The report that Pope Benedict XVI had offered a Mass in St. Peter’s in the vernacular, while turning his back on the congregation, was obviously seen by the reporter as a victorious rapprochement between liberal and conservative liturgists.

Rather, the action epitomizes the growing gulf between the hierarchy and laity. No matter how many encyclicals on “ Hope” fly off from the Vatican’s printing press, they will disintegrate in the fire of disillusionment fanned by such actions as Cardinal George’s running for and accepting the honor of leadership for the National Council of Catholic Bishops, despite the rising swell of lay voices begging him not to run for the office because of his negligence in allowing child abuser, Father Daniel McCormack , to remain in active ministry after his crimes had been discovered, ignored, and hidden from the faithful.

From the blog, “The Cafeteria Is Closed,” we learn that Bishops Kicanas had felt it unfair to refuse McCormack’s ordination to the priesthood because of his abusing boys as young as eight years old, and having sexual relations with seminarians.

In his first assignment at St. Ailbe’s in the Calumet Heights neighborhood, McCorfmack is still remembered for his Thursday Masses for the school children. In the words of the parish director of development, Sister Kathryn Harnett, “He was marvelous. It was absolutely marvelous to watch. He knew how to get their attention, and he could really speak to them.”

Later, alluding to his background at the University of St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein, Illinois, McCormack said, “Through my many experiences in the seminary, I just happened to fall in love with and be nourished by the unique experience of hospitality, music, preaching and the vibrant faith of the black community.”

During October of 2007, an archdiocese audit found Mundelein seminary officials had learned in 1992 of three separate allegations of sexual misconduct by McCormack during his time at Niles College and St. Mary of the Lake. Two years later, he was ordained and assigned as associate pastor at St. Ailbe.

In October of 1999, a 4th grader, who was interested in becoming an altar boy, reported to the school principal that McCormack had asked him to pull down his pants so he could be measured.

Upon being confronted by the principal, McCormack said he had used poor judgment, and the boy’s mother asked that the matter be dropped.

Another mother reported that McCormack had molested her 8-year old son twice when he was alone with the priest after Mass, once on Dec. 1, 2003, and again on that Christmas Eve.

McCormack was arrested and detained on Aug. 30, a day after Cardinal Francis George had approved his promotion to head a West Side deanery, with some leadership responsibilities for 20 parishes. He was not charged with a crime, due to insufficient evidence.

Archdiocese officials told McCormack he was not to be alone with children and designated another priest to monitor him. Days later, when the monitor went out of town on Labor Day weekend, McCormack took three boys to Minnesota on a shopping trip.

When the monitor left again briefly over Christmas, McCormack allegedly abused another boy.

The next Saturday, Father Dan was arrested and charged. Prosecutors said the priest had abused a boy on the basketball team two or three times a month for nearly three years.

McCormack pleaded guilty to molesting five boys and was sentenced to five years in prison. Legal authorities say he may serve half the time.

From the Web site, www.bishop-accountability.org, we find on 02/2008– Susan Hogan’s article, “The Cardinal, His Men and the McCormack Legacy,” where she wrote: Two years ago this month, the Rev. Daniel McCormack was arrested for molesting boys. He’s in prison now. And the top leaders in the Archdiocese of Chicago who might have stopped him have risen in their church positions.

Cardinal Francis George: At the height of the sexual abuse scandals in 2002, U.S. Catholic bishops adopted a policy calling for the removal of any priest credibly accused of child molestation. Beforehand, George had argued repeatedly on national television that the zero tolerance policy was too stringent. McCormack was first picked up by police in August, 2005, but not charged. The cardinal’s review board recommended that the priest be removed from ministry, the archdiocese said. But the cardinal refused. McCormack went on to abuse other children. He pleaded guilty last July and was sent to prison. Four months later, the cardinal was elected president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Bishop George Rassas: When McCormack was first arrested in 2005, Rassas was the archdiocese’s vicar general. Despite the arrest, he allowed McCormack to receive a priestly promotion. The priest was kept in the West Side parish he served and went on to abuse more children. McCormack was arrested again in 2006. A few weeks later, Rassas was made an auxilliary bishop.

Chancellor Jimmy Lago: Lago oversees the offices that handle sexual abuse. After McCormack’s 2006 arrest, Lago told another media outlet that he regretted “that he was on vacation” when the priest was first arrested in 2005. And “not in the loop” when a school principal came forward in 1999 with the first allegation against the priest. Not aware of McCormack? Really? Lago called for a so-called “independent” investigation into how McCormack slipped through the archdiocese’s system. In releasing the report, the tough talking chancellor was hailed as a hero with unquestioning acceptance by the Chicago Tribune. The cardinal bestowed Lago with even greater responsibility in handling abuse. The question not raised: should Lago have been fired?

Vicar General Canary: The Rev. John Canary was vice rector of Mundelein Seminary when McCormack was studying for the priesthood. Mundelein officials learned in 1992 about sexual accusations against McCormack involving two adult males and a minor. The incidents began in 1988 when McCormack was at a seminary known as Niles College, where Canary previously worked, according to archdiocesan reports. Canary said the allegations were noted in seminary records, which then “disappeared.” Canary later became seminary rector. In 2006, he was appointed vicar general, a position that became open when Rassas was elevated to auxiliary bishop.

Bishop Gerald Kicanas: While rector of Mundelein Seminary in the 1990s, Tucson Bishop Gerald Kicanas says he knew about three reports of “sexual improprieties” against then-seminarian Daniel McCormack. Still, Kicanas supported McCormack’s ordination, he recently told the Sun-Times. “It would have been grossly unfair not to have ordained him: Kicanas said. “There was a sense that his activity was part of the developmental process and that he had learned from the experience. I was more concerned about his drinking. We sent him to counseling for that.” McCormack was ordained in 1994. The following year, Kicanas became a Chicago auxilliary bishop and in 2001, a bishop of Tucson. Two months ago, he was elected vice president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Obviously, both Cardinal George and Bishop Kicanas felt their negligence in the McCormack affair no detriment to their leadership roles for our American Catholic Bishops. It is as though they were convinced that their elevation to those prestigious posts would restore their credibility before their fellow bishops, as well as the American Catholic laity. .

Most of us are not so naive as to presume this is the case. Rather, I sadly suspect, many bishops, priests and laity have turned their minds and hearts away from deliberations flowing from the Bishops’ Conference, just as Pope Benedict XVI turned his back on the people at that Mass in St. Peter’s, though doubtlessly unconscious of the implications he was making to the laity.

Lord, during this season of Lent, give us the courage to face the problems in our Church today, this Church we have loved and served for so many years, a Church that has lost the trust of our people, who find themselves adrift, without spiritual leaders to guide them through the shallows of a society that offers little spiritual nourishment or direction.

Too long have we been silent before abuses that cry to Heaven for vengeance, because we thought silence a holy alternative to the scandal of discussing secrets too painful for thought, much less speech. And in the silence, our churches are becoming empty, shepherds disheartened, and sheep left wandering in deserts of disbelief.

Lord, we beg your forgiveness for our cowardice and indifference. Help us to build a new Church for struggling laity and clergy, for the old and those of middle years, and to bring our young people home again. Amen.

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