NEWS

PHILADELPHIA - Common Pleas Court Judge Teresa Sarmina closed the latest chapter in the clergy sexual abuse scandal in Philadelphia by sentencing Msgr. William Lynn to three to six years in state prison.

During the sentencing hearing July 24, after more than two hours of arguments and letters presented from victims and Lynn's defense, Sarmina handed down a sentence just shy of the maximum seven years.

The former secretary for clergy, who recommended priest assignments to the archbishop of Philadelphia and investigated claims of sexual abuse of minors by clergy, was found guilty of one felony charge of endangering the welfare of a child June 22. He became the first official of the U.S. Catholic Church to be convicted of a felony not for abusing a child, or even witnessing it, but for his responsibilities in managing priests, some of whom abused children.

District Attorney Seth Williams said the fact that Lynn, 61, was convicted not for abuse made this "a very different case," one that is "unprecedented in American jurisprudence."

"We held responsible a man who did not abuse children himself, but who did not do enough to protect children," Williams said outside the Criminal Justice Centre in Philadelphia.

The priest's defense lawyer, Thomas Bergstrom, incredulously referred to the sentence as "grossly unfair" and "unbelievable."

"He's being punished for things he did properly. He met with victims, he met with accused priests, he documented everything, he sent it up to the cardinal," Bergstrom said.

Lynn's conviction resulted from the actions of a former priest, Edward V. Avery, who last March pleaded guilty to abusing an altar boy in 1990. Avery, who was laicized in 2006, is serving two-and-a-half to five years in prison.

Williams said Lynn was "institutionally responsible" for the suffering of victims of sexual abuse by priests.

Evidence at trial showed that months after becoming secretary for clergy in 1992, Lynn took the initiative to compile a list from church archives of known or possibly abusive priests spanning several decades. He presented the list of scores of priests to Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua, who was archbishop of Philadelphia at the time. The cardinal ordered that the list be shredded, but a copy was retained and forgotten in a locked safe at the Archdiocesan Pastoral Centre in Philadelphia.

Once he knew of the list and the extent of the clergy sexual abuse problem, Lynn should have resigned, Williams said. Instead, "he locked the list of names away in a vault — names of priests he knew were abusive," Williams said. "Now he will be locked away for a fraction of that time."

Bergstrom said Sarmina in her sentencing "didn't follow the facts of the case," including his contention that priests Lynn investigated and sent for treatment "never abused again."

The Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace is hiring, but by the time the new employees are at their desks the Catholic aid agency will have reduced its full-time staff by 15 per cent.

Staff reductions became inevitable this spring when the Canadian International Development Agency reduced funding to D&P by more than $30 million over the next five years.

The six job openings — two full-time permanent positions and four part-time contract jobs — are filling vacancies that have come up over the last year from retirements, expired contracts and voluntary resignations, said executive director Michael Casey. D&P had frozen all hiring over the last year while awaiting a funding decision from the government.

After two years working with CIDA officials on a plan for continued development work in Africa, Asia and Latin America, then CIDA Minister Bev Oda announced in March her government would extend funding to select projects in just seven countries, leaving most of the 186 projects D&P runs in 30 countries unfunded.

In June D&P’s national council approved a restructuring plan that will reduce staffing 15 per cent by Sept. 1. The plan reduces its budget by $5 million this year.

But the Canadian partner in the international Caritas network is also planning for a future with less government support. The organization is shifting resources into fundraising and outreach in what some are calling a “re-launch.”

“The restructuring plan was developed following an extensive consultation process with our membership and staff over the past year as the organization adapts to new challenges in our external environment, most notably the significant reduction in government financial support for our international programs,” wrote Casey in an e-mail to The Catholic Register.

The new positions are posted at www.devp.org and in this edition of The Catholic Register.

Ontario's Catholic Women's League has put its support behind infrared breast screening thermography while expressing opposition to youth indoor tanning.

These resolutions were passed at the 65th annual Ontario provincial convention of the CWL, which took place in Kingston, Ont., July 9 to 11.

Marlene Pavletic, president of the provincial council, told The Catholic Register that each of the resolutions passed with little debate.

“What we try to do is focus on the actual material, ensuring that we’ve got good Canadian material (that’s) current,” Pavletic said. “We’ve gone in depth to make sure our briefs are solid.”

The first resolution, prepared by the St. Catharine’s Diocesan Council, looks at infrared breast screening thermography as an alternative to mammograms.

“There is a concern about the extra radiation that women are getting from mammograms, and thermography doesn’t have any radiation,” Pavletic explained.

This cancer detection treatment has not been approved in Ontario, but the council will now be insisting the Ontario Ministry of Health take another look.

“We would like them to re-do some studies on it with the modern technology of thermography,” Pavletic said.

For the second resolution, which was prepared by the Kingston council, the provincial council is joining many other advocacy groups pressing the government to prohibit the use of indoor tanning equipment by youth.

“It’s a public health issue,” Pavletic said. “Our concern is that melanoma is one of the most serious cancers and the most common types of cancers.

“We thought that if we could urge the government to prohibit the use of it before the age of 18, that might perhaps decrease the incidence of it.”

Local MPP John Gerretsen was on hand to address the delegates at the opening ceremony. He said efforts like those of the Ontario CWL will slowly but surely make a difference.

“I urged them to continue advocating,” he said. “One of the things that they’ve done over the last two or three years is have information sessions at Queen’s Park with members of all political parties, and I urged them to continue with that.”

As a tribute to those who have never been allowed to see the light of day, Mount Alverno Retreat Centre has undertaken its Sculpture to the Unborn project.

The artwork at the Caledon, Ont., retreat centre comprises a life-sized wooden carving of a faceless pregnant woman. The issue now is finding financial support for the project.

“Like most things we do, (the money’s) going to come from individuals and small groups,” said Capuchin Brother Alan Gaebel, who spearheaded the $3,400 project. “We’re just over the halfway mark and anything that we get that exceeds the actual cost will be put towards some kind of landscaping or gardening around it so that it will still be focused on the presentation of that statue.”

The bulk of the funds to date have come from the Knights of Columbus’ Humber Valley council, which has offered $1,000. Other smaller donations have been made by the two branches of Catholic Women’s League of Canada, St. Timothy parish in Orangeville, Ont., and St. Philip Neri parish in Toronto, as well as various other regular benefactors.

While the location of the statue, expected to stand almost two metres, has yet to be determined, its intended message is etched in Gaebel’s mind.

“It’s just a female presence that is expected to cause us to stop and think,” said Gaebel. “So many people have sometimes negative expressions of life, it’s not this and not that, and we just wanted to say something different. We wanted to say that life is a positive thing.”

The idea came about during the centre’s fall 2011 advisory board meeting as members sought a means to promote the culture of life.

“For me a culture of life includes the pro-life issue but it also includes our response to elder abuse, our response to domestic violence,” said Gaebel, who also sits on the centre’s provincial council. “It also includes our response to the mistreatment of animals and so forth.”

A sculpture was suggested and Gaebel grabbed the reins.

While there is an obvious emphasis on the unborn, Gaebel said the statue represents more than just the pro-life movement.

“I see it beyond pro-life. It reaches much further and more generally into our relationship with creation.”

Using chainsaws, power tools and chisels, the statue will be carved by Orangeville’s Jim Menken.

“It was kind of interesting to be part of the selection process and sending in drawings,” said Menken, selected over two other carvers.  “Being a Christian myself, I was glad that I was able to participate in it too, to celebrate the unborn and be part of that.”

The actual carving process should take somewhere between a few days to a week followed by staining and clear coating.

“I never know until I get into it,” he said, adding that he expects to get started in August. 

Menken has completed more than 100 carvings since picking up the craft part-time in 2002 while working as a private Christian school teacher.

Two years later his summer hobby turned into a full-time job as commissions from the Town of Orangeville and the City of Mississauga, along with private residents, began to pile up.

ST. CATHARINES, ONT. — During Bishop Wayne Kirkpatrick's July 25 ordination, significant figures in his life raced through his mind.

"I was thinking of my parents," he told The Catholic Register, after becoming the newest auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese of Toronto. "I was thinking of Bishop Thomas Fulton who ordained me."

He was also thinking about the years he spent at the Cathedral of St. Catherine of Alexandria in St. Catharines, where the ordination took place.

"I've been here for 14 years altogether and I was ordained here."

Kirkpatrick said his new ministry is going to be a greater responsibility.

"Definitely in the laying on of hands, I could feel that responsibility coming upon me."

Born in St. Catharines on June 5, 1957, Kirkpatrick studied at St. Jerome's College at the University of Waterloo, earning a bachelor of arts in philosophy before entering St. Augustine's Seminary in 1980 where he completed a masters of divinity before being ordained to the priesthood in 1984. He also studied at Saint Paul University in Ottawa, where he earned a Licentiate (masters) of canon law in 1990.

The move to the archdiocese of Toronto is going to be difficult, Kirkpatrick acknowledged.

"It's always difficult to uproot but I think life is a series of uprootings," said Kirkpatrick. "This is a big one but certainly one that with the prayers and support of the people of St. Catharines and Toronto, I'll be able to make that."

As auxiliary bishop, Kirkpatrick will oversee care of the pastoral needs of the northern pastoral region of the archdiocese of Toronto. He has also been appointed as episcopal vicar for religious institutes of men and women in the archdiocese and episcopal vicar for the francophone community. As well, he is now titular bishop of Aradi.

St. Catharines' Bishop Gerard Bergie called the ceremony both beautiful and moving.

"I can't help but feel pride, not a sinful pride, but pride in that the diocese has provided a wonderful ceremony and provided a wonderful priest to the archdiocese of Toronto," said Bergie.

Kirkpatrick will be greatly missed, said Bergie, who has worked with the new bishop since arriving in the diocese in November 2010.

"We started in the seminary together so I've known him for many years. When I was new to the diocese, he was a great help to me and always there for me, very supportive, very knowledgable, so I'll always be indebted.

"Truly, Toronto's gain is our loss," he added.

Laurier LePage, a senior server at the Cathedral for the past 28 years, grew up in the same area in St. Catharines as Kirkpatrick and the two were schoolmates.

"As he became a priest in St. Catharines, I started to see him again… I was glad to see him come back. It was great. It was like old times together again."

Deborah LePage, Laurier's wife, lived two houses down from the Kirkpatricks.

"From seeing him play cowboys and Indians in the backyard, then to a priest, then to a monsignor and now, this is unreal. It's really unreal.

"It just makes my heart throb," she said. "I was in tears."

Thomas Brown, 40, a parishioner at the Cathedral of St. Catherine of Alexandria, has known Kirkpatrick for about 15 years.

"I'm just so happy for him to become a bishop," he said, adding that he'll miss him very much.

During the homily, Cardinal Thomas Collins said people's lives are touched by the ministry of an apostle of the Lord.

"As bishops, we need to work hard to be spiritually fruitful," he told the packed cathedral.

Mentioning courageous saints such as Francis de Sales, Charles Borromeo and John Fisher, Collins described various challenges they faced such as evangelizing a society that had fallen away from the faith.

"The challenge is great but we have mighty heroes," he said.

The episcopal motto chosen by Kirkpatrick is "Abide in me," said Collins.

"And these words guide all of us as disciples," he said.

After the ordination, Kirkpatrick was absorbing the events of the day, which took place on the feast of St. James.

"I'm the kind of person that reflects upon all that's taken place so as the day wears on and tomorrow I'll be thinking more about what's taken place."

Investiture with ring, miter and pastoral staff

The Ring

The first insignia to be received by the bishop during the rites of ordination is the ring. Upon handing over to the newly ordained bishop the ring, the principal ordaining bishop says, "Take this ring, the seal of your fidelity. With faith and love, protect the bride of God, His holy Church." The ring symbolizes discretion, since rings were used to seal private documents and the ring represents the symbolic marriage between the bishop and the Church.

The Miter

The next insignia which is given to the newly ordained bishop during the rites of ordination is the miter. The miter is a headdress which points upwards towards heaven. It is a mark of the bishops' office and a symbol of their authority.

The Crozier (also called the pastoral staff)

The last symbol given to the newly ordained bishop is the crozier. The principal ordaining bishop says, "Take this staff as a sign of your pastoral office: Keep watch over the whole flock in which the Holy Spirit has appointed you to shepherd the Church of God." Each bishop is a symbol of Christ the Good Shepherd. The crozier also symbolizes the responsibility that the bishop has in leading all to Christ.

DENVER - Archbishop Samuel Aquila of Denver and his auxiliary, Bishop James Conley, offered prayers and support to the victims, survivors and the community after a gunman killed 12 people and wounded 59 more during a July 20 midnight screening of the movie The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora, Colo.

"For those who were killed, our hope is the tender mercy of our God," the bishops said in a joint statement. "'Neither death nor life,' reflected St. Paul, 'can separate us from the love of God.'

"For those who were wounded — physically, emotionally and spiritually — our hope is in their recovery and renewal. To them we offer our prayers, our ears to listen, and our hearts to love. The road to recovery may be long, but in hope we are granted the gift of new life."

Aquila and Conley also prayed for the shooter.

"We hope also for the perpetrator of this terrible crime, and we pray for his conversion. Evil ruled his heart last night," they said July 20. "Only Jesus Christ can overcome the darkness of such evil."

James Holmes, 24, who had been a doctoral student at the University of Colorado before he dropped out, was arrested in connection with the mass shootings. Police said Holmes was still wearing a bulletproof vest in the movie theatre's parking lot when he was apprehended.

Aquila, who celebrated an evening Mass for those affected by the shooting, and Conley said Regina Caeli Counselling Services of Catholic Charities in the archdiocese would offer counselling over the next few weeks to those who need it.

"We look for opportunities to pray with our community," the bishops added. "And we continue to work to support families and communities in forming people of peace."

Joanne Schwartz, executive director of Progress Now Colorado, said: "Today we offer condolences to the families affected, and to all of our neighbours in Aurora as they struggle to cope with this terrible act of violence. And we call on Congress and elected officials at every level to put aside partisan differences, and take action to stop the gun violence that takes place every day across America."

Schwartz noted in her statement that after the Columbine High School slayings, also in Colorado, in 1999, "Republicans and Democrats came together to support closing the 'gun show loophole' by an overwhelming margin: a model of co-operation we should aspire to today."

PRINCETON, N.J. - Americans' confidence in "Church and organized religion" has been on the decline since 1973 and Catholics' confidence in that institution remains lower than that of Protestants, according to the results of a new Gallup survey.

Forty-six per cent of Catholics express "a great deal or quite a lot of confidence" in the Church and organized religion, compared to 56 per cent of Protestants.

The Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace is expanding its commitment to 18 million west Africans in the Sahel region threatened with starvation.

The Catholic aid and development agency is working with Caritas Internationalis to launch food and seed distribution projects in Mauritania, Chad and Senegal to reach 300,000 people. The new projects are in addition to programs for 19,500 households in Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso. D&P is funding the Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso program along with Canadian Foodgrains Bank.

WASHINGTON - Conflict between the Leadership Conference of Women Religious and the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith over the reform of LCWR boils down to whether one can "be a Catholic and have a questioning mind," the conference's president said in an interview on National Public Radio's Fresh Air program.

Franciscan Sister Pat Farrell also said in the July 17 interview that she would like to see discussion about whether "freedom of conscience in the Church (is) genuinely honoured."

VATICAN CITY - Hinting at a willingness to continue discussions with the Vatican and recognizing the full authority of the pope over the church, the traditionalist Society of St. Pius X said it must defend church teaching from error.

"As for all the novelties of the Second Vatican Council, which remain tainted with errors, and for the reforms derived from it," the statement said, "the society can only continue to uphold the affirmations and teachings of the constant magisterium of the church."