6/7/05 - In line with the uniform failure of public officials in Massachusetts and other states to take any meaningful action to reign in the culture of lawlessness in the Catholic Church, accused priests are now being exonerated by internal review boards even in the wake of legal settlements.  If you are looking for any explanation of the Church's actions in these brief stories, you'll be disappointed.  The Church hierarchy operates its legal system according to the principles of absolute monarchy--all proceedings are secret; victims have no rights; rules may be changed at any time without warning; and no rationale is required. 

Boston, June 5 - Rev. Edward Sherry cleared without explanation

Boston, June 7 - Rev. Robert Fichtner cleared without explanation

For insight into the Church's investigations of its own misconduct, see the report issued by the Victims' Rights Committee for the Boston Archdiocese.

5/23/05 - Update on the Paul Edwards case from the Boston Herald: Vilified accuser goes on By Marie Szaniszlo   Monday, May 23, 2005

4/13/05 - Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly is shocked, shocked by the Vatican's decision to place disgraced Cardinal Bernard Law in a position of honor.  In "blasting" the Vatican for selecting Law to celebrate a mass in memory of Pope John Paul II, Reilly followed his usual path: waiting until after the event, trailing media coverage, and offering empty declarations in support of his own public image.  The next time you see Tom Reilly congratulating himself for "taking on Cardinal Law," consider the Attorney General's role in helping the Cardinal to find safe harbor in Rome. (For background, see Reilly to victims: drop dead.)

• The Boston Archdiocese now accounts for over 10% of the 11,000+ sexual crimes committed by priests against children reported thus far across the country.

• Although all indications are that more priests assaulted more adults than the staggering numbers of those who molested thousands of children, the Boston Archdiocese, like dioceses across the country, has refused to provide the public with any information about priests who sexually victimized adults.

For more information, please view:

POWERPOINT PRESENTATION: CLERGY SEX CRIMES IN MASSACHUSETTS: UNKNOWNS AND UNDERESTIMATES, 2005

Proof of Transubstantiation (2/18/05):  In a stunning display of its miraculous power, the Church hierarchy transformed the revelation of over 1,000 crimes against children into an occasion for self-congratulation.  Behold the miracle here.

Are you a Doubting Thomas?  Witness the wonders of the Church's multi-million dollar PR campaign

The Bishop's Report for 2004: Background notes and annotations

Conflict and confusion in the Church's self-reporting on crimes against children

When is an audit not an audit? When auditors allow the audited to write the final report

Tally of confidentiality agreements signed during 2003 = 144

Extent to which we can trust this number = 0

Please note that the Church's policy on confidentiality agreements is exactly the same as it was before the scandal broke.  As always, Church officials claim that these agreements are made only at the request of victims, but we don't know how many victims are convinced to make these "requests" because the promise of concealment usually leads to higher settlement amounts.

And any agreement that conceals dangerous predators from the public is a threat to public safety, whether it was requested by victims, their lawyers, or the Church.

Don't Look Now: Here come the cancellations of victims' therapy

What victims, advocates, experts, and members of the laity told the auditors for the US Conference of Catholic Bishops during 2004:

What the auditors reported in 2005:

Memo on Violations of the US Bishops' Charter for the Protection of Children in the Archdiocese of Boston (sent 10/17/04)

A+ for the Boston Archdiocese

Letter sent by New Hampshire Catholics for Moral Leadership detailing violations in the Manchester Diocese (sent 8/5/04)

A+ for Manchester, New Hampshire

The Toledo Blade reports on victims' fruitless efforts to call attention to real facts in the Toledo Diocese 12/2/04

A+ for Toledo, Ohio

The Worcester Telegram reports on victims' and advocates' long-term efforts to publicize violations of the Bishop's Charter in the Worcester Diocese 3/10/05)