Priests credibly accused of abuse and removed from ministry are getting a choice: Leave the priesthood or enter a supervised life of seclusion. The question of what to do with abusers has been one of the most contentious since the Scandal broke. On the one hand are those who say that is scandalous to continue using parishioners’ donations to pay for the living needs of abusers. Then there were those who said that the Church shouldn’t just cut them loose unsupervised into society. Other said they should be sent to live a monastic life, even though most monasteries responded that making them dumping grounds for molesters would adversely affect their communities and their charism.
The New York archdiocese has come up with a compromise. They are giving the seven priests credibly accused, but not under criminal prosecution the choice of laicization or living a very restricted life.
Since June, five of the seven priests in that situation have chosen to leave the priesthood, said archdiocese spokesman Joseph Zwilling.
The other two are expected to spend their lives in closely supervised housing, where they will undergo therapy and maintain a daily log of their movements. They will not be permitted to celebrate Mass in public, dress as priests, be alone with children or “inappropriately use computers,” according to a letter sent to the priests by Cardinal Edward Egan.
Previously, suspected abusers had been barred from functioning as priests but were required only to notify the archdiocese of where they were living, Zwilling said.
Critics of the plan say that releasing the priests “into the wild” is irresponsible because they could abuse again, but what is the alternative? This is still a free country. Even if an abuser agrees to live under supervision, there’s nothing to keep them from just walking out the door one day. Expecting the Church to act as jailer is unrealistic.
N.B. The article’s lead says that the choice is “a lifelong supervision program or leave the church.” Erm, no, they’re not being asked to apostasize. Leaving the priesthood is not the same as renouncing your Catholic faith.
