Everyone thought it was odd that Pope Francis would write a letter (probably ghost-written by Archbishop Fernandez) included in His Holiness’s appointment of the “good” Archbishop. In the letter, Pope Francis took pains to tell the good Archbishop that he is not to worry about the sex abuse scandal and dealing with clergy and religious accused and convicted of such crimes. There are others who can do that.
Now we know why the Pope wrote this odd letter and we can find in in Crux on Independence Day:
Fernández said the pope, when he asked him a second time to take the job, promised to publish a letter specifically outlining what his task would be, and making it clear that he would not be very involved in the section handling clerical abuse cases.
“That’s why I finally said yes,” Fernández said, and asked for prayers, “since not everyone will be satisfied with this new orientation that Francis is giving.”
“I do not trust in my abilities, but in the certainty that the Holy Spirit will guide me,” he said, saying he will stay in La Plata until the beginning of August, with a farewell Mass being held on Aug. 5. He said he will then head to Rome a few days later and begin preparing to take over the DDF in mid-September.
Fernández’s Facebook posts come after increased scrutiny over his record on the abuse issue, with a prominent survivor advocacy group calling into question his handling of past cases in La Plata.
In an article published July 1, the same day as Fernández’s appointment was announced, Anne Barrett Doyle with the Bishop Accountability survivors group called the choice “baffling and troubling.”
Regardless of what was said in the pope’s letter, Doyle argued that as prefect, it will be up to Fernández to ensure the pope’s zero-tolerance policy on abuse is implemented, meaning he must make “child protection and justice for victims his highest priority.”
She raised several questions regarding his handling of a recent abuse case in La Plata, saying Fernández in response to allegations against a priest in his diocese “stood in stout support of the accused priest and refused to believe the victims,” disregarding the safety of children by keeping the priest in his post.
The case she was referring to is that of Father Eduardo Lorenzo, who committed suicide in 2019 after being accused of committing at least five instances of child sexual abuse. His death came the day after a judge ruled that he would be sent to prison.
According to Doyle, Fernández publicly defended Lorenzo after a complaint against the priest from 2008 resurfaced in February 2019, publishing articles by Lorenzo on the La Plata archdiocesan website in which he denied the allegations, calling them slanderous.
Doyle said Fernández also traveled to Lorenzo’s parish to concelebrate Mass with him and that he kept Lorenzo in his parish even after more victims came forward, while offering a soft caution not to travel or spend time alone with minors.
Lorenzo was finally removed in October 2019 as the civil case against him moved forward, and a warrant was issued for his arrest in December of that year.
After Lorenzo killed himself, Doyle said Fernández released a statement acknowledging the “enormous tension and suffering” that Lorenzo had endured, but said nothing to the alleged victims other than ensuring his prayers for “those who may have been offended or affected” by the charges against the priest.
“For his handling of this case, Fernández should have been investigated, not promoted to one of the highest posts in the global church,” Doyle said, saying, “Nothing about his performance suggests he is fit to lead the pope’s battle against abuse and cover-up.
My final astute comment: Will Pope Francis defend Zanchetta, I mean, Fernandez until he can’t defend Barros, I mean Fernandez, anymore and then throw Rupnik, I mean, Zanchetta, I mean Fernandez under the bus and apologize to the victims of Barros, I mean, Zanchetta, no, Rupnick, I’m sorry, Fernandez, who enabled abuse by neglecting to deal with the abuser effectively?
More importantly, will this news lead to Archbishop Zanchetta's, I mean, Fernandez's disqualification as the Prefect of the DCF????
3 comments:
Pray daily that the next Conclave deliver us from this scourge: MEMORARE, Remember O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired with this confidence, I fly to thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother; to thee do I come; before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.
Sophia here: AMEN! William, she is, after all, the Mother of the Church!
William, Amen. I have been around since Pius XII was Pope and have never experienced a vacuous empty and corrupt empty cassock like this guy. A total joke unless you are an idiot
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