"You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church..."

I have returned from what I call my “Bones and Basilica” tour of Italy and am reflecting upon some of my experiences.  As previously mentioned, I think I was called to join the tour to better understand the church’s current polarity by better understanding the church’s pious yet powerful minority.  Rest assured, the powerful and pious were well-represented on this tour.  The group included ordained clergy, diocesan leaders, business owners, family members of the previously mentioned groups and several staunch Republicans as well as the chaplain for and at least one member of “Legatus”, a 2,000 plus member Catholic business executive organization founded by Tom Monaghan (also founder of uber-orthodox Ave Maria University). 

Though everyone’s reaction to any experience is unique, I found my reactions to the "bones and basilicas" repeatedly differed significantly from those of other group members.  However, never was that difference so pronounced as during the Vatican’s Scavi tour of the ancient Roman necropolis over which St. Peter’s Basilica is built and which many pious Catholics believe contains St. Peter’s mortal remains.  Here is a synopsis of the Scavi tour: 

• A seminarian takes a small group of 10 – 15 people beyond publicly accessible parts of Vatican City and provides some historical information - that a Roman Circus used to be where the Vatican is, and that it is believed St. Peter was crucified upside down at that circus, quickly cut down by severing his feet and immediately buried in a nearby necropolis so that Peter’s body would be protected by Roman law from movement, cremation or desecration.  The part about Peter’s burial and burial location is conjecture. 
• The seminarian also explains that a few hundred years after Peter’s demise, Constantine, the first Christian emperor, built a basilica above the believed resting spot for Peter’s remains.  That basilica stood until the 1500s when construction began on what is now St. Peter’s Basilica at the same site. 
• As the Scavi tour continues, the seminarian describes the modern discovery of the necropolis in the 1930s and the ensuing search for St. Peter’s remains over the next few decades.  We were told the dig occurred in sanctioned secret despite one important monsignor’s opposition.  Because the dig was secretive, all excavation occurred at night.  Though the official secret archaeologists did find some bones where Peter’s remains were believed to be buried, testing in the 1950s indicated they came from 3 different people: two males of the wrong age, and a woman.  But do not despair.  The story continues. 
• Years after reporting the disappointing findings, the official secret archaeologists learned that the monsignor who opposed the dig had his own cadre of non-sanctioned super-secret archaeologists who evidently must have been “secretly” digging in broad daylight since we were told the official secret diggers worked through the night.  The monsignor had the super-secret archaeologists go through the dig site daily after the official secret archaeologists finished their night-time work to extract any partially exposed bones.  Evidently he felt partially exposed bones were not respectful treatment for ancient remains.  These bones were squirreled away in the monsignor’s super-secret ancient bone repository duly labeled as to their original location.  They were discovered years after the disappointing results from the official secret dig were reported. 
• Please do not faint from surprise that the bones supposedly found by the super-secret diggers (not to be confused with the official secret diggers) below the altar of St. Peter’s Basilica matched the gender and age approximation that might have matched St. Peter’s remains.  Eventually these remains were declared Peter’s and re-interred under the altar of St. Peter’s Basilica.  Hollywood soap operas must bow in proper deference to such protracted drama.  To me it is only slightly more believable than if the guide had said St. Peter's relics emerged from someone's holy rectal orifice like pulling a rabbit from a magician's hat.
• After explaining all this, the seminarian reads MT 16:13-19 containing the famous biblical quote where Jesus says, “…you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven.  Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

At this point the majority of people in my group were in tears.  Yet, my mind was streaming thoughts associated with critical analysis such as, “Any archaeologist worth their salt would notice the absence of partially exposed bones they found the previous day.” 

To me this story that moves so many people, contains numerous gaping holes and is what my father would call “fantastic” as in “filled with fantasy.”  To accept that these are Peter’s bones one must at a minimum accept as truth folklore about Peter’s burial and burial location, that after hundreds of years Constantine correctly placed the first basilica, and that the Vatican employed shoddy archaeologists who wouldn’t notice missing bones or properly record when a bone was found.  By the way, if you’d like some information about how meticulous excavation of human remains is, here is a short instruction paper easy for non-archaeologists to understand.

Do I believe the bones of the Scavi tour are St. Peter’s bones?  I am not even close to convinced.  But beyond all that – whether the bones discovered belong to St. Peter or not, I asked the question, “So what?”  Does it matter and if so, why?  

On this Italy tour I realized how little “bones and basilicas” inspire my spirituality and relationship with God.  What inspired me were the people - whether they were fellow group members, the highly educated Muslim bus driver who speaks 5 languages (4 more than most on the tour yet assumed by many on the tour as having lesser education than them), the person selling me gelato, or the attendant cleaning a public bathroom.

I found it interesting that the same summer  in which Pope Paul VI announced this fantastic story about finding St. Peter’s remains, he promulgated the very controversial encyclical Humanae Vitae upholding the church’s longstanding ban on artificial birth control, an encyclical that expressed the exact opposite of what his own papal commission advised him to do.  The coincidental timing fascinates me.  On June 26, 1968 a month before he published Humanae Vitae on July 25, 1968, he announced something that laid the groundwork for dramatically reinforcing his papal authority, something that likely would be challenged the moment he published his encyclical on human reproduction.

Not surprisingly, not long after the announcement about finding Peter’s remains, Scavi tours began (of course for a fee) and seem aimed at reinforcing papal authority via well-orchestrated emotional manipulation: show people some old stuff, offer a few facts, fill in the rest with conjecture, describe a fantastic tale filled with Hollywood-style intrigue, and end by quoting Jesus saying Peter has keys to the kingdom.  However, I have a few concerns about the Scavi tour’s orchestration:

• Calling Peter the first pope requires accepting revisionist history ignoring all the early diverse Christian communities and pretending they were one organized, united front.
• The Catholic Catechism teaches that “the church” is “the people of God.”  It is not buildings or the hierarchy.  However, the profound effect the Scavi tour hopes to inspire requires people to believe incorrectly that “the church” is the hierarchy and buildings.  Without that there is no reason to be moved that here is a church building for the highest member of the hierarchy built upon Peter.
• Jesus tells Peter in MT 16:19 that he can hold things loosed or bound but he also tells the exact same thing to the disciples (not apostles…just your everyday garden-variety Jesus followers) in MT 18:18 – that they hold things loosed or bound.  But the desired effect of the Scavi tour reinforcing papal authority requires a person to ignore the MT 18:18 passage completely.  It was not mentioned in the tour and when I asked about it shoulders shrugged and the question ignored.

Throughout the 10-day tour of Italy several fellow travelers tried to help me fix problems I didn’t think I had and many assumed I, a daily Mass attendee, was a lapsed Catholic.  But the last time during the trip I was questioned about my status with the church, I had a profound thought.  The scene transpired following a farewell dinner when another group member asked me if I would return to the church after this pilgrimage.  As I replied that I attend daily Mass and never left the church this thought about “the church” being “the people of God” especially struck me and stuck with me. 

The church is the people of God not the hierarchy or buildings.  Yet, many of God’s people, indeed the majority of the church, are so wounded or disgusted that they neither align with the hierarchy nor frequent ecclesial buildings.  When I answered the question I answered correctly that I have never left the church because in addition to frequenting the buildings and interacting with the hierarchy, I remain strongly connected to the true definition of church – the people of God – including and especially the overwhelming majority who disassociate themselves from the Roman Catholic institution. 

However, I found myself wondering how many of the hierarchy and its fans have abandoned the church – the people of God?  It’s ironic that many of those who think they are most tightly connected to the church because of their fusion to the hierarchy and its buildings often are the people least connected to the actual church – God’s people.  Who is really “away from the church?”   

What is our responsibility as members of one body to help reconnect the hierarchy and its fans to the church – the people of God – the majority of whom eschew ecclesial buildings and hierarchy? 

"Don't Surround Yourself with Yourself..."

It is early morning Day Four of my Italy tour.  As mentioned in previous blog articles, I joined a tour group being led by the chancellor of my diocese.  We are in Florence now having already visited Assisi and with Rome yet on our itinerary.

As would be expected of a trip that costs thousands of dollars, the people in the group have incomes which support paying that kind of money for a trip.  That statement can be read as us having precisely zero poor people in the group and having several very wealthy people in the herd.  I am probably amongst the minority in that I have at least experienced poverty, growing up in a very low-income home.  I am definitely in the minority in that I am not a member of America’s Republican Party.

Many people on the tour are huge fans of Cardinal Tim Dolan.  Some have moved beyond admiration of the man to adoration and adulation of him.  These people are stunned and incredulous when they learn I do not or for that matter that anyone might not share their opinions of him.     

A telling conversation came about during Day Two’s lunch with some of Tim’s biggest fans in the group.  Their statement was that “everyone I talk to loves the man.”  Yet my reply was, “I know many people who dislike him.”  We will return to this thought momentarily.

Later that same day I read comments Tim made during the recent U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB’s) Fall Convocation.  When asked if the American bishops and the church needed to do anything differently to align better with Pope Francis’ stated desire to be “a poor church for the poor”, Dolan replied, “Can I think of anything new?  I don't think so. I like to think that this is an affirmation of the good things we are doing."  He went on to highlight that most complaints he hears from the people he interacts with are that the bishops emphasize social justice, government cut backs, and the poor too much.

I sent a link to an article about Dolan’s statements to one of the people participating in our conversation – one of the people who said that everyone he talks to loves Dolan.  I highlighted Dolan’s statements about what he hears from the people with whom he communicates.  The common theme between Dolan’s statements and those of my lunch companions was the concept of confining reality to the sphere of “the people I talk to…” 

With whom do Dolan and the Republican Catholics speak?  The rock group “Yes” has a profound lyric in the song, “I’ve Seen All Good People” which advises, “Don’t surround yourself with yourself.”  If one speaks exclusively to those with whom one agrees, growth becomes difficult if not impossible and there is a grave danger of elevating common opinion to the unwarranted status of “unmitigated fact.”

Quite simply, having a “poor church for the poor” requires understanding poverty and the church. 

Let’s start with the second item first – understanding the church.  One must acknowledge that the overwhelming majority of “the church” does not attend Mass and a near majority no longer even considers themselves Catholic.  So, if Dolan and the people with whom I had lunch earlier this week wish to know what “the church” thinks of either Dolan or the hierarchy’s behavior, they must begin not by understanding the views of the pious but with understanding the viewpoint of the church’s majority – those who do not or rarely darken the threshold of a Catholic Church.  They must seek out those with whom they disagree rather than surround themselves with themselves and declare their shared opinion a universal fact.   

Since the disenfranchised and marginalized are the majority of the church, these voices should be the majority of voices whose opinions we thirst to understand.  Sadly, I’m unsure if this demographic group ranks as high as getting even token slivers of the hierarchy and pious circle's bandwidth.  Also, there is a distinct difference between talking with and listening to people.  So we must ask if we are merely "talking" or sincerely listening to the disenfranchised and marginalized.   

Similarly, to determine if one is doing enough for the poor, the place to begin is by talking with and listening to the poor rather than the wealthy.  Very few wealthy people understand poverty so they are not the best or sometimes even credible spokespeople for it. Also,  I see a disturbing trend where people of economic security believe they actually are the poor and thus believe they already know and represent the poor’s opinions.  My little tour group and the U.S. bishops are only symptomatic of the global pervasive trend wherein the hierarchy allies with the wealthy more than the poor – where it communicates with the wealthy more than with the poor.

Many of my friends and relatives have questioned my sanity for joining this tour group because they knew there would be few if any people with similar spiritual outlook to mine.  Side note of good news: so far I have found two others of similar views to mine.   Anyway, my friends and family are correct in that many things the other group members find exhilarating I find stomach churning…be it the commercialization of St. Francis’ poverty, the opulence of shrines erected in his honor, the distracting opulent ornamentation of cathedrals, etc…  

However, I try to live the legacy of my parents – don’t surround myself with myself. I joined this trip to try to understand better the division in the church.  I can’t understand it by only talking to people who see the world as I do.  I can’t understand it by only listening to people who see the world as I do. 

I have been listening a lot and find it fascinating that people can read the same scripture and theology yet come to such different conclusions.  I find it fascinating that people can declare others' views as "wrong" versus being in disagreement with their opinions yet feel they do not judge.  I find it fascinating that people who want to follow Jesus - a guy who instructs us to "be not afraid" - not only harbor fear themselves, they want others to share their fear.

Unfortunately I have not yet sensed that those having the most different mindset from me have any interest in understanding my viewpoint as much as correcting what they believe are my grievous errors.  Perhaps they emulate their hero Dolan, who surrounds himself with himself, relying upon the views of a small minority of the church and allowing those opinions to bounce around in a confined echo chamber to the point of ultimately declaring those viewpoints as “universally held objective truths.”  Maybe this approach is considered part of the "New Evangelization"...spreading the "good news" of telling other people how wrong they are? 

I do ponder how much the ultra-pious, uber-orthodox crowd listens – really listens – to the poor and marginalized (that would be the majority of the church) versus surrounding themselves with themselves.  But with money comes power and so perhaps they feel they needn’t listen to the majority. 

But, the question I leave you all with is this: do you surround yourself with yourself?  In many respects Jesus advised his disciples against doing that.  

By the way, the clergyman with initials "T.D." that I most admire is Fr. Tom Doyle not Tim Dolan.

What Will it Take?

Milwaukee’s Archbishop Listecki warned people last week, “Prepare to be shocked”, with regards to reading sexual abuse case-related church documents which were released July 1st.  I read several of the documents and the following things did strike me with intensity so I appreciate the warning:

1. The Vatican stated in one of its letters to Tim Dolan, Milwaukee’s archbishop at the time, “…the Dicastery would call to your Excellency’s attention the priorities for the use of ecclesial goods as established in c.1254.2, noting that the support of clergy ranks second in importance only to divine worship.”  I think many people sense church hierarchy prioritizes protecting ritual and clergy above all else but it was startling to see it in writing.  There’s no mention of the flock, victims or anything else as having a priority other than ritual and clergy, by the way. 
2. The documents repeatedly express inwardly focused concern about scandalizing the institution.  Depending on the case there is little to no mention about healing victims or protecting other children. 
3. The documents drip with obsequious flattery back and forth between hierarchical officials.
4. Documents of laicization (removing a priest from the priesthood) are written in Latin – the language spoken regularly by absolutely no one on this planet for the last thousand or so years.
5. Evidently the Vatican has a stronger stomach for sexual assault of minors than me or the secular world in general because Canon Law has a lower bar than secular law on this.  When it comes to sexually assaulting children, Canon Law turns a blind eye if the victim is over 16.  But secular law doesn’t.   Thus in one pedophile case because the minor in question was over 16 at the time of sexual assault, the Vatican left in ministry the priest who admitted he sexually assaulted the kid.
6. There is stomach-turning irony that documented evidence of John Paul II’s horrible preference for protecting pedophiles over children was released the same week that his case for sainthood advances.  I think I’m still gagging on some bile caught in the back of my throat on that one.
7. There is a profound absence of urgency and sense of accountability to the victims by Vatican officials.  There is also a profound absence of urgency though some level of persistence on the part of Dolan.  The process for protecting children was slow and pedantic sometimes taking more than six years to remove a priest.  This starkly stands in contrast to the 44 day turnaround Dolan got when it came to protecting church finances.

Though the hullabaloo about Dolan sheltering diocesan funds from victim payouts seems well-founded (see the brief timeline at the end of this article), I was more struck by the profound lack of leadership by someone who fancies himself a competent leader.  I sense that Dolan sincerely believes he did everything he could to address the pedophiles in his diocese.  But to me, the documents portray him as a direction follower not a leader.  If the rule book said to do “X” even if “X” was counter-intuitive or ridiculous or potentially harmful to children, Dolan did “X” like a good boy. 

He might even consider himself a hero for patiently and persistently suffering through the Vatican’s long delays.  Truly, I do appreciate Dolan’s persistence.  But, I’d hope that if my child was raped, a leader would hound officials daily until the perpetrator was securely away from other potential victims.  I’d like to think a leader would blast the story to the media using public pressure to inspire action if officials did not act.  I’d like to think the leader did something other than follow rules that proved ineffective.

But no, if Dolan sent a letter and the Vatican ignored it for months or even years, he sometimes followed up after several moons passed if he felt there was another development to share.  He followed up if lack of action might jeopardize his agenda such as fighting the extension of the statute of limitations for sexually assaulting minors.  He followed up if lack of action might cause further financial harm to the diocese.  He followed up if he thought his personal credibility might be damaged.  But he didn’t seem to follow-up with a sense of urgency with regards to children. 

The end of this article has timelines based upon documents released this week for a few pedophile cases.  You can read those or the source documents to see for yourself the sloth-like pace at which these cases were handled or not handled.  Some of these cases took 5 or more years to decide, meanwhile leaving priests in ministry for what equates to almost 1/3 of a child’s childhood time span.

When I saw letters went unanswered for months if not years, I found myself uttering if not crying aloud, “What the heck took you guys so long?  Try email.  Try automated workflow.  Try doing your jobs."

However, being a compassionate person, I realized other things might have happened in those years which distracted hierarchical officials or somehow otherwise caused processing delays.  Perhaps the letters were sent by messengers on foot who then had to swim back and forth across the ocean between the shores of Europe and North America.  Maybe there was a mail carrier strike in the Vatican.  Maybe countless dogs ate countless batches of homework.  Being a resourceful person, I scanned historical records to recall key events from that timeframe and included them at the end of this article also. 

In all seriousness, Dolan’s lack of urgency reflected his clerical culture and its priorities placing ritual and hierarchy above all else.  However those priorities do not align with most people’s priorities or the gospel.  I think the hierarchy still doesn’t get the magnitude of destruction these misplaced priorities have on their credibility.  If you don’t protect people’s living children, it’s unlikely they respect your guidance for protecting unborn children.  The hierarchy has gone beyond not caring about people’s children to throwing their children in harm’s way as a preferred action to harming its institution or clergy.  Few things erect a wall faster for most parents than someone who places their child in danger. 

And yet, it seems the hierarchy’s “precious children” are its rituals, material possessions and clergy.  Thus anything seen as threatening those things causes the hierarchy to react much like parents do to someone who endangers their children.  Consequently I wonder if we’re at an impasse in fixing the clergy abuse problem due to such wide cultural divergence.  Short of a dramatic shift in the hierarchy’s priorities placing care of laypeople higher than care of institution and clergy, is there hope for any resolution to abusive clergy?  Will the chasm between hierarchy and laity ever close?  Will wounds ever heal?

POSSIBLE CULPRITS FOR DELAYS IN PROCESSING PEDOPHILE PRIESTS

2003

• First one must appreciate that Milwaukee is home to Harley Davidson and 2003 was their 100^th anniversary complete with gala festivities.  Perhaps Dolan was out blessing HOGs.
• Keiko the orca from “Free Willy” died and being soft-hearted people, maybe the archbishop and Vatican officials were in mourning.
• The iTunes store was launched and these guys might have been busy loading up their iPods with all sorts of newly available sacred music.
• Some good wholesome movies like “Finding Nemo”, “Lord of the Rings”, and “Bruce Almighty” were released and they might have been at the movie theater a lot that year.
• Michael Jackson was accused of sexually molesting children and they might have decided to wait and see what happened with that.

2004

• Janet Jackson had a wardrobe malfunction during her Super Bowl performance exposing one of her breasts.  They might have spent a lot of time watching replays.
• The U.S.’s Statue of Liberty reopened and they might have gotten stuck in long lines waiting to visit the monument.
• There was a U.S. presidential election and they might have been busy campaigning for their friends.
• Facebook was launched and they were busy sending out friend requests.
• The summer Olympics were in Greece – so close to the Vatican – how could they pass that up?
• Again some blockbuster movies came out such as “The Passion of Christ” and “Harry Potter Prisoner of Azkaban” so they may again have been at the movies a lot.

2005

• Hurricane Katrina hit the U.S. and the London subway bombing occurred.  Maybe they were busy helping with clean-up efforts.
• Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was elected the president of Liberia and was the first woman elected president for any African country.  They might have been attending her inaugural festivities.
• John Paul II died and Joe Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI. 
• Prince Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles and they might have been shopping for the perfect wedding gift.
• The IRA ended armed conflict in Northern Ireland so they might have been celebrating peace.
• Terri Schiavo was removed from artificial life support putting her in a state like Pope John Paul II who refused ever being connected to life support.  They definitely were caught up in fighting to keep her attached to life support and alive though they were not doing likewise for JPII.  Maybe that’s because JPII’s death cleared the way for Joe Ratzinger to become pope?
• Michael Jackson was found not guilty of sexually abusing minors so maybe they thought they could get off too.
• Ahmadinajad was elected president of Iran and they might have been writing congratulatory cards to him.

2006

• Italy beat France for the soccer (football) World Cup and they might have been watching all the matches.
• The winter Olympics were in Turin, Italy.  Again, with it so close to the Vatican, how can you pass that up?
• The Wii was released and they were probably glued to their Wii consoles.
• Pluto was downgraded from a planet, Steve Irwin (the Crocodile Hunter) was killed, and James Brown died so they might have been in mourning or singing and dancing to “I Feel Good” and “I Got the Feeling.”

2007

• Clearly they were learning to do the “Cupid Shuffle” and adapting the song with a parody called, “The Clergy Shuffle.”
• The Liberty of the Sea super ocean liner cruise ship and Airbus 380 superjumbo jet had their maiden commercial voyages so they might have been on vacation trying out these new luxury modes of transportation.
• The iPhone launched and they were probably trying to figure out how to use theirs
• Nancy Pelosi, a Roman Catholic, was elected as the first female Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and they were probably busy sending her congratulatory messages
• The last Harry Potter book was released and they were probably tied up reading it.  I hear it was a long one.

2008

• The international financial melt-down occurred and they were probably fretting about the net worth of church assets.
• Fidel Castro stepped down in Cuba and they were either mourning or celebrating.
• The Beijing Summer Olympics occurred and they were probably busy watching Michael Phelps win his record-setting 8 gold medals in a single Olympics.
• Petroleum hit $100/barrel and they were probably busy figuring out ways to help the poor through this economic crisis
• Avery Dulles, Yves Saint Laurent, and Heath Ledger died and they were again in mourning, especially over the loss of such a great fashion designer…they do have a thing for pretty garments…oh and a Cardinal of the Church who was a respected theologian.
• Delta and Northwest airlines merged forming the world’s largest airlines.  Again, probably out traveling.
• Beyonce released “Single Ladies” and they were either captivated watching her dance in the video or trying to learn the dance themselves.
• Barack Obama was elected president of the U.S. and undoubtedly they were offering their support and congratulations.

TIMELINES FOR PROCESSING PEDOPHILE PRIESTS

Rev. Jerome Wagner: Joseph Ratzinger (both as head of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith (CDF) and Pope Benedict), and Pope John Paul II took over 3 years to laicize a priest who admitted to numerous incidents sexually assaulting minors.

• September 20, 2004 Dolan sent letter to CDF explaining the priest’s history, admissions, lack of remorse and requesting laicization for the priest
• February 14, 2005 The CDF tells Dolan to ask the priest to resign voluntarily
• March 26, 2005 The priest wrote a letter to Pope John Paul II asking to be released from the priesthood
• March 29, 2005 Dolan sends a cover letter to accompany the priest’s letter requesting laicization
• June 15, 2007 Dolan sends a letter to the CDF explaining that the priest has violated penal sanctions and that “delay in response to his request for laicization has led to more complacency on his part regarding the seriousness of what his behavior has caused the Church.”  Please note that there is no concern for the victim – merely the institution.
• October 6, 2007 The Vatican issues laicization
• December 17, 2007 The priest is finally notified that he has been laicized.  

Rev. Budzynski: Joseph Ratzinger and Pope John Paul II took a year and 3 months to laicize a man who molested at least 32 children.

• July 15, 2003 Dolan sends letter to the Vatican’s CDF saying the priest admitted to charges
• October 14, 2003 The CDF responds that they need the ages of the victims
• October 25, 2003 Dolan sends a list of ages for Budzynski’s 32 victims
• October 29, 2004 CDF and Pope John Paul II laicize the priest over a year later.

Rev. O’Brien: Joseph Ratzinger (both as head of CDF and as Pope Benedict), and Pope John Paul II took 6 years to laicize.

• August 7, 2003 Dolan sends letter to CDF requesting the priest’s laicization; it is accompanied by O’Brien’s letter requesting the same based upon his admission of guilt in civil court for sexual misconduct with a minor
• November 19, 2004 Dolan sends more information to the CDF
• November 29, 2004 Dolan sends more information to the CDF
• September 6, 2005 Dolan sends more information including the priest’s violations of set restrictions and the likelihood of many more victims
• January 4, 2006 The Vatican’s CDF responds that they can’t do anything because the priest’s letter sent in 2003 didn’t contain admission of guilt or express remorse
• August 29, 2006 Dolan sends O’Brien’s new and improved letter requesting laicization to CDF
• April 3, 2009 CDF and Pope Benedict XVI laicize the priest

Rev. Trepanier: The Vatican took 5 years to decide to leave an admitted perpetrator in priestly ministry

• September 7, 2004 Dolan sends letter to Vatican indicating the priest admitted to sexual misconduct with minors.  It also indicated that the Archdiocese had paid him $20k
• October 5, 2005 CDF says it’s ok to proceed with the penal process but suggests just having him retire to a private life of prayer or have him voluntarily seek laicization
• May 15, 2006 Dolan sends letter to CDF indicating the priest had been encouraged to voluntarily seek laicization but refused.  Dolan advised against early retirement because that would place a financial burden on the diocese. 
• January 15, 2008 Dolan sends CDF a letter forcefully rejecting the notion of having the priest take a ten-year “time out” before returning to ministry. Dolan mentioned the importance of the Vatican’s CDF granting the laicization because of the potential impact it might have on his efforts to block legislation which would extend the statute of limitation for prosecuting sexual assault against minors.
• November 9, 2008 Priest sends a letter to the Milwaukee Archdiocese asking for his official status.
• November 21, 2008 The Archdiocese responds to the priest expressing dismay that the CDF has not yet responded.
• April 8, 2009 The CDF ruled that they would not take action to laicize the priest because the minor he assaulted was over 16 and Canon Law only considers sexual assault of a minor serious enough to remove a priest from ministry if the minor is under 16.

Rev Benham: Joseph Ratzinger (both as head of CDF and as Pope Benedict), and Pope John Paul II took over 4 years to laicize though the priest admitted to sexually abusing a minor.

• April 19, 2004 Dolan sends letter to CDF asking to laicize priest
• September 27, 2004 Dolan sends another letter stating that the priest refuses to repent and won’t voluntarily seek laicization
• July 19, 2005 CDF responds that Dolan should ask the priest again to seek laicization voluntarily, or perhaps just put the priest in a position of limited ministry
• October 20, 2005 Dolan sends letter to the CDF again asking for the priest’s laicization
• February 22, 2007 Dolan sends letter to the CDF highlighting the priest’s violation of penalties and open disobedience.
• January 15, 2008 Dolan sends letter to the CDF indicating that the CDF is advising him to violate the USCCB’s norms for sexually abusive priests.  He also mentions the Archdiocese’s financial difficulties.
• August 27, 2008 The priest is laicized.

TIMELINE ASSOCIATED WITH PROTECTING FUNDS FROM VICTIM PAYOUTS

• March 7, 2003 Milwaukee Archdiocese Financial Council minutes indicate the diocese was working on a fund to shelter Parish Deposit Funds from possible victim payouts.  There was expressed concern at the financial burden of paying for unassignable priests and they offered the idea of paying $20,000 to each priest who volunteered to be laicized.
• August, 2006 Dolan notified the Vatican’s Congregation for the Clergy of possible bankruptcy.
• June 4, 2007 Dolan sends a letter to the Vatican’s Congregation for Clergy asking permission to move $56.9M into a non-diocesan held trust for cemeteries to protect the money from being used to pay victims.
• July 18, 2007 The Vatican granted permission to shelter the funds and gave instructions on how to wire the $100 fee to the Congregation for the tax to do this.
• 2008 Dolan advises the Vatican of Financial difficulties.
• December 15, 2010 the Archdiocese of Milwaukee files for bankruptcy after having moved more than $130M in funds out of diocesan coffers.