Open the Coffers

Tuesday, Cardinal Bernard F. Law ’53 began a civil deposition in Suffolk County courthouse regarding, among other things, a settlement that his Financial Council refused to accept between several church officals, including Law, and 86 victims of priest John J. Geoghan. This disturbing refusal completely disregards the archdiocese’s responsibility to compensate those who were sexually abused by Geoghan—especially after Law reassigned him to parishes several times after he was a known child molester. While it is impossible to replace these victims’ damaged childhoods, a financial settlement both acknowledges the archdiocese’s responsibility for reassigning Geoghan and will begin to heal the wounds of betrayal.

Law’s handpicked council has said that if it settles with the 86 victims, other claims would almost certainly be raised and the total cost of the settlements would skyrocket. Despite the heavy financial burden this restitution would impose and the large number of other people who have accused clergymen, these victims deserve complete compensation; in many cases, the church knew about priests’ pedophilia and yet kept reassigning them to local churches, when any reasonable observer could determine that more children might be at risk. The archdiocese’s backpedaling after an agreement was reached appears to be just a dubious and underhanded attempt to relinquish its complicity in many of these crimes. Fear of growing payments from hypothetical future settlements ought not to deter justice from being met here.

The archdiocese should immediately re-enter negotiations with the victims. In order to pay the $15 to $30 million settlement, the archdiocese ought to cut back on luxuries. It is imperative that the charities, schools and other community programs do not suffer because of the abuses committed by a handful of criminal clergymen.

Beyond a financial settlement, however, the archdiocese must recognize that substantial reforms in procedure and attitude are required in order to prevent future abuse. The prosecution and conviction of Geoghan and other priests is not enough. Along with legal and financial repercussions, the archdiocese will have to assume the political costs that such a disgrace brings as well.

Cardinal Law, in particular, must be held accountable. He should be prosecuted for his role in allowing Geoghan to continue abusing children. His negligence and indifference toward the protection of children is deplorable. It is clear from many documents that Geoghan was unable to stop his sexual abuse, and Law never acted strongly enough to prevent it.

Just as despicable is Law’s legal defense in a separate case that one six-year-old boy and his parents were “negligent” and therefore contributed to further abuse. The suggestion that a six-year-old could be responsible for his own abuse shows just how low Law is willing to sink to protect himself.

It is time for Law and the archdiocese to stop hiding from their responsibility to the victims of sexual abuse by priests. They should accept the financial settlement that was originally agreed upon with the original 86 victims and agree to settle future claims against abusive priests.