Although Catholic bishops have promised to bring allegations
to the attention of law officers immediately, recent
cases in
Chicago and California show this does not happen.
Voice of the Faithful has been advocating for accountability
at all levels of our Church from safe environment training
to justice for survivors to financial transparency.
The slogan “if you want peace work for justice” applies
here in the U.S. as much as it does throughout the
world. Survivors are entitled to a just response to
their abuse. Many are not looking for “payoffs” but
for the assurance that their predators will not harm
another child. We expect much more from our pastoral
leaders. His letter is an embarrassment to all concerned
Catholics.
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