Three of them were my teachers at various times, though they never got to me.
I wish I could say that this was new news (these guys have mostly been convicted and done their time or, in one case, killed himself) but many ex-students either knew or strongly suspected what had happened for many years before the truth came out.
I wish I could say that I’m surprised at the extent to which the school hierarchy knew and covered these activities up - but I’m not anymore.
I wish I could say that other staff and teachers at the school were unaware of the crimes that were being committed - but I know from talking to some of them in the years after I graduated that some knew or strongly suspected but didn’t act, in order to protect their careers.
I wish we knew why certain students were singled out - maybe we could have protected each other better.
I wish I had known a friend of mine was one of the victims a lot earlier than I did.
I wish I could talk to my friend who was abused, and regularly sent Christmas cards by his abuser, and let him know I want to be able to give him as much or as little support he needs.
I wish he hadn’t taken his own life 8 years ago.
I wish I could say it won’t all happen again to someone else.
(*Mods. Not sure if the Pit would be the best place for this based on the topic - I can’t work up a lot of anger anymore which is why it’s here.)
I remember my dad telling us that the reason he was never an altar boy was that a certain priest in his parish was known to “like” his boys. But no one said anything because speaking about such things just wasn’t done (this would have been in the early-to-mid 40s.) It makes me wonder if it had anything to do with why he left the seminary so abruptly…
As the only son, my dad was expected to study for the priesthood, and we’ve got photos of him in cassock and collar. But he decided that he didn’t want to be there, and he called my Uncle Mike (his brother-in-law) to come get him. Shortly thereafter, he joined the Marines. I wonder how much was cause-and-effect. Unfortunately, Dad died 12 years ago and Uncle Mike is in the early stages of dementia. And if he said anything to Mom, I doubt that she’d share. Maybe there’s nothing to tell…
So sad when there is something to tell. The OP broke my heart.
I just wanted to say that I feel the Catholic church here in the US has done a pretty good job at cleaning up this mess. They have identified the bad priests and have done their best to help any victims. The lawsuits have cost them dearly to the point where many of the programs the Catholics have run to help the poor or others have had to be pulled back. They have had to sell alot of property to cover the expenses.
So my feelings are that most reported cases happened well over 20 years ago now.
Also Catholic families feel comfortable about coming forth with information now that before.
I approve of the way the McKensies delt with child molesters and rapests.(S.M.Stirling,"Dies the Fire)
Thrown in a grave by the crossroad,with a spear in their chest.
And I just want to say that this is bullshit. The Catholic church wouldn’t have to worry about these lawsuits if they had dealt with the abuse properly when it happened. Some of them are STILL trying to deny it, or blame the victims. Fortunately none of this happened in my parish, as far as I know (at least when I was growing up, since we had Wuerl as our bishop at the time).
(And quite frankly, having to sell a lot of their property, like some of those big mansions the bishops live in, won’t hurt.)