Faithful Continue Calls for Resignation of Newark Archbishop John J. Myers

Newark Archbishop John J. Myers

He's hired a top-notch criminal lawyer, but when it comes to public relations and media savvy, the Archbishop of Newark, John J. Myers, is about as tone-deaf and ill-advised as anyone on the planet. 

He had an admitted pedophile among his priests and contrary to agreements with local prosecutors, he not only allowed Father Michael Fugee to provide ministry to local youth groups, hear their confessions and participate in over-night outings, he put Father Fugee in charge of an office that oversees priestly formation --  just what the Church needs, more priests like Father Michael Fugee!

After a media and grassroots firestorm had somewhat subsided, Archbishop Myers decided to stir the pot and open raw wounds with an extended interview granted to the National Catholic Register.  In the course of the interview, and in characteristic fashion, Myers blamed everyone but himself for the scandal, insisting that he acted in a "professional" manner. 

First of all, when everyone has finally stopped talking about an embarrassing story involving you, you don't give an interview and bring it all back to public attention.

Secondly, like the woman insisting she is "a lady," if you have to tell people how "professional" you are, you're NOT.

Finally, to say that civil authorities should have "supervisory" responsibilities over wayward priests, not the Archbishop, is a statement he is bound to regret.  Is that a principle he will be applying to under-performing parochial schools?  Will he yield to civil authorities when they want to bug a confessional?  Should state and federal governments be overseeing Archdiocesan finances since the Archbishop didn't notice a mere $40 million in Medicare and Medicaid over-payments to the Archdiocese?

We don't like Archbishop Myers.  He is a cold, proud and pompous windbag, more concerned with assigning blame than winning souls.  He came to Newark to be served, not to serve; but even we recognize that he is not this stupid.  There's something clearly wrong with him and we hope the Papal Nuncio and the Holy See will soon usher him into early retirement.  The Archdiocese of Newark needs powerful proclamation of the Good News and the fruits of the New Evangelization under a faithful, holy and loving shepherd.

Church Critic "Outs" Cardinal McCarrick

Washington, Apr. 21, 2008 (CWNews.com) -

Richard Sipe, a former Benedictine priest and psychologist who has commented extensively on the sex-abuse scandal in the US, has accused Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, the retired Archbishop of Washington, of recruiting seminarians as sexual partners.

The problem of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church "is not generated from the bottom up— that is only from unsuitable candidates—but from the top down— that is from the sexual behaviors of superiors, even bishops and cardinals," Sipe wrote in an open message to Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news).

Sipe said that he had received evidence that several prelates had preyed on adolescents and seminarians. He claimed to have received reports about the homosexual activities of the future Cardinal McCarrick more than 20 years ago, and to have "documents and letters that record first-hand testimony and eyewitness accounts" to support those accounts.

Sipe-- who in the past has charged that the late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin also "partied" with seminarians-- said that although other reporters were aware of Cardinal McCarrick's activities in a beach house in New Jersey, "legal documentation has not been available. And even at this point the complete story cannot be published because priest reporters are afraid of reprisals."

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UPDATE: STATEMENT BY RICHARD SIPE