Have They No Shame?

Been out sick for a week, and reading an article by Reese Dunklin of the Dallas Morning News made me feel even more ill. Seems priests accused of sexual abuse, and some who covered up the scandal, have found refuge in Rome. I couldn't find a Web link to the entire story, but here's an excerpt:

"Here in the heart of Catholicism, church leaders are giving refuge to priests who face allegations of sexual abuse in other countries.

"The Dallas Morning News located the men – some of them admitted abusers – as part of a yearlong investigation into the global movements of accused priests.

"Some are stationed in the comfort of their religious orders’ world headquarters. One strolls by St. Peter’s Square en route to his job. Another leads English-language tours at ancient church burial grounds. And until recently, one man was serving his house arrest across the street from the Vatican. The priests would not discuss their cases at length. Their supervisors said they did not assign the men to Rome to help them elude law enforcement or victims. The goal, they said, was to give the priests a place to live and work away from children.

"It’s not the worst place in the world; that’s true," said the Rev. Michael Higgins, the Passionist order’s American leader. Last year, he sent to Rome a priest who had been investigated, but not prosecuted, on abuse claims. "But it’s not a reward."

"A former top administrator at a Catholic college near the Vatican said placing accused and even fugitive priests in Rome was "very detrimental" – especially at a time when the church is trying to restore its battered image.

"I don’t think they understand taking those people over there is a scandal," said the Rev. Lawrence Breslin, a retired priest who was the second-in-command at Pontifical North American College. "Rome is the center of the church. People see it as a holy place. It is not a place for harboring criminals."