17 August 1995
Rev. XXXXXXXXXX
SECC, Minimum
12 Administration Road
Bridgewater, MA 02324
Dear Father XXXXXX::
Reading this
letter may be painful for you, but I hope that you will read to the end and give
my request full consideration.
First, I want to tell you something about myself so that you will
understand why I am interested in speaking with you.
All my life
I’ve been a teacher. I started in
the primary grades and worked my way up to college level. For a short time, I did some volunteer
work in Belize where I became interested in teaching in the prison. When I returned to home, I began
teaching at MCI, Bridgewater in a prison education program under the aegis of a
local community college. My most
successful and favorite teaching experience was at the Treatment Center for
Sexual Offenders. I think they
appreciated the fact that I treated them as I would my regular students and I
appreciated their enthusiastic response to me and my non-traditional teaching
style.
About the
same time, I decided to get my doctorate so I could get a full-time
college-level position.
Because of my background and interests, I chose criminal justice as my
area of concentration. And because
of where I was teaching, one of the first papers I wrote was about priests
accused of molestation and sexual abuse.
I worked so hard on it that I decided to stay with that topic.
At long last
I have finished my studies, passed my comprehensive exams, and I'm in the
process of doing my research for my dissertation. After looking at the topic from
different perspectives, I have decided to focus on how the Church handled the
priests who were accused of molestation and/or abuse FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE
ACCUSED PRIESTS. I've chosen this
topic because, first, I do not want to study the victims of abuse or the
psychological characteristics of abusers and, second, I do want to look
at the Church and its hierarchy, and examine how it, as a moral institution,
functions. I need to gather my data
from the priests who were accused of molestation, whether or not they were
indicted and/or convicted. Many who
have written about this topic have noted that the response by the Catholic
Bishops has not been very pastoral.
Often it has been political and their concern was and has been for
themselves and not for the victims, their families, the parishioners, the other
priests, and least of all, the accused priests and their
families.
I want to
hear the story of your relationship with the Church from your point-of-view, and
thus, Father XXXXXX, I need your help.
I need your description of what happens when a priest is accused of
abuse. It is a story that only you
can tell. I recall the many
newspaper articles and Letters to the Editor in support of you. I recall that 100+ priests signed an
open letter upbraiding the newspaper for its coverage of the outcome of your
case.
As I
mentioned at the beginning, speaking to me may be difficult for you for many
reasons. You may not wish to dredge
up old memories; you may feel disloyal to the Church that has provided you with,
at least, financial support, and you may have spoken to some irresponsible
reporter who did you and their profession a disservice. I am not that kind of person; I am a
student who is trying to write a scholarly dissertation. I’ve told you my background and provided
references whom you can contact, but my strongest argument for your
participating in my study is that a great deal of good, I believe, can come from
a study such as this. I pray that
you will agree.
According to
the rules and regulations of Northeastern University and my own standards, I
will keep your name and all references to your parish and diocesan affiliations
completely confidential. You may
have read a dissertation and noted that the names and locations of those
interviewed are not identified.
There is no way that the information I gain from you will be linked to
those connected to your situation.
If you have any questions about this or anything else, please write to
me.
My best
wishes and thanks to you, Father XXXXX, as you consider my proposal. I look forward to meeting and talking
with you.
Sincerely,
References:
Suzann
Thomas-Buckle, Co-director
Rev. John Kearns
Law, Policy
and Society Program
Catholic Center, Park Ave.
Northeastern
University, Cushing Hall
Bridgewater State College
360
Huntington Avenue
Bridgewater, MA 02325
Boston, MA
02115
697-2402
(617) 373-4689
29 May
1996
Most
ReverendXXXXXXX
Bishop of
XXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Your Excellency Bishop
XXXXXXX:
The
purpose of this letter is three-fold: to introduce myself, to describe my study,
and to request an interview.
Introduction
I
am a sociology teacher at a local college and a graduate student in Law, Policy,
and Society, an interdisciplinary program at Northeastern University in
Boston. For many years I was Sister
of Mercy (Providence, RI province) and lived for some time in Belize (Central
America) where I became involved in prison work. After a brief hiatus, I returned to
teaching and to prison education.
It was a combination of my experience in religious life and my teaching
at a treatment center for sexual offenders that prompted me to choose for my
dissertation topic an examination of how normative organizations, specifically
the Catholic Church, handle deviant behavior. Now I am at the stage of collecting data
from priest-perpetrators and from bishops, which is why I am writing to
you.
Description of my
Dissertation Research
In
his 1985 dissertation, George Cheney used the rhetorical concept of the
management of multiple identities to examine how the bishops came together to
create the pastoral letter on nuclear arms, The Challenge of Peace: God's Promise and
our Response. Using a similar
theoretical framework of identity management, I plan to examine the
organizational complexities of dealing with clergy abuse cases. I am asking bishops to reflect on how,
when faced with allegations of clergy abuse, they managed their multiple
identities and responsibilities as priests, pastors, and chief executives. I want to know the factors they
considered and why. This is an
opportunity for bishops to present their side of this complicated
issue.
Balboni to Bishop
XXXXXXXXXX, page two
Volumes have been written on
various aspects of clergy abuse.
Few have examined the issues from an organizational theory perspective;
fewer still have sought to illuminate the discussion from the perspective of the
bishops and priests involved. The
objective of most studies is to blame; mine is to explicate, analyze, and
interpret the dynamics of dealing with abusive behavior within a normative
institution. This study provides
the opportunity to discuss openly the many complexities of dealing with
allegations of clergy abuse.
In
keeping with the Northeastern University’s regulations, all information will be
kept strictly confidential with no references to sources’ names or
locations.
Request for an
Interview
I
hope that you will be willing to meet with me. I also hope that you have been convinced
of the value of my study, but it may help to know that a bishop who spoke with
me said that you are one of the most important sources on this subject and my
study will be incomplete if I don’t speak to you.
Two
priests involved with this issue and who support my study may be called as a
reference:
Bernard J. Bush, SJ Steven Rossetti
Jesuit Retreat House Executive VP
300 Manresa Way St. Luke Institute, Inc.
Los Altos, CA 94022-4646 2420 Brooks Drive
(415) 948-4491 (w); (415) 917-4025 (h) Suitland, MD 20746
(415) 948-0640 fax (301) 967-3700
e-mail: BJBushsj@aol.com
If
you have any questions, please call collect at (508) 697-4357 or e-mail me at bbalboni@bridgew.edu.
I
look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
21 October
1996
Most Reverend xxxxxxxxxx.
Bishop of xxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Your
Excellency:
Some bishops
had some questions about the study in which I have asked you to
participate. This letter should
clarify issues and describe aspects of my research not mentioned
previously.
The study is
NOT:
·
an examination or critique of present policies or issues
considered
when developing
them
·
a “match” between what the policies state and what was or has
been done
·
an examination or critique of how individuals cases were
handled
The study
seeks to understand, examine, and analyze the situation in the early days--from
the 1960s to the mid-1980s. I am
not interested in, and I will not ask about specific cases.
Present day
analysis of the Church’s handling of this situation has been very critical. My study provides an opportunity to
review the thinking that took place during the early days of what is now called
a crisis. I want to ensure that all
the factors are considered. To do
this, I need you.
Who is
qualified to discuss this issue?
·
Any active or retired cardinal, archbishop, or bishop--ordinary
and
auxiliary
·
Those with or without first-hand experience in dealing with specific
cases
·
Those who
have reflected on this issue and have a desire to analyze
this important issue and to contribute to our overall
understanding
of this issue.
I hope this
clarifies any questions you may have.
I pray that you will agree to participate.
Respectfully,