New sexual abuse allegations surface,Cabrini reacts

ANDREW MATYSIK EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AJM722@CABRINI EDU

As new cases of sexual abuse continue to surface following the Philadelphia grand jury report on the pattern of concealment by Catholic officials, the faith and trust of lay people and innocent priests are tested. Those watching the tragic reports unfold are divided on how to respond.

During the past week alone, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported around five to 10 sexual abuse allegations surfacing each day. Officials are still determining whether the allegations are valid or not.

To many religious, supplementary reports of sexual abuse will only cause additional pain to an injury that damaged an entire nation of Catholics. The locality of these incidents has created a huge impact on parishioners of the Philadelphia area. Being a college in the suburbs of Philadelphia, connections between members of the Cabrini community and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia run very deep.

Kevin McDevitt, a Cabrini sophomore, has been enrolled in Philadelphia Archdiocese schools since childhood. McDevitt recalls being caught off-guard by the extensive allegations provided in the jury report.

It’s funny because I remember receiving the sacraments when I was younger and actually being excited for when Cardinal Bevilacqua would come to my school. Now, I’m not sure what to think of him,” McDevitt said.

“It’s just scary to read about all these disgusting acts,” Nicole Niedermeier, a senior education major, said. “I went to Philadelphia Catholic schools all my life, so have my parents and basically all my relatives.”

Although Niedermeier recalls having a relatively positive experience with the Catholic school system, she admits it was difficult to hear close family members speak about accused clergy members whom they were connected with in different ways.

“It was weird, at a recent family party, everyone sat around talking about which priests in the grand jury report they knew,” Niedermeier said. It is evident that discussions of the grand jury report have occurred in various forums throughout the area. Whether it was a family party, a telephone call or a discussion about it at mass, opinions and disputes have been frequent.

The abuse allegations have tested current clergy members more than ever before. Cabrini students agree that apologetic concern has been the tool many clergy members are using to handle the discussions.

“I am sure that many good faithful people are upset and saddened by the disclosure of such deeds and horrified that they were carried out by priests…they do not know how to respond to it as I do not know how to respond to such a lack of accountability,”

Cabrini Chaplain Father Michael Bielecki said.

Dealing with such a substantial problem will be quite a task for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and the Roman Catholic Church as a whole. It is noted that this sexual abuse problem has not just affected the Philadelphia area.

“Such concealment not only happened in Philadelphia, of course, but has been publicly identified throughout dioceses in the United States and Canada over a period of the last 15