In my last post, I included links to two Blog posts written by Father Emile "Mike" Boutin and posted at the Men in Black Blog. These links are not working because someone has apparently deleted the Blog posts in question. The first post was entitled simply "Sexual Abuse" and was posted on April 8, 2010. This was the post where Father Boutin wrote, "Should priests be celibate today? No. Celibacy should be its own charism in the Church, for those who are called to it."
The second Blog post which appears to have been deleted was entitled "Who's to blame? The Sexual Abuse Scandal, Part 2" and was posted on April 16, 2010. This was the Blog post where Father Boutin wrote, "..contrary to Cardinal Bertone's absolutely outlandish claims, there are no studies that suggest that homosexuality is the cause of this scandal, but there certainly are plenty of studies that loudly proclaim that the attitudes of bishops like Cardinal Bertone certainly contributed to the climate that encouraged it." In the same post, Father Boutin writes, "..one of the 'serial offenders' was my friend and priest mentor. He was the pastor of my home parish, and served as my priest mentor in a number of parishes I worked in during the summer while in the seminary. On the day of my ordination, he was chosen by me to put the priestly vestment, the chasuble, over my head for the first time. He abused countless altar boys, including most of the ones who served at my First Mass as a priest….I don’t look at my own ordination or First Mass pictures any more…Why won’t I name him? Why don’t I just print his name here and destroy his life the way he destroyed so many other lives? Because I can’t….and that’s part of the problem."
I'll say. Most assuredly part of the problem. The Code of Silence.
These Blog posts are disturbing. For not only do they show Father Boutin's opposition to clerical celibacy, but they provide snapshots of the mind of a Catholic priest who seems to believe that homosexuality has not been at the root of most of the clerical abuse cases [even though numerous studies have shown otherwise] and who is willing to cast aspersions on faithful Bishops such as Cardinal Bertone while protecting a "serial offender."
Small wonder these posts have been deleted. The Men in Black campaign is supposed to be a vehicle for promoting vocations to the Diocesan priesthood. But the Men in Black Blog authored by Father Boutin was being used as a vehicle for promoting dissent.
Our sad time.
Oh and by the way, these posts may have been deleted. But I made copies.
Devilish is a good word for it. Posts which suddenly disappear? Deeds done in darkness.
ReplyDeletePatheos.com? I think Pathos.com would be more appropriate. To have firsthand knowledge of crimes against children and to refuse to come forward is demonic. And sick.
ReplyDeleteThe prayer group will be meeting at the house in Mason. Looking forward to your talk on Utilitarianism.
ReplyDeletePeace of Christ to you Paul!
The Men in Black Blog has this notice up at Fr. Boutin's posts:
ReplyDelete"Update by Admin: On June 30, some posts by this author were temporarily removed. Those posts were restored on July 1."
The tactic didn't work. Since you exposed the posts, there is no point in hiding them. There is a schism being prepared in Boston. Fr. Boutin is merely one agitator in a small army of malcontents who really hate the Church.
Canon Law states that, "Clerics are obliged to observe perfect and perpetual continence for the sake of the kingdom of heaven and therefore are obliged to observe celibacy, which is a special gift of God..." (Canon 277).
Fr. Boutin has publically rejected this point of Church law. Is the Cardinal concerned? At all?
Alzina, I don't believe he stated that he had firsthand knowledge of crimes against children. He stated that after the fact, he found out that his mentor had abused children, and he found out who some of his victims were. There is enough actual sickness and heartbreak in this than to create more.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, you couldn't be more wrong. Read Father Boutin's own words very carefully: "..one of the 'serial offenders' was my friend and priest mentor. He was the pastor of my home parish, and served as my priest mentor in a number of parishes I worked in during the summer while in the seminary. On the day of my ordination, he was chosen by me to put the priestly vestment, the chasuble, over my head for the first time. He abused countless altar boys, including most of the ones who served at my First Mass as a priest...I don't look at my ordination or First Mass pictures any more...Why won't I name him? Why don't I just print his name here and destroy his life the way he destroyed so many other lives? Because I can't...and that's part of the problem."
ReplyDeleteFather Boutin is speaking here of a priest who has abused children and whose name has not been connected as of yet to such sexual abuse. Which is why he writes, "Why don't I just print his name here and destroy his life the way he destroyed so many other lives"?
If the priest whom Father Boutin refers to as a "serial offender" had already been exposed as a sexual predator, his good name would already have suffered damage and Father's words wouldn't make any sense.
I have just rejected another comment by an anonymous individual who wrote, "I believe as Christians, we need to agree that anyone involved in accusations, both the accuser and accused needs prayers. The justice system also needs to do their part...innocent until proven guilty...and investigations need to take place to find facts."
ReplyDeleteSounds good no? But then this individual asserts that Father Boutin's reputation is being tarnished by "an accusation and vendetta by a young man."
Gosh, this must be the objectivity anonymous (and by the way, why anonymous?) is talking about. After correctly saying that an investigation is needed to "find facts," anonymous assures us that "the accuser" is engaging in "a vendetta" against Father Boutin.
But if this is "a vendetta," why was Father Boutin not identified by name? The man who accused him of indecent assault and battery gave police a license plate which was traced back to the priest.
And now anonymous, perhaps you can understand why I have deleted several of your comments. You're not interested in facts. You're only interested in crafting an apologia.
I remain concerned over the fact that Father Boutin has written that his priest mentor has abused "countless" boys but that he cannot name him.
The Boston Herald reported that, "a 21-year-old man told police he pulled into the Park & Ride lot off Route 138 in Canton and walked into the woods to urinate.
ReplyDeleteShortly after noticing a 'No Trespassing' sign, the man turned and spotted a man behind him. Suddenly, the other man sexually assaulted the 21-year-old through his shorts, police said.
The victim ran back to his car, saw his assailant get into a green Toyota sedan, and took down the license plate number, police said. The man reported the incident to state police, who traced the car to Walpole, where local police found the car and Boutin, sweating heavily, standing in the driveway of an address belonging to Blessed Sacrament."
Why was Father Boutin sweating heavily? Was he nervous about something?