RED HAT ALERT - FINAL CALL !
That Archbishop Murphy-O'Connor is fortunate to have avoided formal charges for criminal negligence in the Fr Michael Hill paedophile case, as summarised in the October CO, is reinforced by the charges brought against the French Bishop of Bayeux-Lisieux. Msgr. Pierre Pican recently confirmed in court that he and his staff had done nothing to halt the alleged activities of Father Rene Bissey for two years after a parent made a complaint in late 1996. In an unprecedented legal action against the Church, Bishop Pican has been under criminal investigation for the past year for alleged failure to report sexual crimes. Similarly, Archbishop Murphy-O'Connor's name was prominent in a recent English report that senior detectives are now investigating "senior figures in the Catholic church who covered up the activities of paedophile priests" [Sunday Telegraph 22/10/00]. In light of all this, it would surely be the height of folly and injustice for Archbishop Murphy-O'Connor now to be rewarded with a red hat at the next consistory in February 2001. To raise our voice en masse in this case is, above all else, a matter of justice and charity for the victims of the Archbishop's negligence and Fr. Hill's abuse; a powerful act of solidarity with them in acknowledging the devastating effect of this gross betrayal of clerical trust on their lives. Beyond that, there is the scandalous message the bestowal of such an honour on the Archbishop would send to the British populace at large - i.e. that the Church, having recently called for paedophilia to be treated as "a crime against humanity", is utterly hypocritical and devoid of all credibility. The latest controversy surrounding Archbishop Ward's complicity in the Fr. Joe Jordan paedophile saga would only compound this impression in the event of Murphy-O'Connor being raised to the College of Cardinals. Readers who still have not done so are therefore urged to write and lodge their protests with the following Roman Congregations as soon as possible:
His Eminence Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Piazza del S. Uffizio 11, 00120 Vatican City State, Europe.
His Grace Archbishop Giovanni Battista Re, Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops, Palazzo delle Congregazione, Piazzo Pio XII 10, 00120 Vatican City State, Europe.
His Eminence Dario Castrillon Cardinal Hoyos, Prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, Piazza Pio XII 3, 00120 Vatican City State, Europe.
His Eminence Jorge Arturo Cardinal Medina Estevez, Prefect of the Congregation for Worship and Sacraments, Palazzo delle Congregazione, Piazza Pio XII 10, 00120 Vatican City State, Europe.