Catholic Abuse Victim Says Church is Evading Responsibility

As part of a legal settlement, the Portland Catholic Archdiocese has agreed to provide church records on abuse cases. But former victims say it is not enough.

Bill Crane of SNAP Oregon Photo by: Tim King

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - In the wake of a judge's decision to award a $50 million settlement to approximately 200 sex abuse victims from the Portland Archdiocese, a group representing the victims says Oregon may have only unearthed the tip of an iceberg.

Bill Crane is the director of SNAP Oregon, (Survivors Network of those Abuse by Priests) a group dedicated to bringing the truth about the religious sex abuse to light.

"Now that the Chapter 11 proceedings are over, Archbishop Vlazny has no reason to keep silent about which accused pedophile priests are guilty and which are innocent. Catholics need and deserve this information, so that they can keep their kids safe."

Crane pulls no punches when he discusses the path the story has traveled up to now.

"Vlazny’s cowardly, self-serving decision to seek bankruptcy protection has prevented the full truth about these alleged predators from coming out in court. But there is some truth that is already known. For the well-being of kids throughout the Portland archdiocese, Vlazny must make this known now. Since he has kept the whole truth from surfacing, he has a moral duty to disclose now the truth that he knows. "

Crane says that in the Portland archdiocese, there are dozens, perhaps hundreds, of devout Catholics who believe that most accused pedophile priests are guilty, but surely not the one they know and love. He says that in spite of the disclosures and now, even a court judgment, "those Catholics continue to allow their kids around these alleged abusers."

Crane and others say that many Catholics are swayed from reality because their church officials tell them that the truth of many settled clergy sex abuse cases is “questionable,” even though they have admitted that hundreds of incidents of sexual abuse already took place.

In the end, these advocates say there is no excuse for parents continuing to put their kids at risk because they prefer to believe that the alleged predator they know and like is, in fact, innocent.

"When those Catholics hear that many of these cases were ‘settled simply because the cases cost less to pay than to litigate,’ again, they’ll continue to believe their favorite priest has been falsely accuse, and they’ll let their guard down, and more kids will be hurt."

Crane says it is inexcusable. He blasts the Archbishop of the Portland Diocese, John George Vlazny for staying behind the cause of the immense problems that have brought the Portland Catholics so much grief, for so many years. He says total transparency is the only answer. One part of the settlement according to Judge Michael Hogan, involves church records being opened to inspection.

“There will be a public disclosure of relevant documents and personnel files involved in these various claims. There has been an agreement in principle among the parties that will happen in mid-May.”

Members of Oregon SNAP like Bill Crane are patiently awaiting access to the documents.

"We know some documents will be disclosed soon. That’s great. But the names and whereabouts of the admitted and proven abusers should be released now. Vlazny has hidden this information for years. He should stop hiding it now."

For more history on this story, visit this Salem-News.com report from April 18th, 2007: Oregon Sex Abuse Victims in Catholic Church Scandal Awarded Over $50 Million (VIDEO)

For recent history on other cases dealing with crimes in the Catholic Church, visit this link: joshuachildrensfoundation.org/clergyabuse.php