THE CATHOLIC CHURCH’S SECRET SEX-CRIME FILES

HOUSE OF SIN This page: The archdiocese of Philadelphia’s office tower, where church officials hid the Secret Archives files. Opposite: The basilica of St. Peter and Paul, the seat of the church in the city.

00 | Rolling Stone | rollingstone.com Month xx, 2010 THE CATHOLIC CHURCH’S SECRET SEX-CRIME FILES How a scandal in Philadelphia exposed the church’s most-guarded archive – documents that reveal a high-level conspiracy to cover up decades of sexual abuse by Catholic priests By SABRINA RUBIN ERDELY Photographs by SACHA LECCA

Month xx, 2010 rollingstone.com | Rolling Stone | 00 CHURCH SEX CRIMES

he five co-defendants sit close enough to Battered by civil suits and bad press, the church has responded with a head- shake hands in the Philadelphia courtroom, but they never spinning mix of contrition and deflec- once acknowledge one another. Father James Brennan, tion, blaming anti-Catholic bias and the church’s enemies for paying undue atten- a 47-year-old priest accused of raping a 14-year-old boy, tion to the crisis. The U.S. Conference of looks sad and stooped in a navy sweater, unshaven and Catholic Bishops helped fund a $1.8 mil- lion study of sex-abuse cases against sniffling. Edward Avery, a defrocked priest in his sixties, priests, but the results read like a mirth- less joke: To lower the number of clergy wears an unsettlingly pleasant expression on his face, as classified as “pedophiles,” the report re- though he’s mentally very far away. He and two other defendants – the defines “puberty” as beginning at age 10 – T and then partially blames the rise in child Rev. Charles Engelhardt, also in his sixties, and Bernard Shero, a for- molesting on the counterculture of the mer Catholic schoolteacher in his forties – are accused of passing around 1960s. The church also insists that any sex crimes by priests are a thing of the past. “Billy,” a fifth-grade altar boy. According to the charges, the three men “The abuse crisis,” the study’s lead author concluded, “is over.” raped and sodomized the 10-year-old, sometimes making him perform That echoed statements by Archbishop stripteases or getting him drunk on sacramental wine after Mass. Timothy Dolan of New York, who went on 60 Minutes declaring the scandal “nothing Heinous as the accusations are, the less than hideous” and then, with a sweep most shocking – and significant – are of his hand, announced, “That’s over with!” those against the fifth defendant, Monsi- Dolan, in turn, sounded a lot like Bishop gnor William Lynn. At 60, Lynn is portly Wilton Gregory, the former president of the and dignified, his thin lips pressed togeth- “IF YOU PULL THE USCCB, who framed the lie more eloquent- er and his double chin held high. In a dra- ly: “The terrible history recorded here is matic fashion statement, he alone has cho- STRING ON THIS ONE,” history.” That was in 2004, seven years ago. sen to wear his black clerical garb today, a Given how the innermost workings of startling reminder that this is a priest on SAYS A PSYCHOLOGIST Catholic culture have long been cloaked trial, a revered representative of the Cath- in secrecy, the case in Philadelphia offers olic Church, not to mention a high-rank- WHO SPECIALIZES a rare opportunity to understand why the ing official in Philadelphia’s archdiocese. cover-up of sexual abuse has continued Lynn, who reported directly to the cardi- IN TREATING THE for so long, despite the church’s repeated nal, was the trusted custodian of a trove promises of reform. The answer, in large of documents known in the church as CLERGY, “IT WILL part, lies in the mindset of the church’s the “Secret Archives files.” The files prove rigid hierarchy, which promotes officials what many have long suspected: that offi- UNRAVEL ALL THE who are willing to do virtually anything cials in the upper echelons of the church they’re told, so long as it’s in God’s name. not only tolerated the widespread sexual WAY TO ROME.” “It’s almost like the type of stuff you see abuse of children by priests but conspired in cult behavior,” says a former Philadel- to hide the crimes and silence the victims. chain of command stretching all the way phia priest who asked not to be identified Lynn is accused of having been the arch- to Rome. In bringing ­conspiracy charges for fear of retribution. “Someone on the diocese’s sex-abuse fixer, the man who cov- against Lynn, the Philadelphia district at- outside would say, ‘That’s crazy.’ But when ered up for its priests. Incredibly, after a torney is making a bold statement: that the you’re on the inside, you say, ‘It’s perfect- scandal that has rocked the church for a Catholic hierarchy’s failure to protect chil- ly right, because everything is divinely generation, he is the first Catholic official dren from sexual abuse isn’t the fault of ­inspired.’ If you have a monopoly on God, ever criminally charged for the cover-up. an inept medieval bureaucracy, but rather you can get away with anything.” “All rise,” the court crier intones as the the deliberate and criminal work of a cold judge enters, and Lynn stands, flanked and calculating organization. In a very real ong before he became the by his high-powered lawyers, whose hefty sense, it’s not just Lynn who is on trial here. guardian of the church’s secrets, fees are being paid by the archdiocese. The It’s the Catholic Church itself. Bill Lynn was a boy with a high- implications of the trial are staggering for The deluge of sexual-abuse cases in er calling. In the fall of 1968, the church as a whole. In sheltering abu- America’s largest religious denomination after graduating from Bishop sive priests, Lynn wasn’t some lone wolf began in 1985, when a Louisiana priest McDevitt High School in the with monstrous sexual appetites, as the was sentenced to 20 years in prison after suburbs of Philadelphia, Lynn church has taken to portraying priests who admitting to sexually abusing 37 boys. Larrived at St. Charles Borromeo Semi- have molested children. According to two But it wasn’t until 2002, when civil suits nary, a stately campus whose soaring cha- scathing grand-jury reports, protocols for in Boston revealed that Cardinal Ber- pels, somber libraries and marble sculp- protecting rapists in the clergy have been nard Law had shielded rapist priests, that tures with heads bowed in prayer gave in place in Philadelphia for half a centu- the extent of the scandal became widely off an aura of reverence, history and cost- ry, under the regimes of three different known. In Germany, the church is over- ly precision. Lynn, a friendly, overweight cardinals. Lynn was simply a company whelmed by hundreds of alleged victims, boy whose acne-scarred face was topped man, a faithful bureaucrat who did his job and investigations are under way in Aus- with jet-black hair, was ready to begin his ­exceedingly well. His actions were encour- tria and the Netherlands. In Ireland, the eight-year path to priestly ordination, a aged by his superiors, who in turn received government recently issued a scathing process the church calls “formation.” orders from their superiors – an unbroken report that documents how Irish clergy At St. Charles, Lynn was plunged into – with tacit approval from the Vatican – an environment in which every moment Sabrina Rubin Erdely wrote “The covered up the sexual abuse of children as was accounted for. Strict rules governed Girl Who Played With Fire” in RS 1129. recently as 2009. all aspects of life, especially the personal.

64 | Rolling Stone | rollingstone.com September 15, 2011 Besides the obvious prohibitions on sex- “The Catholic Priest in the United States: required the utmost loyalty and discre- ual contact – including with oneself, or Psychological Investigations” found that tion. Lynn now reported directly to Cardi- even in one’s imagination – no seminarian three-fourths of all American priests were nal Anthony Bevilacqua. If a priest broke was allowed to get too close with his peers, psychologically and emotionally underde- the rules or stepped out of line in any way, since he was to concentrate on develop- veloped, or even “maldeveloped.” The atti- it would be Lynn’s job to discipline him and ing bonds with God and the church. Semi- tudes of these grown men toward sex, the inform his superiors. That, says the former nary is a form of military-style indoctrina- study concluded, were on par with those of priest familiar with St. Charles, is precise- tion, molding men to think institutionally, teenagers or even preteens. ly why Lynn was chosen for the job: “They not individually. “It’s like a brainwashing, Lynn thrived in seminary, where he sure as hell weren’t going to pick someone ­almost,” says Michael Lynch, who attend- made an impression as an affable guy who who was going to send priests to jail.” ed St. Charles for nine years but was reject- always toed the line. At his ordination, he ed for priesthood after repeatedly butting took a solemn oath of obedience to the very catholic diocese has heads with his superiors. Lynch recalls a bishop, sealing himself into the church’s Secret Archives files – it’s man- priest barking at his class, “We own you! vertical framework, in which everyone is dated by canon law as a reposito- We own your body, we own your soul!” bound to the strata above them. He was ry for complaints against priests The goal of priesthood is a lofty one: a assigned first to a parish in Philadelphia, so scandalous that they must be man placed on a pedestal for his commu- then to a wealthy church in the suburbs. kept out of the regular personnel nity to revere, an alter Christus – “anoth- His parishioners liked him, and Lynn’s files. Few outsiders know the se- er Christ” – who can literally channel the deference to his senior pastor made an Ecret archives exist, and only the most trust- power of Jesus and help create the perfect impression on the archdiocese. In 1984, ed clergy have access to them. In Philadel- society intended by God. To model that when a job as dean of men opened up at St. phia, the sole keyholders were the cardinal

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perfection and elevate themselves above and his closest aides. The files were kept the sinful laity, clergy adopt a vow of cel- The Accused in a row of unlabeled, gray-green cabinets ibacy, which has served as a centerpiece in a windowless room on the 12th floor of of Catholic priesthood since the 12th cen- The five defendants in the the archdiocese’s Center City office tower. tury. It’s a tall order to sculpt chaste, liv- sex-abuse trial that has shaken Inside was an exhaustive compendium of ing incarnations of Jesus out of the slop- the church to its core: (1) former scandals dating back more than 50 years: priest Edward Avery, (2) Rev. py clay of your average 18-year-old male. priests with drinking problems, priests Charles Engelhardt, (3) Rev. Even many of those who wind up being James Brennan, (4) Catholic who had gotten women pregnant, aging ordained fail to maintain their chastity: schoolteacher Bernard Shero and stacks of confiscated pornography. Then According to a 1990 study by psychologist (5) Monsignor William Lynn. there were the reams of carefully typed Richard Sipe, only half of all priests ad- memos that discussed priests with what here to their vows of celibacy. It is not just the archdiocese delicately referred to as the sex-abuse epidemic the church seeks to Charles, Lynn was plucked to fill it. “The “unnatural involvements” or “unusual pat- deny, but sex itself. dean is there to make sure you’re being terns.” Priests, in other words, who had “The real secret here is the sexual life formed properly,” explains a former Phil- sexually abused the children in their care. of cardinals and bishops,” says Sipe, a for- adelphia priest familiar with the appoint- One memo directed to Cardinal Bev- mer Benedictine monk who specializes in ment. “A dean is also the type of person ilacqua in 1989 described a pedophile treating clergy and who has followed the you want your students to want to be. We priest’s evaluation at an archdiocese- case against Lynn. “If you pull the string wanted to replicate priests in the model owned hospital, in which the doctor “is in a knitted sweater, you’ll unravel the we had already been creating – nice, com- of the very strong opinion that Father whole thing. This will unravel all the way pliant, faithful priests. So we put Bill Lynn Peter J. Dunne is a very sick man” who to Rome.” there: a nice, compliant, faithful priest we should be removed from ministry; the Many seminarians dropped out of St. wanted young men to look up to.” memo warned that Dunne’s problem was Charles; others, informed that they weren’t Over the next eight years, Lynn was a so acute “that we are sitting on a powder priestly material, were “invited” to leave. hands-on adviser. He’d wake seminarians keg.” Another file began with a sheaf of let- Those who remained were the ones willing who overslept for Mass, take them to task ters that Father Joseph Gausch, an active to surrender to the process of formation: for missing household chores and moni- pastor, had sent another priest detailing men prepared to bend to the will of their tor their spiritual progress. Lynn proved his sex with an eighth-grade boy in 1948, higher powers, both earthly and divine. himself to his superiors as someone who three years after his ordination. Gausch Such intensive focus on preparing for one’s didn’t disrupt the status quo, someone called it “the closest approximation to an “priestly burdens,” however, often meant who could be trusted. In 1992, at age 41, he old-fashioned roll that I have had in years that men emerged from the incubator of was named secretary of the clergy, a posi- . . . and the subject was oh-so-satisfactory seminary ill-prepared for the complexi- tion that effectively made him the human-­ and (this is what makes the story) willin’.” ties of life itself. In 1972, while Lynn was resources director for the 400 or so priests In both cases, the response from the cardi-

PHILADELPHIA DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE/AP IMAGES, 5 still at St. Charles, a landmark study called in greater Philadelphia. It was a job that nal was the same: secret therapy, then re-

September 15, 2011 rollingstone.com | Rolling Stone | 65 CHURCH SEX CRIMES assign the o ending priest to a new par- 1 ish and pretend nothing had happened. THE COVER-UP In the thick fi le devoted to Father Ray- mond Leneweaver, who had been moved (1) Father Avery, who DJ’d on weekends, to four di erent parishes after admitting was institutionalized to molesting at least seven boys, o cials for sexual abuse. fretted in 1980 that they had run out of After he was places to send him “where his scandal- released, Cardinal ous action would not be known.” Scandal Bevilacqua (2) is a word that pops up throughout the Se- reassigned him to cret Archives fi les. The o cials writing St. Jerome (3), a the internal memos almost never express parish where Avery is concern for the victims – only concern accused of raping a fifth grader. One over the risk to the church’s reputation. (4) of the secret memos. If the risk was deemed low, an offend- ing priest was simply reassigned to a dif- ferent parish. If the risk was high, priests were shipped to a far-o diocese with the permission of the reigning bishop, a prac- tice known as “bishops helping bishops.” Even in rare cases where word of a priest’s crimes leaked out, the cardinal was reluctant to expose the priest. Le- neweaver was such a case; his ministry career ended only after he resigned. “His problem is not occupational or geograph- ical,” wrote the cardinal at the time, “and will follow him wherever he goes.” Having acknowledged the severity of Leneweav- er’s compulsions, the cardinal released him from the clergy but still chose 4 not to inform law-enforcement officials of his crimes. With his clean record, Leneweaver, an ad- 2 mitted child-rapist, went on to take a job as a teacher at a public middle 3 school in suburban Philadelphia. Bill Lynn understood that his mission, above all, was to preserve the reputation of the church. The un- spoken rule was clear: Never call the police. Not long after his promotion, Lynn and a colleague held a meeting with Rev. Michael McCarthy, who had been accused of sexually abus- ing boys, informing the priest of the fate that Cardinal Bevilacqua had approved: McCarthy would be reas- signed to a “distant” parish “so that the profi le can be as low as possible and not attract attention from the com- no longer be allowed to work as a pastor. a priest; he moonlighted as a DJ at wed- plainant.” Lynn dutifully fi led his memo of Years later, while reading the priest’s obit- dings and invited lucky boys for sleepovers the meeting in the Secret Archives, where uary, Jordan says it became clear to her at his house at the Jersey Shore. The med it would sit for the next decade. that her abuser had, in fact, remained a student included a copy of a letter he had Over the 12 years that he held the job priest, serving Mass in Maryland. “I came written to Avery. “I have let too much of of secretary of the clergy, Lynn mastered to realize that by having this friendly, con- my life be controlled by this terrible wrong the art of damage control. With his fel- fi ding way, Lynn had neutralized me,” she you committed,” it read. “You had no right low priests, Lynn was unfailingly sympa- says. “He handled me brilliantly.” to hurt me the way you did. You have no thetic; in a meeting with one distraught right to hurt anyone else this way.” pastor who had just admitted to abus- n his very first year on the This was a code-red situation that Lynn ing boys, Lynn comforted the clergyman job, Lynn received a letter from a had to get under control. He began by by suggesting that his 11-year-old victim 29-year-old medical student that interviewing James, who described how had “seduced” him. With victims, Lynn would trigger the events that led to Avery had molested him at the beach was smooth and reassuring, promising his arrest 19 years later. The student house, at the parish rectory and on a ski to take their allegations seriously while – whom the grand jury would call trip to Vermont, sometimes after plying doing nothing to punish their abusers. “James” – reported that as a teen- him with beer. James said he wasn’t look- Kathy Jordan, who told Lynn in 2002 that Iage altar boy he had been molested by his ing for money – only an assurance that she had been assaulted by a priest as a stu- priest, Father Edward Avery. The popular Avery would no longer be a threat to chil- dent at a Catholic high school, recalls how and gregarious Avery, nicknamed “The dren. That was surely a relief: the risk

he assured her that the o ender would Smiling Padre,” was considered hip for of scandal was clearly low. Next, Lynn CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: SMITH/“PHILADELPHIA ELWOOD P. NEWS”; DAILY BRAD C. BOWER/AP IMAGES; SACHA LECCA

66 | Rolling Stone | rollingstone.com September 15, 2011 confronted Avery, whom he’d known in Lynn reassured James that the archdio- while undressing. Then the Smiling Padre seminary. According to Lynn’s memo, the cese had taken proper steps. Then Lynn sat back and watched the awkward per- priest admitted that some of the allega- met with Avery and instructed him to be formance before taking off his own clothes tions “could be” true – but insisted it had “more low-keyed.” In doing so, says the and ordering the naked boy onto his lap. been “strictly accidental” and that he had grand jury, Lynn helped set the stage for He kissed Billy’s neck and back, telling him been so drunk at the time, he couldn’t re- the horror that came next. that God loved him. Then he allegedly fon- call exactly what had happened. dled the boy, fellated him, and command- According to church protocol, an ad- illy” was a 10-year- ed Billy to return the favor, culminating mission of any kind meant a priest must old student at St. ­Jerome in Avery’s ejaculating on Billy and con- be sent for medical care. So Lynn rec- School in 1998, and an gratulating him on a good “session.” A sec- ommended that Avery seek treatment at altar boy just like his older ond session allegedly followed weeks later St. John Vianney Hospital, a facility in brother before him. A when Avery, finding Billy cleaning a chal- the leafy Philadelphia suburb of Down- sweet, gentle kid with boy- ice after a weekend Mass, ordered the boy ingtown that maintained a discreet in- ish good looks, Billy was to strip. The priest then fellated Billy while patient program that treats sexually abu- outgoingB and well-liked. One morning, making the boy masturbate him to climax. sive priests. Cardinal Bevilacqua approved ‘after serving Mass, Rev. Charles Engel- Billy never told anyone what had hap- the request, but the bureaucratic wheels hardt caught Billy in the church sacris- pened. But from then on, he made sure to moved slowly: Avery remained in the pul- ty sipping leftover wine. Rather than get trade assignments with other altar boys pit for another 10 months before he was mad, however, the priest poured Billy more to avoid serving Mass with Father Avery. hospitalized for his secret therapy. After wine. According to the grand jury, he also After summer break, when Billy returned his release, his doctors prescribed that he to St. Jerome and entered the sixth grade, be monitored by an aftercare team consist- he was assigned a new teacher, Bernard ing of Lynn and two other priests. But the Shero. His abuse seemed to be a thing of church did not take the recommendation the past, something best forgotten. seriously. The team did not meet for more “IT WAS LIKE One day, according to the grand jury, than a year – one priest later testified that Shero offered Billy a ride after school. In- he didn’t even know he was on the team. INFILTRATING A stead, they stopped at a park about a mile Avery’s doctors also recommended that from Billy’s house. “We’re going to have he be kept away from teens and other “vul- RACKETEERING some fun,” Shero told him. He ordered nerable” populations. Instead, the church Billy into the back seat, helped him un- assigned Avery to a new residence with ORGANIZATION,” SAYS dress, and then allegedly fellated and anal- plenty of exposure to kids: St. Jerome, a ly raped him, managing to insert his penis parish in northeast Philadelphia that in- ONE PROSECUTOR. only partway because of Billy’s screams of cluded an elementary school. (The rectory pain. Then Shero made Billy perform the had an empty bed because its previous res- “THEY WEREN’T LIKE same acts on him. “It feels good,” he repeat- ident, Rev. Bill Dougherty, had been qui- ed over and over. Afterward, he made Billy etly moved to another parish after being PRIESTS – THEY WERE get out of the car and walk home. accused of abusing a high school girl.) Of- Before long, Billy began to change in ficially speaking, Avery didn’t work at the JUST THUGS.” disturbing ways. He often gagged or vom- parish – he simply lived there, with an as- ited for no reason and became increas- signment as a chaplain at a nearby hospi- showed him some pornographic maga- ingly sullen and withdrawn. He stopped tal. With encouragement from Lynn, he zines, asking the boy how the pictures hanging out with his friends and playing became a regular presence at St. Jerome, made him feel and whether he preferred sports. He started smoking pot at 11; by serving Mass and hearing confessions. He the images of naked men or women. He his late teens, he was addicted to heroin. took on more DJ jobs than ever, booking told Billy it was time to become a man and Billy spent his adolescence cycling in and gigs almost every weekend. “He seemed that they would soon begin their “sessions.” out of drug-treatment programs and psy- mesmerized, focused, as if he became a dif- A week later, Billy learned what Engel- chiatric centers, once spending a week in ferent person DJ’ing,” recalls Rev. Michael hardt meant. After Mass, the priest al- a locked ward after a suicide attempt. His Kerper, who split shifts with Avery at the legedly fondled the boy, sucked his penis parents, who later took out a mortgage on hospital. Kerper, under the impression that and ordered Billy to kneel and fellate him their home to pay for Billy’s care, were be- Avery had been moved to a low-pressure – calling him “son” while instructing him side themselves, clueless as to what had chaplain job after a nervous breakdown, to move his head faster or slower – until sent their sunny child into such a down- worried that Avery was risking another Engelhardt ejaculated. The priest later ward spiral. collapse by spreading himself so thin. One suggested another “session,” but Billy When his mother found two books day, when Avery failed to show up at the ­refused and Engelhardt let him be. about sexual abuse stashed under his bed, hospital while on call, Kerper wrote the A few months later, while Billy was put- Billy brushed off her suspicions. The books archdiocese to express his concern. He ad- ting away the bells following choir prac- were for an assignment at school, he told dressed his letter to Monsignor Lynn. tice, he was taken aside by another priest: her, and refused to say anything more. Lynn surprised Kerper by calling him Father Avery. According to the grand jury, directly and telling him to mind his own Avery told Billy that he had heard all about illy’s alleged abuse at business. “You’re not going through the the boy’s “session” with Engelhardt – and the hands of the Philadelphia proper channels,” Lynn snapped. “You’re that Avery’s own “sessions” with him would priests might have remained not his supervisor.” Avery was permitted soon begin. Billy pretended not to know a secret, if not for the church’s to continue working as a DJ and pitching what Avery was talking about, but his inept attempt at spin control. in at St. Jerome. The following year, ac- stomach lurched. Later, after Billy served After the abuse scandal in Bos- cording to the grand jury, Lynn received a morning Mass with Avery, the priest led ton broke open in 2002, every an ­e-mail from James, who was looking for him to the sacristy, turned on some music BCatholic diocese in America had rushed to assurance that Avery had been reassigned and told him to do a striptease. When reassure its parishioners. Philadelphia was to “a situation where he can’t harm others Billy dutifully started shedding his clothes, no different: Cardinal Bevilacqua declared . . . for my peace of mind, I have to know.” Avery instructed him to dance to the music that in the previous 50 years, his archdio-

September 15, 2011 rollingstone.com | Rolling Stone | 67 CHURCH SEX CRIMES cese knew of only 35 priests who had been Then there was Monsignor John Gil- he first of the 63 priests credibly accused of sexual abuse. That was lespie, who was not sent for medical eval- listed in the grand jury’s cat- news to Lynne Abraham, the city’s dis- uation until six years after Lynn began re- alog of abusers was Father trict attorney at the time, since not a sin- ceiving complaints about him. Therapists Avery. By then, Avery had gle one of those 35 cases had been report- subsequently reported that Gillespie was been placed on administrative ed to her office. When Abraham asked the “dangerous” – but Lynn was more con- leave – but he still remained archdiocese’s law firm for details, it refused cerned about the priest’s insistence on in the ministry, more than a to c­ooperate. In the face of stonewalling, apologizing to his victims. To keep the Tdozen years after the allegations of sex- Abraham moved for a grand-jury investi- scandal from becoming public, Gillespie ual abuse against him had first surfaced. gation and assigned a team of prosecutors was ordered to resign for “health rea- Once again, it was the most powerful nicknamed “The God Squad” to probe the sons.” Cardinal Bevilacqua then honored word in the secret archives – scandal – archdiocese’s handling of sex-abuse claims. the priest with the title of pastor emeritus that spurred the church to take action. As The God Squad had no idea what they – and allowed him to hear the confessions the grand jury was preparing to release were in for. The archdiocese fought the in- of schoolchildren for another year. its report, Cardinal Justin Rigali “urgent- vestigation at every turn. “It was like try- “In its callous, calculating manner, the ly” petitioned Rome to take the extreme ing to infiltrate a racketeering organiza- archdiocese’s ‘handling’ of the abuse scan- step of defrocking Avery against his will. tion,” recalls former Assistant District dal was at least as immoral as the abuse “There is a great danger of additional pub- Attorney Will Spade. “Most of these guys itself,” the grand jury concluded. Immor- lic scandal so long as Father Avery remains just seemed to be in the wrong professions. al didn’t mean illegal, however, and the a cleric,” he wrote, explaining that accusa- They weren’t kind or understanding or any tions against Avery had been in the papers of the things a priest should be. They were and that his files had been subpoenaed. just thugs.” The Vatican needed to remove Avery from The grand jury subpoenaed the church’s the priestly rolls, the cardinal urged, to internal records. Compelled by the court, AS THE MONSIGNOR avoid “additional scrutiny.” the church’s lawyer began meeting with Rigali needn’t have worried. According prosecutors at a Dunkin’ Donuts mid- EXPLAINED TO ONE to the grand jury, Avery was persuaded to way between the archdiocese’s headquar- request a voluntary defrocking, thanks to ters and the DA’s office, handing over the RAPE VICTIM, THE a severance payment of $87,000. The lai­ ­Secret Archives files piece by piece. “I felt cization process of transforming a priest like I was living in a detective novel,” says ACCUSED PRIEST back into an ordinary civilian, which usu- Spade. Though the prosecutors had been ally takes years of canonical trials, was anticipating some sort of internal records, SLEPT WITH WOMEN completed in less than six months. they were taken aback at the very existence With Avery disposed of, Cardinal Riga- of the secret files. “I always thought it was AS WELL AS CHILDREN: li went about calming Philadelphia Cath- funny, them calling it the Secret Archives olics. The archdiocese retained a consul- files,” he says. “You morons! If they’re so “YOU SEE, HE’S NOT A tant to help it improve the handling of ­secret, why are you even calling it that?” victim complaints. A centerpiece of the When the secret archives were final- PURE PEDOPHILE.” reform was an independent clergy-review ly unlocked, prosecutors were stunned to board that evaluated accusations of abuse. find thousands of documents that detailed grand jury found itself unable to recom- It was a terrific idea, one that would inject the hundreds of victims who had allegedly mend any prosecutions, in part because transparency and accountability into the been abused by 169 priests. “There was so the statute of limitations on all of the process by taking cases out of the shad- much material, we could still be presenting abuse cases had run out. But the night- owy archdiocese and putting them into information to the grand jury today if we mare had been revealed, and the Philadel- the unbiased hands of others. In practice, followed every lead,” says Charles Galla- phia faithful recoiled in shock. however, the archdiocese simply cherry- gher, a former Philadelphia deputy district Perhaps no one was more disturbed picked cases to send to the board – a fact attorney who supervised the investigation. than the new parishioners of Lynn, who that board members themselves learned “We ultimately had to focus.” had been quietly reassigned to a plum only after the secrecy was revealed by the In 2005, the grand jury released its job as pastor of St. Joseph’s, a rich subur- grand jury last February. “The board was 418-page report, which stands as the most ban parish. The job was essentially a pro- under the impression that we were re- blistering and comprehensive account motion: Lynn’s predecessor had just been viewing every abuse allegation received by ever issued on the church’s institution- ordained a bishop and given a diocese of the archdiocese,” board chair Ana Maria al cover-­up of sexual abuse. It named 63 his own. A kind and jocular pastor, Lynn Cantazaro complained in an essay for the priests who, despite credible accusations had swiftly become beloved in the par- Catholic magazine Commonweal. of abuse, had been hidden under the di- ish, always happy to pitch in at events In the few cases that were actually sub- rection of Cardinal Bevilacqua and his held by the Home & School Association mitted to the panel, the grand jury found predecessor, Cardinal Krol. It also gave or to host dinner parties in his rectory. that “the results have often been worse numerous examples of Lynn covering up Stunned by the grand-jury report, parish- than no decision at all.” Using lax stan- crimes at the bidding of his boss. ioners were at a loss to square the unfeel- dards developed in large part by the ca- In the case of Rev. Stanley Gana, ac- ing church official who had manipulated nonical lawyers, the board dismissed even cused of “countless” child molestations, innocent victims with the compassion- highly credible allegations. The results of Lynn spent months ruthlessly investigat- ate pastor whom they knew. In the rec- those decisions could be devastating. In ing the personal life of one of the priest’s tory dining room, one woman confront- 2007, a man named Daniel Neill com- victims, whom Gana had allegedly begun ed Lynn in tears. plained that he had been abused as an raping at age 13. Lynn later helpfully ex- “How did you do this?” she demanded, altar boy by Rev. Joseph Gallagher. Ac- plained to the victim that the priest slept sobbing. “Why did you do this?” cording to a lawsuit filed against the arch- with women as well as children. “You see,” Lynn looked her right in the eye. “Don’t diocese, Neill gave three statements to an he said, “he’s not a pure pedophile” – which believe everything you read,” he said firm- archdiocese investigator – only to be in- was why Gana remained in the ministry ly. “I put them in treatment. I took care of formed that the review board didn’t be- with the cardinal’s blessing. the families.” lieve him. Devastated, Neill killed himself

68 | Rolling Stone | rollingstone.com September 15, 2011 in 2009. After the grand-jury report, the it lacked direct evidence against the cardi- lowing the church to pay his legal fees? If archdiocese finally reversed itself by sus- nal. Bevilacqua, now 88, has rejected re- Lynn’s attorneys are paid by the archdio- pending Gallagher. sponsibility for the abuses that occurred cese, their loyalty to their benefactor may Under another reform instituted by the during his tenure. When he testified be- put them at odds with his needs as a de- archdiocese – the Victim Assistance Pro- fore the grand jury in 2003, Bevilacqua fendant in a criminal trial. gram – abuse survivors like Neill could re- conceded that any move involving the reas- “You have been charged. You could go ceive counseling paid for by the church. “I signment of accused priests was “ultimate- to jail,” Hughes says gravely. “It may be urge anyone who was abused in the past to ly my decision.” But he was quick to stress in your best interest to provide testimony contact our Victim Assistance Coordina- who was really at fault: In every instance, that is adverse to the archdiocese of Phil- tors, who can help begin the healing pro- he insisted, he had “relied on my secretary adelphia, the organization that’s paying cess,” Cardinal Rigali declared. In reality, of the clergy’s recommendations if any- your lawyers. You understand that’s a con- the grand jury found, the pro- flict of interest?” gram was used as a way to dis- “Yes,” Lynn replies. courage victims from calling the The judge massages her tem- police and, even more insidious- ples and grimaces, as though ly, to extract information that she can’t believe what she’s hear- could later be used against the ing. For 30 minutes straight, she victim in court. In a recent law- hammers home the point: Do suit against the archdiocese, one you understand there may come victim recounts how, in return a time that the questioning of for any assistance, the church archdiocese officials could put pressured him to sign an agree- you in conflict with your own at- ment that “prohibited” the arch- torney? Do you understand that diocese from reporting the abuse you may be approached by the to law enforcement. “All along, DA offering you a plea deal, in they were acting like they want- exchange for testimony against ed to help me,” says the victim, the archdiocese? Do you realize “but really they just wanted to that is a conflict of interest for help themselves.” your lawyers? When Billy, the altar boy al- “Yes, Your Honor,” Lynn legedly passed around by Avery continues to insist cheerfully, and others, sought help in 2009, though his voice grows fainter as the archdiocese’s victim coor- the minutes tick by. In one final dinators once again took mea- plea for rationality, the judge sures to protect the church. In- asks if Lynn would like to con- stead of immediately offering to sult with an independent attor- take the case to the police, the ney for a second opinion. He de- grand jury found, a coordinator clines and returns to his seat, named Louise Hagner and an- looking flushed and unhappy. other staffer showed up at Billy’s Lynn’s lawyers, citing a gag house, where they pressured him order on the parties in the case, into giving a graphic statement. declined to allow him to com- Returning to her office, Hagner ment for this article. The arch- wrote up her notes – including her obser- THE COMPANY MAN diocese also refused to comment, citing vation that she thought Billy had pretend- Lynn in court, where he is standing trial its emphasis on what it calls “moving for- ed to cry – and informed the church’s law- for conspiracy and child endangerment ward.” So far, Lynn’s attorneys have simply yers that Billy intended to sue. argued that the case should be dismissed: At least one good thing came out of Bil- thing was necessary to be done.” With Bev- Because charges of child endangerment ly’s case: When his allegations were final- ilacqua insulated from prosecution, the are normally reserved for people directly ly brought to the district attorney’s office, district attorney grabbed at a lower-level responsible for kids – parents, teachers – his case, which falls within the statute of bureaucrat, one the cardinal himself had Lynn’s remove from the victims means his limitations for criminal prosecution, be- hung out to dry: Monsignor Bill Lynn. prolonged efforts to cover up the crimes came the foundation of the grand jury’s were not technically illegal. current investigation. Even the Vatican it- ynn stands in the courtroom The court has rejected that argument, self appeared to take drastic action: On in Philadelphia, having been and the trial against Lynn and his co- September 8th, Cardinal Rigali will be sworn in by Judge Renée defendants – all have pleaded not guilty – replaced by Charles Chaput, the charis- Cardwell Hughes. Hands is scheduled to begin this winter. It may matic archbishop of Denver. The Vatican clasped, his face pulled into a include videotaped testimony from Car- insists, however, that Rigali’s resignation frown of concentration, the dinal Bevilacqua, as well as the release has nothing to do with the scandal. In- monsignor proceeds to answer of some 10,000 potentially incriminat- deed, Pope Benedict XVI has shown noth- La series of routine questions: He holds a ing documents. Lynn must know on some ing but support: In April, when the pontiff master’s degree in education. He takes level that the church could be using him needed a special envoy to appear on his be- medication for high blood pressure. He as a shield one last time in its systemat- half in the Czech Republic, he chose none has never been treated for mental illness ic campaign to hide decades of monstrous other than Rigali for the honor. or substance abuse. He understands that abuses against children. But his willing- As for Cardinal Bevilacqua, under the charges against him carry a maximum ness to sacrifice himself – his unswerv- whose watch Billy and other children were penalty of 28 years in prison. ing obedience to his superiors, even in the allegedly abused, the grand jury regret- Then the judge comes to what she con- face of criminal charges – is what makes fully noted that it could not recommend siders the most pressing point: Does Lynn him such a loyal and devoted servant, all

CLEM MURRAY/“PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER” MURRAY/“PHILADELPHIA CLEM criminal charges in the current case, since truly understand the risk he faces by al- the way to the bitter end.

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