CHURCH SCANDALS RESONATE LOCALLY

New and unprecedented allegations that Pope Francis, the global spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church, had knowledge of abuse allegations against a former Cardinal, and a call for the Pontiff’s resignation from a former ranking cleric, have deepened the crisis of faith for many church-goers, worldwide and in the Bayou Region.

The burgeoning scandal has provided fuel for those already critical of Pope Francis — primarily conservative Catholics. It also comes at a time when the church locally and elsewhere is reviewing policies and practices designed to woo back the faithful to an institution some see as irrelevant, or who have drifted to other worship options such as services at non-denominational Christian churches.

Two weeks ago, Bishop Shelton Fabre of the Houma-Thibodaux Diocese released a statement addressing the abuse crisis. It noted that the topic will be discussed later this year when he and other bishops gather.

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Since then — as before — a spokesman says, the bishop has been paying close attention.

“Yes, Bishop Fabre has been listening attentively to the concerns of people in response to his statement. He is preparing to respond and address those concerns soon,” said the Diocesan Vicar General, the Rev. Mark Toups. “Many priests have preached, as has Bishop Fabre, acknowledging the hurt that is there, asking for forgiveness, and encouraging all to pray for the Bishops as respond accordingly.”

Bishop Fabre’s statement was released prior to a Pennsy

vania Grand Jury report that rocked the church and the nation. It alleges that hundreds of priests in that state had been accused over decades of molesting thousands of children. While no criminal action is expected in most cases — in part because statutes of limitations have expired or accused clerics had died — advocates for victims saw it is a step in the right direction, from a criminal justice system that has in many cases appeared to conspire with church officials to block justice for those abused by those entrusted with their care.

The most significant wins for victims have been in the civil rather than criminal courts although there are some exceptions.

After the Pennsylvania report was released, Pope Francis released a letter addressed to billions of Catholics around the world.

“We have realized that these wounds never disappear and that they require us forcefully to condemn these atrocities and join forces in uprooting this culture of death,” the papal letter states, adding that it is essential that the church and its leaders “be able to acknowledge and condemn, with sorrow and shame, the atrocities perpetrated by consecrated persons, clerics, and all those entrusted with the mission of watching over and caring for those most vulnerable. Let us beg forgiveness for our own sins and the sins of others.”

It is the Pope’s own knowledge of Cardinal Theodore McCarrick’s wrongdoing that prompted unprecedented criticism last week as the Pontiff visited Ireland, which has had its own share of abuse issues.

A lengthy statement distributed primarily to conservative Catholic media from Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano accuses current and past church leaders of covering McCarrick’s actions, which included abuse of seminarians. Vigano also compared the silence of the church in the face of allegations of sex abuse to the

Pope Francis has refused to respond to allegations from Vigano that he shares guilt in the McCarrick cover-ups.

The Houma-Thibodaux diocese has been largely scandal-free for a number of years. The last known high-profile case locally had involved accusations against Etienne LeBlanc, a priest who once served in Morgan City. A settlement of a civil lawsuit was made. St. Mary Parish civil officials did not move criminally against LeBlanc, whose history, according to lawsuit depositions, is said to have included molestation of students at Nicholls State University’s St. Thomas Aquinas church many years ago. Officials at the District Attorney’s office in Franklin punted questions about a prosecution to the Morgan City Police Department. The Morgan City Police said the question of whether to prosecute or not was up to the district attorney.

At the time those accusations were made the Morgan City victim gave detailed accounts of abuse that began when he was a pre-pubescent altar boy.

LeBlanc, who was sent to a Catholic center for counseling of priests, moved to Jefferson Parish but has not recently been heard from or seen.

Bishop Fabre has requested that anyone with knowledge of abuse contact church superiors. Survivor organizations say thats a good start, but also suggest contacting the police.

Pope Francis is gives a speech during a mass last year. The Catholic Church and Pope Francis have come under fire in recant weeks for their handlings of several cases of sexual abuse in the past decades.

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