Here are letters from two members of the Toledo chapter of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests that were published in the Blade's letters to the editor section today. They both were penned in response to the recent column by Blade ombudsman Jack Lessenberry about my personal blog (see previous entries).
One colleague asked me today if the letters were written to support me or to attack the Toledo diocese. I really can't say. But logically, these two objectives do not necessarily present an either-or situation. The same would be true of the reverse.
I'm grateful that people care enough to take the time to write a letter to the editor.-- David

Attack on messenger a diversion

Ombudsman Jack Lessenberry’s recent column about Toledo Catholic Diocese officials challenging the objectivity of The Blade’s religion editor, David Yonke, left me wondering if this isn’t this another example of “shoot the messenger” used as a tactical diversion.

Do diocesan officials really think that no one remembers when their public relations director publicly discredited Jane Doe’s allegations against now-convicted murderer Gerald Robinson after she spoke up?

Do Catholic church leaders really think no one remembers their smear campaign alleging violations of confidentiality against their own review board’s psychologist, who went to law enforcement to report crimes?

What about the church official sanctioned by the state social worker licensing board for publicly challenging a survivor and youth minister’s “stability” in working with kids after he spoke up?

What’s Jane Doe need to make her complaint viable? Credibility.

What’s the hallmark of a psychologist’s profession? Confidentiality.

What’s paramount when working with kids? Stability.

What’s required of journalists? Objectivity.

When diocesan officials attack the character of the messenger, it’s the cheapest damage control available.

Why? Because it shifts, even if only momentarily, the focus away from the ongoing clergy sexual abuse scandal and cover-up by top diocesan officials that has spanned decades. Let’s not forget the two no-knock search warrants executed on the bishop’s office when church leaders cried victim and foul play.

Aren’t three books, one documentary, and two docu-dramas illuminating sex crimes against local kids, cover-up, and collusion much more telling?

How does discrediting every person who dares to speak the truth about the sex crimes and cover-up within my diocese protect kids or negate what’s still happening?

Claudia Yvonne Vercellotti
Co-DirectorToledo SNAP Chapter
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Spokesman upset at the wrong things

Toledo Catholic Diocese spokesman Sally Oberski is upset again. The last time she was upset The Blade reported that the Revs. Frank Murd and Tim Kummerer were arrested for public indecency in the 1990s.

She wasn’t upset that these priests had been secretly working around children with few people knowing of their arrests. She wasn’t upset that Father Murd had admitted engaging in sexual activity in a public place.

Come to think of it. Ms. Oberski is never publicly upset about the crimes or sexual misconduct committed by priests. She never publicly discusses the immorality of their conduct. She never discusses how these priests have broken their promises of celibacy, betrayed their positions of trust, and harmed people.

But she is upset again and has resorted to the tired old tactic of blaming the messenger. Usually she is upset with the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests and other advocates. Now she is upset with The Blade’s religion editor, David Yonke.

Who’s she kidding? Ms. Oberski’s job is defending the indefensible and amounts to little more than “spinning” clergy sexual crimes and misconduct.

In the case of Father Kummerer, she used her position to plead that priests who are arrested for public indecency don’t deserve “humiliation.” In the case of Father Murd, she reminded us that despite his admission he may be returned to ministry. Last year, she used her position to remind us that the Rev. David Nuss did not violate the Dallas Charter because his sexual misconduct did not involve a child.

When will Ms. Oberski stop blaming the messenger and starting using her position to do some good?

Linda Waters
Sandusky