Catholic Priest Who Aids Church Sexual Abuse Victims Loses Job as Military Chaplain
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/29/us/catholic-priest-who-aids-church-sexual-abuse-victims-loses-job-military-chaplain.html
Twenty years ago, the Rev. Thomas Doyle warned the nation's Roman Catholic bishops about the church's looming sexual abuse nightmare. Since then, he has become a hero to the victims, speaking out on their behalf and helping them in legal cases in recent years.
In doing so, Father Doyle also became a thorn in the side of the church hierarchy.
In the latest chapter of his turbulent career, Father Doyle was quietly removed from his job as an Air Force chaplain in a clash with his archbishop over pastoral issues.
He lost his endorsement as a chaplain from the Archdiocese of Military Services in September, a decision that until now had not become public. The leader of the Archdiocese of Military Services, Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien, said Father Doyle had flouted his guidelines about requiring daily Mass for Catholics on military bases and other pastoral issues.
But the demotion has outraged abuse victims and their advocates, who point to the last several years of scandals as affirmation of Father Doyle's longstanding concerns. They say they suspect he was reassigned in retaliation by the church hierarchy. And it has produced a messy coda to a military career that Father Doyle said he loved deeply.
Father Doyle had served as an Air Force chaplain since 1986. He was at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany from 2001 until September, when he was transferred to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base near Goldsboro, N.C., where he now provides drug and alcohol counseling services but does not serve as a chaplain.
Speaking from Bamberg, Germany, Archbishop O'Brien rejected suggestions that he was punishing Father Doyle. He said that since he became archbishop seven years ago, he had tolerated the priest's criticisms of the hierarchy even if they were sometimes ''over the top.''
He also said he could have waited until Father Doyle retired in August and avoided the turmoil. ''But I can't abdicate my pastoral responsibility because of what some others who are rather deeply involved in the sex-abuse issue would conclude,'' he said.
Father Doyle declined to characterize his reassignment as punitive. ''I don't think it would be fair for me to say yes it is, no it isn't,'' he said. He said he did not want to ''pick a fight'' with his archbishop and was neither angry nor bitter. However, he acknowledged that his role as victim's advocate ''has not been received well by many bishops.''
Twenty years ago, the Rev. Thomas Doyle warned the nation's Roman Catholic bishops about the church's looming sexual abuse nightmare. Since then, he has become a hero to the victims, speaking out on their behalf and helping them in legal cases in recent years.
In doing so, Father Doyle also became a thorn in the side of the church hierarchy.
In the latest chapter of his turbulent career, Father Doyle was quietly removed from his job as an Air Force chaplain in a clash with his archbishop over pastoral issues.
He lost his endorsement as a chaplain from the Archdiocese of Military Services in September, a decision that until now had not become public. The leader of the Archdiocese of Military Services, Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien, said Father Doyle had flouted his guidelines about requiring daily Mass for Catholics on military bases and other pastoral issues.
But the demotion has outraged abuse victims and their advocates, who point to the last several years of scandals as affirmation of Father Doyle's longstanding concerns. They say they suspect he was reassigned in retaliation by the church hierarchy. And it has produced a messy coda to a military career that Father Doyle said he loved deeply.
Father Doyle had served as an Air Force chaplain since 1986. He was at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany from 2001 until September, when he was transferred to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base near Goldsboro, N.C., where he now provides drug and alcohol counseling services but does not serve as a chaplain.
Speaking from Bamberg, Germany, Archbishop O'Brien rejected suggestions that he was punishing Father Doyle. He said that since he became archbishop seven years ago, he had tolerated the priest's criticisms of the hierarchy even if they were sometimes ''over the top.''
He also said he could have waited until Father Doyle retired in August and avoided the turmoil. ''But I can't abdicate my pastoral responsibility because of what some others who are rather deeply involved in the sex-abuse issue would conclude,'' he said.
Father Doyle declined to characterize his reassignment as punitive. ''I don't think it would be fair for me to say yes it is, no it isn't,'' he said. He said he did not want to ''pick a fight'' with his archbishop and was neither angry nor bitter. However, he acknowledged that his role as victim's advocate ''has not been received well by many bishops.''
adam on Thursday 29 April 2004 - 23:14:13