Courtney McGrailDear Editor, I have some concerns upon reading Phil Lawler’s review of the film Spotlight in his report ‘A feisty reporter’s book corrects for the Hollywood bias of Spotlight’ (IC 19/11/2015).
Whatever about the agenda and hypocrisy of The Boston Globe there can be no lessening of the reality that the leadership of the Catholic Church in Boston bears sole responsibility for the catastrophe that has befallen hundreds of innocent victims abused by priests of the archdiocese.
Mr Lawler makes reference to “feisty, underdog” reporter David F. Pierre’s self-published book Sins of the Press and writes: “If you want a balanced view of the drama that played out in Boston, see Mr Pierre’s book.”
I have not yet read Mr Pierre’s book. I am not encouraged to do so, however, by some of Phil Lawler’s comments on the work. Among the defects highlighted by Mr Lawler are David Pierre’s “failure to give credit where credit is due” and more alarmingly “in his zeal to protect the Church from unjust criticism he (Mr Pierre) sometimes defends the indefensible”.
Any work that “defends the indefensible” cannot be recommended as a “balanced view” of the scandal in Boston and throughout the Universal Church. There are still too many, in the Church – laity, clergy and bishops – who believe the tragedies, visited upon innocent and unsuspecting young Catholics, by some predatory clerics, are part of some ‘conspiracy’ to discredit the Church.
There can be no minimising, anymore, of the abomination that was covered up by bishops and priests, assisted by docile and complicit, usually influential, lay accomplices. The only appropriate response from the Catholic Church, to the crimes committed by some of its priests and religious, is abject sorrow and profound penitence. The victims of these “egregious crimes” (Pope Benedict XVI) must not be left out of our considerations and outreach, in the soon approaching Jubilee of Mercy.
Yours etc.,
Fr Patrick McCafferty,
Crossgar, Co. Down.