Convicted Catholic Archbishop sentenced

[Zoii]

Today Catholic Archbishop Phillip Wilson received a twelve-month sentence for the deliberate cover-up of child sex abuse of paedophile priests. Archbishop was found guilty of concealing the crimes of several paedophile priests including notorious paedophile Father Jim Fletcher. Archbishop Wilson concealed evidence, knowingly did not report the priests' crimes, moved the priests to other precincts where he knew the paedophile activities continued.

In sentencing, the judge said "there is no remorse or contrition showed by the offender"

The Archbishop escaped gaol and instead the judge has imposed home detention.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-...lson-sentenced-concealing-child-abuse/9883610

My Questions for discussion:

1. Is it appropriate that the convicted Catholic Archbishop remain a priest?
2. Should He at least be stripped of the title Archbishop?
3. Given that his activities allowed the continued rape and gross sexual offences against minors over 40 years, is home detention appropriate?

 

[Heavenhome]

1 No, he should not remain a priest.
2 Yes he should be stripped of Archbishop.
3 No his sentence does not reflect his crime.

His sentence is home detention for twelve months. A nice holiday for him at his sisters I believe .I don't get this sentence when you read the judges comments that there was no remorse shown (is there ever?)
It is good that finally these abuses are being recognised but the sentences are a joke against the life sentences forced on the victims.
There's nothing to add but I am happy that no matter what happens here on earth, God will hold everyone accountable for their actions and judge them fairly.
His real sentence will be given then.

 

[SkyWriting]

1 No, he should not remain a priest.
2 Yes he should be stripped of Archbishop.
3 No his sentence does not reflect his crime.

His sentence is home detention for twelve months. A nice holiday for him at his sisters I believe .I don't get this sentence when you read the judges comments that there was no remorse shown (is there ever?)
It is good that finally these abuses are being recognised but the sentences are a joke against the life sentences forced on the victims.
There's nothing to add but I am happy that no matter what happens here on earth, God will hold everyone accountable for their actions and judge them fairly.
His real sentence will be given then.

Home detention for 30 years will suit me.
And I'd like him to retain his title and have only immediate family for holiday visits.

 

[Greg J.]

...
In sentencing, the judge said "there is no remorse or contrition showed by the offender"
...

If he is not repentant, he has bigger problems than whether he should continue to be Archbishop or not.

As to whether he should continue as Archbishop: do people see what God is like when they look at him? Like it or not, people derive what God is like from the actions of people who call themselves by the name of Christ. How should God's loving and just nature be revealed in this case? [The trend currently in America is often to have more sympathy for the perpetrator than for the victim(s).]

 

[Dave G.]

I know of a priest defrocked for plagiarism and this guys offenses are far greater than copy and pasting another guys sermon IMO. He is as lost as a witch doctor, so no he should not be allowed to continue to lead people or to preach in any official standing at all.. I also feel strongly that these accounts that surface are just that, waves over the surface of a great big huge undercurrent of this stuff within that religious system..

 

[Mountainmike]

Whilst I dont think anyone should be judged on the basis of what we read in newspapers:

It is certainly true that both Benedict did defrock many priests (hundreds) and Francis has certainly done so for involvement in such offences .
The process of defrocking does not normally involve public statement - nor should it.

So in this case we will have to see. It was possibly awaiting the outcome of the criminal process, before the church acts.

In our newspapers today a coach of a premier football team, has just been sentenced for child abuse. It happens everywhere, by all walks of life involved with children. And all churches - the problem with the catholic church is the immensity of it. So a tiny proporition is a lot of people.
Nor do I envy those in authority. It is a nightmare situation. Damned if they do. Damned if they dont. It is so easy to comment with 2020 hindsight from an armchair on a situation most will never have to deal with.

Today Catholic Archbishop Phillip Wilson received a twelve-month sentence for the deliberate cover-up of child sex abuse of paedophile priests. Archbishop was found guilty of aiding and abetting the crimes of several paedophile priests including notorious paedophile Father Jim Fletcher. Archbishop Wilson concealed evidence, knowingly did not report the priests' crimes, moved the priests to other precincts where he knew the paedophile activities continued.

In sentencing, the judge said "there is no remorse or contrition showed by the offender"

The Archbishop escaped gaol and instead the judge has imposed home detention.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-...lson-sentenced-concealing-child-abuse/9883610

My Questions for discussion:

Is it appropriate that the convicted Catholic Archbishop remain a priest?
Should He at least be stripped of the title Archbishop?
Given that his activities allowed the continued rape and gross sexual offences against minors over 40 years, is home detention appropriate?

 

[creslaw]

Today Catholic Archbishop Phillip Wilson received a twelve-month sentence for the deliberate cover-up of child sex abuse of paedophile priests. Archbishop was found guilty of aiding and abetting the crimes of several paedophile priests including notorious paedophile Father Jim Fletcher. Archbishop Wilson concealed evidence, knowingly did not report the priests' crimes, moved the priests to other precincts where he knew the paedophile activities continued.

In sentencing, the judge said "there is no remorse or contrition showed by the offender"

The Archbishop escaped gaol and instead the judge has imposed home detention.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-...lson-sentenced-concealing-child-abuse/9883610

My Questions for discussion:

Is it appropriate that the convicted Catholic Archbishop remain a priest?
Should He at least be stripped of the title Archbishop?
Given that his activities allowed the continued rape and gross sexual offences against minors over 40 years, is home detention appropriate?

It seems you have followed the case more closely than I have because I was not aware that Wilson was convicted of anything other than not reporting comments he heard from two boys some 40 years ago when he was a 25 year old assistant priest.

If you have found evidence for all the charges you make against Wilson I would be interested to read it.

 

[SamJakobs]

Definitely should not remain a priest..

 

[Zoii]

Whilst I dont think anyone should be judged on the basis of what we read in newspapers:

It is certainly true that both Benedict did defrock many priests (hundreds) and Francis has certainly done so for involvement in such offences .
The process of defrocking does not normally involve public statement - nor should it.

So in this case we will have to see. It was possibly awaiting the outcome of the criminal process, before the church acts.

In our newspapers today a coach of a premier football team, has just been sentenced for child abuse. It happens everywhere, by all walks of life involved with children. And all churches - the problem with the catholic church is the immensity of it. So a tiny proporition is a lot of people.
Nor do I envy those in authority. It is a nightmare situation. Damned if they do. Damned if they dont. It is so easy to comment with 2020 hindsight from an armchair on a situation most will never have to deal with.

He was actually found guilty well over a month ago. Today was his sentencing. There has been no disciplinary action on behalf of the Catholic Church to date. Perhaps, as you say, they were awaiting finalisation of the criminal proceedings.

It all seems so obvious though. Why Oh Why weren't these paedophile priests defrocked when it was known they were criminals.

 

[Mountainmanbob]

1 No, he should not remain a priest.
2 Yes he should be stripped of Archbishop.
3 No his sentence does not reflect his crime.

This guy should be locked up for a while and never hold any position in any church again. How embarrassing.
M-Bob




His sentence is home detention for twelve months. A nice holiday for him at his sisters I believe .I don't get this sentence when you read the judges comments that there was no remorse shown (is there ever?)
It is good that finally these abuses are being recognised but the sentences are a joke against the life sentences forced on the victims.
There's nothing to add but I am happy that no matter what happens here on earth, God will hold everyone accountable for their actions and judge them fairly.
His real sentence will be given then.

This guy should do some years in prison and never hold a church position again.
M-Bob

 

[Zoii]

It seems you have followed the case more closely than I have because I was not aware that Wilson was convicted of anything other than not reporting comments he heard from two boys some 40 years ago when he was a 25 year old assistant priest.

If you have found evidence for all the charges you make against Wilson I would be interested to read it.

It was not I who makes any accusation against Wilson per se, it has been a court of law in NSW and he has been found guilty on all charges. The details of his cover-ups are now a matter of court record. They were also brought to light by the Royal Commision into Institutional Child Sexual Abuse.

 

[Mountainmike]

He was actually found guilty well over a month ago. Today was his sentencing. There has been no disciplinary action on behalf of the Catholic Church to date. Perhaps, as you say, they were awaiting finalisation of the criminal proceedings.

It all seems so obvious though. Why Oh Why weren't these paedophile priests defrocked when it was known they were criminals.

Many were defrocked. You just wont get to hear about them.

Another important issue.
This case makes that archbishop a very bad manager, wholly unfit to run a diocese, he is clearly someone that has an ostrich mentality, and could not take hard decisions.
I am sure he regrets all those decisions now.

But Does it actually make him a bad priest?

The two jobs are not the same at all. Indeed most did not enter the church to manage, and for those of us who have occupied senior positions in companies in charge of people, few if any want to do it.

Even less will want to be bishops now.

So let the church decide that. not us.

 

[creslaw]

It was not I who makes any accusation against Wilson per se, it has been a court of law in NSW and he has been found guilty on all charges. The details of his cover-ups are now a matter of court record. They were also brought to light by the Royal Commision into Institutional Child Sexual Abuse.

I think we need to be careful about stating exactly what Wilson was found guilty of without adding any embellishments.

 

[Zoii]

I think we need to be careful about stating exactly what Wilson was found guilty of without adding any embellishments.

I agree - what is the parts you believe were embellishments? Because if any arise, we can fact-check (The RCICSA certainly has full detail) and remove/amend accordingly

 

[creslaw]

Many were defrocked. You just wont get to hear about them.

Another important issue.
This case makes that archbishop a very bad manager, wholly unfit to run a diocese, he is clearly someone that has an ostrich mentality, and could not take hard decisions.
I am sure he regrets all those decisions now.

But Does it actually make him a bad priest?

The two jobs are not the same at all. Indeed most did not enter the church to manage, and for those of us who have occupied senior positions in companies in charge of people, few if any want to do it.

Even less will want to be bishops now.

So let the church decide that. not us.

I cannot defend Wilson's failure as a young man to report the sexual abuse to police, but nor do I ignore the many good things he did in his role as Archbishop such as setting up a child protection council bringing in experts from outside the church and an audit system of parishes to ensure compliance.

 

[Zoii]

Many were defrocked. You just wont get to hear about them.

Another important issue.
This case makes that archbishop a very bad manager, wholly unfit to run a diocese, he is clearly someone that has an ostrich mentality, and could not take hard decisions.
I am sure he regrets all those decisions now.

But Does it actually make him a bad priest?

The two jobs are not the same at all. Indeed most did not enter the church to manage, and for those of us who have occupied senior positions in companies in charge of people, few if any want to do it.

Even less will want to be bishops now.

So let the church decide that. not us.

well if your convicted of a criminal act that is of a severity warranting jail time - is that the line in the sand to say you should not be a priest? Or is there some other measuring stick?

 

[creslaw]

I agree - what is the parts you believe were embellishments? Because if any arise, we can fact-check (The RCICSA certainly has full detail) and remove/amend accordingly

I stated in my post what I knew of the case - I am in fact wondering whether everything else in your first post is embellishment or actually based on judicial findings.

 

[Zoii]

I cannot defend Wilson's failure as a young man to report the sexual abuse to police, but nor do I ignore the many good things he did in his role as Archbishop such as setting up a child protection council bringing in experts from outside the church and an audit system of parishes to ensure compliance.

You raise a point Ive sometimes discussed with my mum. She is a psychologist and deals with predominantly trauma victims and victims of various types of abuse.

One of our themes is that good people can on occasions surprise people and do some very very bad things.

Equally surprising is that people whom you and I would regard as a nasty bad person, can have the capacity to surprise people with unexpected acts of kindness and sensitivity.

 

[Mountainmike]

well if your convicted of a criminal act that is of a severity warranting jail time - is that the line in the sand to say you should not be a priest? Or is there some other measuring stick?

St paul was instrumental in getting christians killed for their belief.
Our Lord forgave him. Gave him another chance.

It is not ours to judge him as a priest.
Does it make him unfit to be a cloistered religious - clearly not

Defrocked or not, I doubt if he will be trusted to supervise anyone at the diocese again. So unable to repeat the same mistakes.
Not least the church insurers will have something to say about that!

All should recognise that most of these cases refer to long ago history.
To have even the most minor role in the catholic church now involves training on such matters, That was not a part of anyones training in any organisation 20 or more years ago.

 

[Zoii]

I stated in my post what I knew of the case - I am in fact wondering whether everything else in your first post is embellishment or actually based on judicial findings.

As far as I am aware. Certainly, as it relates to Father Fletcher and the rape of a ten year old boy. The The allegations concerning Fathers McAlinden and Denham did not culminate in charges.