One of the men in the choir works for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Today I asked him about Cardinal Keeler’s list. “He really raised the bar for the other Bishops,” he said. “Why would he post the names of priests who were dead?” I asked. “I guess to be totally transparent,” he replied. I wish we’d had more time to talk but we were in the middle of our rehearsal before Mass.
Raised the bar? What bar? I just can’t see the justification of posting a list of names of priests and religious who were only accused, some of whom were deceased. I won’t defend the indefensible – I’m sure there were perpetrators on the list. But to be accused and no fault proven or admitted? To be accused and be dead? What was the point?