Bishop Brown takes the stand

Bishop Tod Brown's testimony regarding the sex abuse in the diocese was released and revealed, among other things that there was an allegation that he had molested a boy he taught in a Catechism class in 1965. In fairness to Brown, the allegations were investigated by police and he was not charged. But there are many other sad facts regarding current issues and how things are handled by the diocese.

Considering that as recently as 2005, which interestingly enough, is when the current case at Mater Dei happened, the diocese paid out about $100 million for sex abuse cases, one must wonder when the allegations and pay outs will stop.

Comments

[the other Jimbo]

Well, you know the allegation about Brown isn't true - he would never teach a Catechism class.

[carlos]

As part of the settlement, thousands of church documents were released that showed church officials sometimes allowed clergy to stay in the priesthood. In his deposition, Brown admitted he never read any of those records, instead relying on his diocese attorneys to review them.

Wow. I understand that a bishop's position allows for delegation of some duties. It's one thing to delegate the hiring of school teachers to a principal, it's quite another to delegate the faculties of priests to a group of lawyers. Given the position that priests are in--caring for the souls of their parishioners--I think it would make a lot of sense for a newly-appointed bishop to review the records of each priest whenever the bishop takes office. Perhaps if that had been done, such problems wouldn't have been overlooked.

[Atlanta Catholic]

How uncharitable and evil for Bishop Tod Brown to expose other priests who also might, (I say "MIGHT") have had false allegations against them. Bishop Tod Brown had zero problem with throwing their names out to the world. None of this is an accident. Now, Bishop Tod Brown has zero credibility to be the lead shepherd of the Diocese of Orange. Bishop Brown covered up an important accusation to save his own skin. He would have at least appeared to be open, had he disclosed the accusation. This does not work well in his favor. What else does he lie about?

This disclosure about Bishop Tod Brown has done incredible damage to the faithful. Bishop Tod Brown needs to telephone every priest who he exposed, (who also had just been accused without being charged)and beg their forgiveness for being a coward to come clean about himself being accused. He was a false hero, serving others up on the platter while he knew he should have shared the spotlight.

Bishop Tod Brown and his nest of defenders do not love the Teachings of the Church. They are disobedient to the Magisterium when they can get away with it. They have spread a false, watered down version of our Catholic Faith. By their attempts to seal records shall you know them. When you lift up a rock and shine the light of truth, the insects run for cover in the form of sealed records.
Pay attention to the method that God allows to expose false shepherds. They are self-destructive and eventually exposed.

Bishop Tod Brown is reaping the benefits of lying to the faithful with his Covenant with the Faithful.. This is not to say he is guilty or not guilty of molesting. That truth will come out also. He is exposed for lying to the faithful regarding his promise to be "open" and "transparent"! Well he's certainly transparent now. "Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when at first we practice to deceive".

How unbelievable that a Catholic Bishop's excuse for this lie is...."I didn't come clean because it wasn't true"! Why did you waste $90,000 dollars of hard earned money on a public relations stunt, called the Covenant with the Faithful?

I will pray for Bishop Brown. He has been disloyal to Christ's Church, embarrassed Christ's Church, and been cruel to the faithful. It is time for Bishop Tod Brown to cry "uncle" to God to help him. That is his only hope.

[Tomyj]

It is truly a sad day for the Catholics of Orange. All the I-told-you-so's will have a field day, much like in Boston. I see his as a human weakness, not a progressive or conservative trait. I pray for all of us humans to put our selfishness, pride, jealousies aside and seek God's love and forgiveness. God will forgive him. Will we?

[Jay]

Tomyj, I see it as a lying trait!

Please give up the political words, whether progressive or conservative.

Bishop Brown is supposed to be a Roman Catholic bishop in union with the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI. Isn't that what he claims, at least on paper? So why doesn't he act like a Roman Catholic bishop in union with the Holy Father? Maybe it's because he doesn't believe what the Catholic Church teaches!

By their fruits you shall know them. When you cover up crimes that cry to heaven for vengeance, you surely aren't a believing or practicing Catholic bishop!

When this sad bishop and others like him, tell priests not to celebrate the extraordinary form of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, or that if they do they will be removed from their parishes, such bishops aren't doing what Pope Benedict XVI has told them to do.

It doesn't take a theologian to figure out that Bishop Brown is not in union with the Holy Father!

We had all better seek God's forgiveness for our sins of commission and ommission, starting with Bishop Tod Brown!

Bishop Brown needs to resign, along with Cardinal Roger Mahony. Cardinal Mahony publicly declared that Cardinal Law should resign when the sex abuse scandal hit Boston. What was good enough for Cardinal Law is surely good enough for Bishop Brown and Cardinal Mahony!

Pride is the root of all of this!

[Tomyj]

Jay, I agree with you, mostly. Vatican II still provides Catholics with the Constitution of the Church. The pope and every other Catholic have an obligation to adhere to it. It's when everyone goes their own way, the finger-pointing and name-calling start. Throw into the mix, the weaknesses of the human being and it really gets messy. Thank God for... God, the one constant!

[kim]

What ever happened to remembering the children?? As a mother
I strive to protect my children against rapist and molesters. Why is the Catholic Church allowing this to happen to our children?We as parents should not trust our Priest with our children. It is a SAD reality!

The allegation against the basketball coach at Mater Dei is not the first. Many more girls will come forward. Mate Dei needs to make a stand against child voilators. It is purely EVIL what is happening to the children.

ANYONE that has in the past 20 years covered up allegations of the many Priests and lay men including Ramos, Pecharich and Jeff Andrade should be held accountable.

Climbing the Catholic political ladder should not compromise the security of our children. EVER! Your priority is to protect the children! we as Catholic parents entrust to you to teach morality.
YOU are expected to teach the teachings of Jesus Christ, to model HIS life to our children. If you are the perpetrator or the one that closed your eyes to the allegations you both are just as EVIL as the molester! You allowed the rape and molestation to continue time and time again. You held the knowlege in your hands to directly stop the rape of a child/children and you did
NOTHING!!!! SHAME on the men of the Catholic Church that allowed child rapist to terrorize our children. SHAME on you!