Times' correction not sufficient, says Catholic League official
LOS ANGELES --- A March 31 correction run by the Los Angeles Times regarding a March 26 Times' article, in which an attorney suggested that Catholics are permitted to skirt the truth under oath in order to protect the best interests of the Catholic Church, was inadequate, the head of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights said this week.
The March 26 article, "Catholic Doctrine is Cited in Priest Sex Abuse Cases," contained what Catholic League president Bill Donohue called "a totally baseless charge" by attorney Irwin Zelkin, who represents plaintiffs suing the archdiocese in cases of alleged molestation by priests. In the article, Zelkin says that a "doctrine of mental reservation" allows Catholics to dodge the truth in cases where the reputation of the Church might be sullied.
The Times' article "called into question the veracity of Cardinal Roger Mahony, Archbishop of Los Angeles, and San Diego Bishop Robert H. Brom," said Donahue. The Times, he said, "was right" to run a correction, "but it was entirely too lame."
"Instead of saying that Zelkin's accusatory statement regarding Bishop Brom --- charging him with invoking mental reservation --- was 'based only on the recollections of Irwin Zelkin,' the 'Correction' should have included an apology to Cardinal Mahony and Bishop Brom for leaving the impression that they might counsel lying under oath."
A response from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles to Times articles of March 21 and 26, asserting that the Times' articles contained incorrect information and calling the March 26 article "insulting to all Catholics," appeared in the March 30 issue of The Tidings, and is available online at www.the-tidings.com.
Meanwhile, one pastor wrote to the Times in protest over the March 26 article, saying he would cancel his subscription and hoped "parishioners and fellow Catholics" would do the same.
"The article of March 26 was a horrendous lie and a slap in the face of all Catholics," said Father Jon Majarucon, pastor of Santa Clara Church, Oxnard, who said his family and parish had subscribed to the Times "for quite some time."
Father Majarucon noted that "tremendous healing needs to take place" in the wake of the clergy sex abuse scandal; that pedophilia and child abuse comprise "a terrible, widespread problem"; and that the Catholic Church "has made aggressive efforts to insure the future safety of all of our children," citing Safeguard the Children and Virtus® training, fingerprinting efforts of church personnel who minister to children.
"However," he wrote to the Times, "none of this healing will take place with the regular articles from your paper that attack and distort our Catholic religion, our Cardinal Archbishop and the teachings of the Church."
Trauma Recovery Groups beginning soon in archdiocese
LOS ANGELES --- The archdiocesan Victim/Survivor Assistance Ministry Office is offering the Trauma Recovery Groups for adults who were abused in childhood, said Holy Child Jesus Sister Sheila McNiff, office director.
"These groups help individuals learn how to integrate their feelings, thoughts and behaviors," said Sister McNiff. "This model encourages effective living in the present. Healing occurs at the level of processing and integrating feelings, thoughts, perceptions and behaviors."
The program is a series of nine weeks meeting on Wednesday evenings, 7-9 p.m. The program is funded by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles at no cost to participants.
Applicant interviews for those interested in this psycho-educational program began March 26. A Psycho-educational Recovery Program will be offered on two Saturdays May 12 and 19, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. For information on these programs, call (213) 637-7650. |