COMMENTARY
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“SILENCE: LESS IS MORE”

Long-time survivor advocate Fr. Robert M. Hoatson of the diocese of Newark, NJ filed a civil action against the New York Archdiocese, Cardinal Edward Egan, the Newark Archdiocese, Archbishop John J. Myers, the Congregation of Christian Brothers, Fr. John O’Brien, Br. Laurence Boschetto, Br. Paul Kevin Hennessy, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, and Bishop Howard J. Hubbard. Subsequent to the December filing, Fr. Hoatson was placed on administrative leave by the Newark Archdiocese.

The nature of Fr. Hoatson’s allegations prompted a VOTF affiliate to postpone a previously scheduled talk the priest was to give at the affiliate’s meeting. In the ensuing exchange of feelings among survivors, affiliate representatives, and survivor supporters about the cancelled talk, Carolyn Disco of VOTF NH added her own voice (below – “Silence: Less Is More”) in a careful consideration of the place of survivors and their voices in an organization where their support is a primary goal.

It is important to note that the VOTF affiliate is a longstanding and outspoken supporter of survivors and continues to reach out to Fr. Hoatson. However, their concern with the allegations made in the lawsuit overrode their willingness to risk a seeming endorsement of Fr. Hoatson’s views.

[Carolyn Disco has led VOTF NH survivor support since that affiliate’s inception. What follows are excerpts of Carolyn’s thoughts, as well as the thoughts of another survivor. These comments were made in an email exchange among survivors, survivor supporters and affiliate representatives following the postponement of Fr. Hoatson’s talk. ]

I have been watching this correspondence with alarm, praying for some resolution. My first reaction was horror that a survivor would be disinvited simply on the basis of filing a lawsuit. I have watched Bob Hoatson’s activities over the years with great admiration for his courage, both as a survivor and an advocate who listens and listens and then acts to provide material and spiritual assistance to fellow survivors. Priests like him, and Tom Doyle, Gary Hayes, John Bambrick, Ken Lasch and Bruce Teague are to be cherished and listened to. Hoatson and Doyle are collaborators on the Millstone Project.

My second reaction was to do some research and see what prompted the VOTF affiliate’s reaction, since survivor lawsuits have never to my knowledge prevented VOTF from listening to survivors. This particular affiliate has been a beacon of activity with a long record of seeking bishop accountability and in survivor support. I have admired them from afar, and defended them against charges by Bill Donohue of the Catholic League.

In the lawsuit, Hoatson makes strong claims, names names, and his lawyer is confrontational (a necessary quality sometimes in his line of work; many other lawyers have failed with RICO suits).

But I firmly believe that the best response to speech that is problematic is more speech, not silence. I decided to research further and have inserted some of those results in red in the attached file. Are bishops, certain bishops active homosexuals? Let’s lay out the evidence and see what it shows. If it holds up, or even prompts those who may have been silent out of fear of coming forward to do so, then an important service has been rendered. If it does not hold up, then Hoatson bears the burden. The bishops would be quickly hailed by their many supporters. Hoatson is taking an enormous risk, and merits a hearing at least, as does the other side.

I note statements by spokespersons for two of the bishops charged. I am frankly disgusted by the vicious tone used to respond to Hoatson. Such responses are well beneath the dignity of episcopal office, and make me want to hear the rebuttals. Experience has shown me time and time again that half-truths and distortions are endemic in press releases from chanceries, but this hits a new low. I understand the strategy of putting the plaintiff on trial, but not with ridicule.

Waiting until a lawsuit is over, as the VOTF affiliate proposes, is not workable. That can take years. I invoke the Benedictine injunction to listen, and listen now. What is the harm in that? No doubt the hard feelings are difficult on all sides, but let’s not have a dialogue of the deaf. Can we come together, put aside charges, and simply be open to each other? I pray so.

Susan Renehan, an early and outspoken survivor attendee at VOTF gatherings shares her own views:

I always try to balance any criticism with praise for so many who have never wavered in their support of survivors, VOTF included. I remember we pulled back from sending out speakers in the early days of VOTF because there was some really rude behavior going on and the last thing I wanted to do was put survivors in harm’s way.

On the other hand there was some really rude behavior on the survivors’ side and I know that put many people off. I had to make some apologies for my outspoken behavior from time to time. It was very sobering for me. I was talking about this to someone recently: one of the big problems was that survivors who had been rejected for so long by the Church and in many cases their own families, and who were struggling to keep their lives together, were suddenly put on this pedestal by VOTF. This is a bad place to put anyone, much less a traumatized person. There was a lot of acting out as a result. A lot of this is merely human nature but putting it in the context of the abuse crisis, everything was exacerbated.

In terms of VOTF, I think they were under the false illusion that if they stuck to the middle of the road and did not insult anyone in the hierarchy they would be able to negotiate with the Church for change. Almost unanimously, survivors knew this was never going to work and that it was counter to the needs of survivors. From the first we have wanted the truth to be told by this Church; we are still waiting. We want justice; we are still waiting. Above all, we want children to be protected; we are still waiting.
An honest dialogue is the best we can hope for.

Please know I have enormous respect for all those in VOTF who have stuck around and who have stood for and with survivors.



In the Vineyard
February, 2006
Volume 5, Issue 3
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