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Hand
of God film exposes McCormack’s record
A Review by Carolyn Disco
Hand of God, a documentary in which a survivor of
sexual abuse by Rev. Joseph Birmingham exposes the
denials, evasions and lies to him by Bishop John McCormack
will be broadcast on national television beginning
Tuesday, January 16, 2007, 9PM on Public Television’s
Frontline series.
Check for local listings at pbs.org. The
film was written, produced and directed by Joe Cultrera,
the brother of survivor Paul Cultrera. It
tells the story of Paul and his family over the last
40 years as they come to terms with Birmingham’s
molestation.
The documentary does not descend into depression,
but recounts with intelligence and laugh-out-loud humor,
the struggle to fight back. “It is a poetic portrait
of family, community and the triumph of individual
spirits,” according to brother Joe. Paul traces
his reactions to abuse, from shame and fear, to the
courage to heal. His mother and father, 86 and 91 years
old respectively, win your heart with their bedrock
love of family. Their willingness to participate in
the film is a gift. But their sense of betrayal is
palpable, reinforced at the end by the closure of the
parish that had defined their community.
Where the story takes a sharp turn is in Paul’s
encounters with Bishop John McCormack in 1994, 30 years
after the abuse. Paul charges McCormack with lying
to him about his knowledge of Birmingham’s record.
Paul said McCormack had told him the only information
he had about Birmingham was from a 1970-1 report, and
that he had had no contact with Birmingham or subsequent
knowledge of other abuse. He added that Birmingham
had died about six or seven years ago. Paul went home
to New Mexico, and later called McCormack to ask for
a copy of the death certificate, to confirm the abuser
was really dead. Paul was having recurring nightmares
that he was still alive.
At that point, contrary to statements about no contact
between the two, Paul says McCormack spoke of visiting
Birmingham in the hospital, and going to his funeral.
Paul ultimately discovered there were multiple victims
McCormack knew about, found six documents to prove
it, and even learned that the two were seminary classmates
who had celebrated their silver anniversaries together
on a European trip. In his capacity as secretary of
ministerial personnel since 1984, Paul felt McCormack
must have had significant knowledge of Birmingham’s
record.
For example, McCormack was the recipient of a treatment
center’s report about Birmingham in 1987, which
noted Birmingham had not abused in 17 years. McCormack
did not inform doctors that Birmingham re-offended
before being sent away, information he admitted in
a deposition he “might have” had. He also
admitted that he and a bishop with whom he worked at
the time would have talked about Birmingham’s
record of abuse. McCormack typically claims that he
did not have access to secret archives until 1993;
perhaps in many instances he did not need it since
he discussed, created or received so many archive documents
himself. But in depositions, his memory loss is of
astounding proportions.
Paul was deeply affected by McCormack’s dishonesty
and wrote a statement titled, The Preacher is Lying,
part of which is referenced in the movie. It would
have meant so much to Paul to know that he was far
from the only victim of Birmingham. He said McCormack’s
advice to “put it all behind” him and not
sue the diocese was self-serving. After smelling deception,
Paul did sue, and wrote that during negotiations McCormack
denied that the Archdiocese had knowledge of abuse
prior to Paul’s. Documents released in 2002 proved
that claim false.
The sequences about McCormack are damning, and like
the rest of the film, filled with religious imagery.
Water, symbolic of baptism, is a recurring theme, flowing
over altar boy figurines, eventually drowning them.
The deft use of many images conveys the shattered lives
wrought by deference to clergy.
Paul and Joe understandably want nothing to do with
Catholicism, while their parents continue to be active,
though aware of the pain associated with the Church.
Paul Sr. says, “I’m 91”; his faith
is ingrained over a lifetime. Their mother smiles lovingly,
that, no, she does not believe her sons will go to
hell for leaving their practice of the faith.
An astonishing postscript to Paul’s statement
about McCormack’s lies came in February 2004,
when McCormack visited a Merrimack parish. When I asked
the bishop to acknowledge please his lies to Paul and
others, so that people could heal based on truthful
responses, McCormack denied lying and asked me, “Do
you believe the survivors or do you believe me?” I
was dumbfounded. This documentary reinforces my original
silent answer: I unreservedly believe Paul Cultrera,
since my bishop prefers spin to telling the plain,
simple truth.
Hand of God premieres on PBS’ Frontline
on January 16th at 9:00pm. For more details click
here. |
