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,