Yesterday, Monday December 16th, the State’s Attorney General Dana Nessel conducted a press conference in the capital on the occasion of the publication of her office’s report on clergy sexual abuse in the Lansing Diocese.  These 354 pages go into graphic detail about allegations of the sexual abuse of minors and inappropriate relationships with adults, with the alleged perpetrators being priests and deacons of the diocese, or members of religious orders.  

 

I have not read all of it, but enough of it to be both sickened and saddened by its contents.  And angry!  Clearly there have been wolves in shepherd’s clothing in our midst.  The men who actually did these things should never have been placed in roles of ordained ministry and leadership in the Catholic Church, especially where minors and vulnerable adults were placed at risk.  

 

Two-thirds of the accused priests named in the report are deceased.  Most of the allegations stem from events from decades ago.  While that provides no comfort, it does suggest that the Church has been making strides to create safer environments in our parishes, schools and agencies, better screening in the seminary education process, and more proactive measures to prevent crimes and to protect innocents.  

 

Sadly, Jackson figures heavily in the report with graphic descriptions of the alleged misdeeds of several who worked here among our people:

 

Lehr Barkenquest, OSFS (former pastor of St. Rita)

Joseph Comperchio (lay teacher at St. John School)

Paul Guoan (former resident of QMM rectory)

Mark Inglot (former QMM pastor)

Michael Kuchar (former QMM parochial vicar)

Marian Lesniak (former pastor of St. Joseph)

James Rapp, OSFS (Lumen Christi)

Jason Sigler (former priest in residence at St. John)

Jonathan Wehrle (former pastor of St. Mary)

Darius Wyszynski (former pastor of St. Stans)

 

As well as Jackson natives:

 

James Bettendorf

Timothy M. Crowley

 

 

If anyone reading this has experienced abusive behavior at the hands of one of these men, or any clergy, you should immediately contact local law enforcement and/or the Michigan Attorney General Investigation Hotline:  844.324.3374.  The Diocese’s Victim Assistance Coordinator is also ready to receive allegations and testimony:  888-308-6252, vac@dioceseoflansing.org

The standard used by the Attorney General is very different than that used by the Diocese.  Church leadership makes every effort to substantiate allegations prior to publication, where the Attorney General’s office published allegations and testimony even when there was no corroborating evidence to suggest the events described actually occurred.  This means the list in this report is significantly longer than the list of those credibly abused published by the Diocese in 2019.  

 

For those who haven’t seen the report but who wish to read it, the link is here.  Be warned, the descriptions in the report are disturbingly graphic in detail.  

CLICK HERE FOR THE  ATTORNEY GENERAL’S REPORT

“Having read this long and detailed report, my heart breaks for all those who have suffered due to the evil of clerical sexual abuse which is a great betrayal of Jesus Christ, His Holy Church, the priesthood, and, most gravely, those victims – and their families – who were harmed physically, emotionally, but above all spiritually when they were so young.”

 

-Earl Boyea, Bishop of Lansing

The Diocese’s internal reporting listed 23 names of priests credibly accused of the abuse of a minor.  The Attorney General list names 48 priests, but it is again worth noting that not all of these are allegations of the abuse of a minor, and some of these men named were investigated by the diocese and the claims were determined to be unverifiable or in some cases untrue.

 

One perpetrator is too many. One victim is too many – the abuse of a minor by a cleric is a sin that cries out to heaven. If 48 is indeed the new and true number, that remains a grave sin, a crime against innocence, humanity, purity, and all that is good – a tragedy of the highest order, but know that these 48 alleged culprits represent less than 3% of the 1,691 priests who have ministered in the Diocese of Lansing since its founding nearly 88 years ago.     As two-thirds of the accused are deceased, we can only assume they have faced their judgment.   May God have mercy on their souls and healing for their victims.

 

In the link below you can read a brief diocesan summary of the data featured in the Attorney General Report.  Note in particular how the data suggests that this problem was much more prevalent in the church 40 years ago than it is today:

CLICK HERE FOR THE SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

In the wake of the publication of the Attorney General Report, Bishop Earl Boyea has invited all Catholics across the Diocese of Lansing offer a day of prayer and fasting on Friday, December 20th in reparation for all those harmed by clerical misconduct.

 

Queens will have Mass with the school children at 9am.  The church will be open for prayer and reflection from 7:30am – 5:30pm.  The chapel of course remains open 24/7.  You could pray a rosary, spend some quiet time reflecting at home, give up a meal, a dessert or some ‘screen time.’

 

 

A Prayer of Healing

God of endless love, ever caring, ever strong:
your only Son was delivered into the hands of the wicked
yet healed us by the blood of his cross.

May the gentle Jesus, join to his own suffering,
the pains of those abused by priests who have betrayed your love, and servants of your Church, whose sin has brought us shame.

May Christ hear the cries of those abused,
may he quell their restless fears with faith in your protection, their doubt, with confidence in your love,
and all rage with trust in your healing mercy.

Grant all Shepherds of his Church the compassion to protect his lambs, the strength to guide his flock, and the wisdom to model their lives on Christ, the Good Shepherd.

God of justice and compassion, protect all children from abuse, and deliver us from hate.  May we seek only justice and truth, and trust in your unending mercy.

We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

 

Prayer for Healing for Victims of Abuse

Praise to you, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, source of all consolation and hope.  By your Son’s dying and rising He remains our light in every darkness, our strength in every weakness.  Be the refuge and guardian of all who suffer from abuse and violence.  

 

Comfort them and send healing for their wounds of body, soul and spirit. 

 

Rescue them from bitterness and shame and refresh them with your love.  Heal the brokenness in all victims of abuse and revive the spirits of all who lament this sin.  Help us to follow Jesus in drawing good from evil, life from death. 

 

Make us one with you in your love for justice as we deepen our respect for the dignity of every human life.  Giver of peace, make us one in celebrating your praise, both now and forever.    

 

Prayer for Priests

Praise to you, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
for in your infinite love you care for your people by the ministry of priests.

May their faithful service bring lasting good to your Church and great happiness to them.  Help them to do what is right, that by their teaching and living we may grow in the knowledge of your love.

As our priests instruct your people, enlighten them with the wisdom of Christ the Teacher.  As they preach your Word and celebrate the sacraments, sanctify them with the holiness of Christ the High Priest.

As they face weakness, suffering and discouragement, 
strengthen them with the grace of Christ the Life-Giver.
As they work for peace, unity and healing in your Church, 
uphold them with the courage of Christ the Reconciler.
Giver of all good gifts, make the ministry of our priests a spiritual offering pleasing to you, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

 

As my heart breaks for those who have suffered at the hands of the very ones sworn to protect them, I will admit to my own discouragement.  This Report couldn’t carry me further away from the spirit of Christmas or the joy the priesthood ought to bring to me and to others during this holy Advent season.  

 

I won’t give up.  Don’t you give up either.  It was to right wrongs like this that God sent His only son to rescue us from this cruel world 2,000 Christmases ago.  Maranatha.  ‘Come, Lord Jesus!’  Come once again to drive the darkness and doubt away.

 

Reports like this one make people dislike or even despise the Church.  Many ask, ‘Why do I stay?  Why not leave?’

 

If you are questioning, consider the Blessed Mother.  Mary experienced betrayal by ALL of the religious authorities of her country, each of whom had a role in her son’s cruel fate:  The Sanhedrin, The Pharisees, The Sadducees, the chief priests, the scribes, the elders and the scholars of the law.  She had been taught from childhood that these men spoke for God.  How could she then explain it when these same ‘godly’ men conspired to have her son arrested, tortured and murdered?

 

Mary could have renounced her faith when she held her murdered son in her arms at the foot of the cross, especially after God’s earthly representatives failed her and her son so completely.  How could such evil have anything to do with a loving God’s plan of salvation?

 

Instead, Mary trusted in the Lord, that He alone could bring light to her darkness.  She then saw the empty tomb and is now crowned the Queen of Heaven and Earth. 

 

No one evil man, or several of them acting together, could rob Mary of her most prized possessions – her Risen Son and her faith in a merciful God Who writes straight with crooked lines.  This is one of many reasons why Mary has consistently been referred to as a ‘model of the Church.’  She shows us the way to trust in God in even the most distressing, or in this case, disgusting of circumstances. 

 

Mary, you kept your faith in God even when all the earthly authorities who spoke for Him betrayed you and your son.  Help us who are hurting and doubting.  Help us to cling to our faith just as you clung to Jesus when he was taken down from the cross.  Pray for us, our Miraculous Mother, the Queen of Peace and our Mother of Perpetual Help.  Amen.  

 

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teaching” (Heb 13:8-9).

 

Fr. Tim MacDonald

Pastor

Queen of the Miraculous Medal Catholic Church

606 S. Wisner St.  Jackson, Michigan 49203

(517) 783-2748  www.queenschurch.com