The suicides.
Priests.
Two days ago, Father James Robichaud, a 56 year old Maine priest was found in his rectory, dead from a self-inflicted gun-shot wound to the head. The day before he had received notice from his bishop that he would be suspended from priestly duties while an investigation into abuse allegations was conducted. The alleged sexual abuse took place 30 years ago in Lowell, Massachusetts. The day the priest was informed of his suspension, an ad placed in the secular newspaper by the diocese ran, asking that anyone who may have been abused by clergy in the past to come forward now. The diocese said it had been an unfortunate coincidence the ad ran on the same day Fr. Robichaud was suspended.
I have no idea if Robichaud was guilty, we can’t really know these things when someone commits suicide - unless one admits to guilt before one pulls the trigger. Locally, another priest hanged himself after he had been accused of murdering two men, one of whom purportedly was going to tell the police the priest was abusing young boys. In fact, since the sex abuse scandal broke, quite a few priests have killed themselves, or, in some cases were found murdered. That said - the recent suicides appear to be more desperate - almost as if the priest felt he was presumed guilty right off the bat, while it was up to him alone to prove his innocence. Of course, this position is the complete opposite of our legal “presumption of innocence” accorded those accused of crime.
“Within the Catholic Church, the relationship between bishop and priest, is essentially feudal.”
Fr. Blake, of St. Mary Magdalen’s, UK posted an interesting reflection last week concerning priests accused of crimes:
“One of the areas where priests suffer is the whole area of unsubstantiated sexual abuse, a single allegation and you are in the desert, possibly, forever. It is obviously important to protect children and the vulnerable but priests too have rights, and still there must, even in 21st century draconian England, and most especially within the Church, that just society, a presumption of innocence.
Bishops can send priests who they simply don’t like, to distant, sometimes difficult parishes. A friend of mind in rather vulnerable spiritual and emotional state was sent to a difficult chaplaincy, to replace a priest who had just been arrested for abusing children. He wondered why people were avoiding him; it took him a couple of months to find out why, the bishop hadn’t bothered. His next appointment was to a parish his diocese wanted to close, again as a punishment, he tripled the congregation, eventually he left the diocese and ended up by joining a religious community.
The point I am making is that clergy and religious live on the whim of their superior. A priest, a religious, can appeal to Rome on a particular issue and although one might win a case, one has to live with the bishop or superior.
The Church’s presumption is that all superiors are the epitome of charity and justice, but what if he or she is a tyrant or mad or simply bad? There is no recourse; one simply has to live with the consequences. Some religious congregations have a mechanism for deposing superiors, but these are cumbersome. I have only heard of one bishop being deposed, and he really was mad. - Fr. Blake
June 29th, 2008 at 10:57 am
How terribly sad!
June 29th, 2008 at 11:36 am
I have to say it, Terry. Good post, and right on target.
June 29th, 2008 at 12:46 pm
We had a bishop who had to resign not that long ago. He had fathered a child. The mother was a young woman in a church-run residential school. This happened in the 60’s I think when he was a priest.
June 29th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
This is tragic on many different levels, and dreadful beyond this incident. Although I agree with the policy that priests who are a threat to children should be removed, there seems to be a stigma attached to the priesthood in which any accusation is credible from the start. Does anyone remember Cardinal Bernadin?
June 29th, 2008 at 5:15 pm
He was my Priest. Why did he do this to his Congregation, his Family??!! Why couldn’t he face the music? Please, please let Priests get married.
June 29th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
I feel for this priest, his family and his congregation. I pray for comfort for all of them, and for Jesus to somehow be honored in this tragedy…
June 30th, 2008 at 12:06 am
Re- Mary, marriage won’t solve these issues. In fact the source of these issues cannot be assuaged by marriage. These are fallible men, sinners like you and I, who have been called by God to be celibate priests. Yet, like you and I as we are all the same, they have the freedom to choose, and they will sin. In fact, its easier for them to sin than us because temptation and spiritual attacks are that much more stronger.
Secondly, suicide does not immediately mean guilt, but can also be the product of slander, depression, and a myriad of issues; We did not know the private lives of these priests.
June 30th, 2008 at 6:50 am
Mary - “sigh” having married priests would not solved child molestations crimes. Celibacy does not cause child abuse.
This is another very sad case and I would hope that someone in authority or those involved in implementing the process of investigation starts looking seriously into assisting priests spiritually as brothers, actively monitoring their spiritual and mental health. Really, how many more examples do they need that the way these cases are implemented are not being done well.
My sister witnessed a priest breakdown at the pulpit after being cleared of false charges after months and months of investigations. It was very painful for the congregation as it clearly was for this priest. This priest announced he had to leave for rest and health purposes because of the stress he had been under. Where was his support by his Bishop and fellow priests that it got this bad for him?
It seems sinful that once one is notified of a charge & investigation that no one is around for him to talk to or receive some sort of support … guilty or not. I fear that what support is giving is one in which the accused must seek out, vs the professional seeking the confused, frightened, or lost brother. Kinda like the sheep looking for a shepherd …
June 30th, 2008 at 7:29 am
So, would a married priest who diddles with the kids make anyone feel better? Isn’t that just adding adultery to the mix?
June 30th, 2008 at 5:34 pm
Lord have mercy on your depressed priests, your dying priests and your priests in Purgatory.
By the way, I don’t think an accusation from 29 years ago should be allowed to stand.
There is no forensic evidence left and no credible witnesses except the accuser. Memory fades and changes. Just because a man is a priest does not mean that he should lose the same legal rights that the rest of us enjoy.
July 1st, 2008 at 5:26 pm
This is so exceptionally sad–I will pray for his soul.
Mary, so sorry for your loss. If your priest would have married, do you really believe he would not have been tempted into sin?