Here are links to reports, events, and news articles related to the decisions of Bishop Grahmann and the leadership crisis in the Dallas Diocese and throughout our entire Catholic Church.  It is a crisis that sadly appears to be reflected in the leadership of far too many bishops. Where is concern for the victims?

The most recent additions to this list are placed first:

1. "Still Partly Cloudy: 'Clearing' of diocese doesn't tell whole story" is the 7/1/05 editorial in the Dallas Morning News addressing the recent discision by the District Attorneys office reported on 6-28-05.

2. On 6-28-05 the Dallas Monring News published "DA says diocese won't be charged: Bishop pleased after grand jury finds abuse claims handled properly".

3. On 6-28-05 at 9PM on HBO "Twist of Faith" will be shown about one victims experience searching for justice following his sexual abuse by a Catholic Priest.  An interview with him is online at http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/twistoffaith/interview_kirbydick.html.

4. On 3-13-05 the Dallas Morning News had three opinion pieces related to the Catholic Sexual Abuse Crisis:
   Could it happen to you? Laura Beil writes about her cousin, a Catholic school teacher, possibly falsely imprisoned for sexual abuse.
   In the shadows of fear: Even the accused deserve fair treatment an Dallas Morning News editorial response to Laura Beil.
   Worry about the victims a response from David Clohessy is national director of Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests.
   'Not to be trusted' a response from Rev. Joseph F. Wilson, a Catholic priest.

5. On 2-8-05 a Dallas Morning News editorial was titled "Diocese of Denial: Good on DA for investigating church" and followed up on the front page article, "Diocese faces DA inquiry."
    

6. On 2-7-05 there were two articles in the Dallas Morning News related to two separate situations with Dallas Diocesan priests.  One was arrested for Child pornography and another resigned due to separate allegations regarding child abuse. An investigation by the DA's office of possible failure to report child abuse by the Diocese was initiated. A email notice of the investigation was almost immediately sent out by the Texas Catholic with links to an online Texas Catholic article on the investigation. (Note: the original notice that this link went to 2-7-05 was moved and as of 2-8-05 it could not be located on the Texas Catholic web site.)
    

7. On 1-30-05 a letter written 5-21-93 to Bishop Grahmann was located by Bill Betzen in his files. It was written when he was Administrator over Catholic Counseling Services.  It contained recommendations related to the handling of the Rudy Kos scandal that was becoming public at that time.  The recommendations were never followed.
    

8. On 7-26-04 the National Catholic Reporter posted a crucial commentary by Thomas Fox called, "When a pope is not a pontiff."  He closes with, "The word "pontiff" comes from the Latin root, "bridge." We expect a pontiff to be a bridge builder among Catholics. Unfortunately, this has not happened. The vital work of bridge building awaits our next pope."
    

9. On 7-1-04 in the Dallas Morning News Rod Dreher wrote "Blowing the Whistle" describing some of the events and thinking that led to yesterday's news article exposing the accused priest in Arlington, a priest he deeply respected. It is fascinating reading and underscores the need for an online database of priests in good standing.
    

10. Wednesday, 6-30-04, on the front page of the Metro section of the Dallas Morning News, is an article entitled "Accused priest led Mass in Arlington." It spoke of a priest who apparently had been at an Arlington parish for several months without proper authorization.  A person has searched his name on the Internet and found out he had allegedly molested a boy in Pennsylvania. The FW Diocese was contacted and verified what the Morning News had found out.  The priest was removed on 6-29-04.
     

11. Tuesday, 6-29-04, the Dallas Morning News published a back page story, "Downtown cathedral tower to grow" about the ground breaking for the start of construction, delayed 106 years, to finish the steeple of the Cathedral. A photo of Bishop Grahmann with James M. Moroney, retired publisher of the Dallas Morning News and the father of the current publisher, was with the printed article. Moroney spoke of personal ties to the Cathedral, attending Mass there going back 50 years.  He had given $500,000 for the new tower bells.
     

12. On Sunday 6-27-04 the Dallas Morning News published a full page editorial as well as 8 opinion pieces from Catholic leaders, and many letters to the editor, all generated by their investigative series started on 6-20-04 called "Runaway Priests".
     

13. Good news of progress: the 6-26-04 Statement by Albany NY Bishop Howard J. Hubbard regarding the completed investigation of allegations against him involving sexual abuse.
     

14. A series of investigative reports were published the week of 6-20-04 by the Dallas Morning News regarding the international trafficking in predator priests within the Catholic Church, apparently with the approval of several bishops. All of the reports from this year long investigation are online at http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/religion/stories/062004dnpropriestoverview.
     

15. Liturgy of Lament was an event that happened Sunday May 30, 2004.  May God bless the people who planned this holy event.

    

     

16. In May of 2004 the play "Sin: A Cardinal Disposed" has been playing in several locations including Boston and Chicago. It is one view of the sexual abuse crisis within the Catholic Church. A proposed play on the similar tragedy that happened in Dallas, well before the Boston tragedy, is "Bishop Charles Grahmann Testified." It was composed by Bishop Charles Grahmann and Windle Turley as Mr. Turley questioned Bishop Grahmann during the Kos Liability trial. It is taken from the trial testimony, from line 11 of page 7598 through line 19 of page 7616. A full copy can be found at "Bishop Charles Grahmann Testified."
     

17. On 4-25-04 there were articles in two New Jersey newspapers, the Philadelphia Inquirer and  Courier Post,  regarding the welcoming of Bishop Joseph Galante as the bishop of Camden.  Both articles spoke of the presumption in 1999 that Bishop Grahmann would resign within 2 years, and the resulting tensions when this expectation was ignored.
     

18. On 3-3-04 the Dallas Morning News printed an exceptionally painful editorial: "Priestly Abuse."  In it they claimed, "Investigators looking at church files in nearly every diocese found not one scrap of paper on which a supervising bishop recorded his outrage over a priest's molestation of a child.
    Not one."  
    Apparently this damning statement is drawn from statements on page 94 of  A Report on the Crisis in the Catholic Church in the United States, (released on 2-27-04 by the National Review Board for the Protection of Children & Young People) and also from footnote #39 on that same page. If this conclusion is accurate, then the Catholic leadership disaster is infinitely bigger than 99.9% of Catholics have ever suspected.  If over 4,000 priests can molest over 10,000 children, and along the way not even one bishop ever writes out in agony over the pain caused to even one of these thousands of innocent victims, then we have a much bigger problem than anyone has ever anticipated. Please, let the Church and the public come forward with evidence that fully refutes this statement a thousand times over!
                                                  If there is no refutation what do we do?
     

19. At 7:00 PM on Wednesday, March 24th at the Umphrey Lee Ballroom, 3300 Dyer Street, Dallas, there will be a presentation by Author Jason Berry, author of "Vows of Silence, The Abuse of Power in the Papacy of John Paul II" (One review of this book dated 2-6-04 is posted below. It says simply that "The church should read this book.")  For more information you may also contact Cliff or Claudette Allen. This should be a powerful presentation. Details are described in a flyer about the Berry presentation being distributed. You may share it with anyone who may be interested.
     
20. At 7:00 PM on Tuesday, March 23, 2004, at the Catholic Renewal Center of North Texas, 4503 Bridge Street,  Fort Worth, there will be an event named "Our Agony in the Garden." This location is the former convent at Bishop Nolan High School.  The Center phone # is 817-429-2920 for directions. This will be an open forum following on the reports released by the US. Conference of Catholic Bishops.  Details are described in this flyer being distributed. You may share it with anyone who may be interested. You may read the released reports online at http://www.usccb.org/nrb/index.htm to prepare for this potentially healing evening.
     
21. On 2-27-04 two reports authorized by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops were released. One report was on the extent of the abuse by the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. The other report was on the reasons for the abuse crisis by the National Review Board.  Copies are now online at http://www.usccb.org/nrb/index.htm.  After reading these reports a person is forced to ask two questions: "Why have more bishops not resigned?" and, "How are Catholic Bishops different from the 'High Priests' who yelled 'Crucify Him!'?"  Why has not a single Catholic Bishop asked Rome to allow him to resign so as to serve personally as a parish priest in one of the parishes victimized by an abusing priest there by his orders? Where is an example of humility and concern for our parishes?
     
22. On 2-6-04 the National Catholic Reporter published a powerful review by TOM ROBERTS on VOWS OF SILENCE: THE ABUSE OF POWER IN THE PAPACY OF JOHN PAUL II, By Jason Berry and Gerald Renner
     
23. On 1-25-04 the Dallas Morning News printed an impressively sensitive statement, Revisiting 'Yes, Virginia' edit, regarding additional steps they should have taken before printing the 11-18-03 editorial called Yes, Virginia – Bishop did disparage background checks.
     
24. On 1-12-04 a 2002 quote of Bishop Yanta of Amarillo was found: "The communication of the truth is not a universal right." It was found online at  http://amywelborn.typepad.com/openbook/2004/01/amarillo_blues.html. Placing the exact words of this quote into quotation marks on www.google.com you can locate several web pages where it was quoted as being said by Bishop Yanta as he defended the Amarillo Diocese and its' bringing of priests who had sexually molested into the diocese without telling parishioners. Apparently a 9-1-02 Dallas Morning News article, "Diocese was silent on accused priests" is the original source.  It is interesting that Bishop Yanta is the only person quoted on the entire Internet (as indexed in Google) as having made such a statement! It is also sadly interesting how that quote is very similar to the statements of Bishop Grahmann during the Kos Liability trial where he says he does not consider it necessary to tell Catholic parents and children in the diocese that it is against diocesan policy for children to spend the night in the rectory or to go on overnight trips with a priest unaccompanied. (See Page 7854, line 25 to page 7856, line 20 of the trial transcript.)  Why is such secrecy supported by these two bishops? It certainly contrasts with the guiding statement: "Grace in Truth, Not in Secrecy."
     
25. Friday, 1-9-04, there was an excellent editorial in the Dallas Morning News: Priests' Child Abuse: Audit is good first step, but more is needed
     
26. Monday, 1-5-04, there were three articles in the Dallas Morning News. The front page had a headlined article, Bishops to report on abuse, that also pointed inside to the a related article, Dallas Diocese reports 48 'credible' cases since 1950. The front page of the metro section had an article, with three photos, of the last Sunday for Fr. Paul Weinberger at Blessed Sacrament Parish; Bidding farewell to parish.
     
27. Bishop Grahmann begins 2004 with another management mistake. The damage is documented in a 12-28-03 Dallas Morning News opinion piece by Rod Dreher regarding Blessed Sacrament Parish and Fr. Paul Weinberger: This priest shouldn't be moved   (Here is a photo of Blessed Sacrament Church with Dallas skyline.)
     
28. The Kentucky Post published an article 12-8-03 about a Catholic bishop some people say "gets it." The article title, "Foys' personal touch," points to what may be the most consistently missing factor, personal involvement, among bishops who don't "get it.":
     
29. Dallas Morning News Cyberletters for Thursday 12-4-03 had another letter reflecting the damage done to our Catholic Bishop's credibility in other moral issues due to the sexual abuse crisis. Then on 12-7-03 the Dallas Morning News editorial, Catholic Politicians: Bishops undermine their own criticism, strongly reinforced the rights of, and the need for, all religious leaders to speak out on moral issues. But the editorial added that "the country's Catholic bishops deliberate ... with their moral authority greatly diminished by the sex abuse scandal. The rules they adopted to clean up the mess don't include provisions for holding themselves concretely responsible for the abominable crimes against children they allowed. These churchmen would be a lot more persuasive in holding Catholic politicians to account for what they regard as serious moral failures in governance if they held themselves to an equally strong standard."
     
30. As a reminder of one of the heroes who emerged during this leadership tragedy read a letter about Fr. Robert Williams that was published in the Dallas Morning News on 7-8-2002: A true hero emerged from the priest sex scandal
     
31. Dallas bishop moves on famed pastor, parish - Diocesan spokesman derides adherence to liturgical norms, a December 3, 2003 article linked to through the Seattle Catholic
     
32. The 11-30-03 editorial in the San Antonio Express-News entitled "Editorial: Church lawyer's secret offers lessons for us all" had been repeated in many other papers throughout the nation in different words and from different perspectives but with the same conclusion. Secrecy was not intended to protect the victims. Instead secrecy was only to protect Catholic Church leadership.  In the process it allowed more children to be victimized. Children paid the price.
     
33. In mid-November 2003 there was an editorial in Park Cities Peoples newspaper entitled  The Bishop’s Bad Week. It gave the most recent summary of the painful history Catholics have been living here in Dallas with our current bishop.
     
34. The 11-18-03 Morning News Editorial, Yes, Virginia – Bishop did disparage background checks, was a powerful statement. It may lead a Catholic to ask, "Why does a secular newspaper appear to show more upset over the disastrous leadership of Bishop Grahmann that we as Catholics appear to have? Do Dallas Catholics (other than just the few thousand or so who have stepped forward to voice concern) know what is happening?"
     
35. The DeOre cartoon from the Sunday, 11-16-03, Dallas Morning News has a clear message.
    (Click image to see full sized cartoon.)  
     
36. On 11-13-03 an article, "'Enormous' hurdles seen in screening foreign priests," was posted to the Dallas Morning News web site Religion Section. It quoted a larger part of Bishop Grahmann's question at the Bishops Conference than was quoted in the 11-12 Miami Herald article. The Dallas paper quoted him as asking, "Do we do all of the background checks if somebody wants to come for six weeks, he's on vacation and he wants to help out to make a few bucks?"
     
37. Bishops asked to check priests' backgrounds, is an article, printed 11-12-03 in the Miami Herald and in 20+ other papers across the U.S., wherein Bishop Grahmann is quoted as asking during the Bishop's conference, "Do we all have to do this background check for someone who just wants to come in for six weeks?" Another bishop responded with a strong affirmative. - (What does such a question indicate Bishop Grahmann has learned in the 11 years since the sexual abuse crisis became more public in Dallas?)
     
38. Another lawsuit, in St. Luis, was filed involving the Dallas Diocese and a former priest of the Dallas Diocese, Kenneth Roberts. It was reported in an 11-12-03 article, "Clergy sex abuse lawsuit names author-turned-priest, three dioceses"  from the Kansas City Star. It reported Fr. Kenneth Roberts was allowed by Bishop Grahmann to continue functioning as a Dallas Diocesan priest until 1998 in spite of thousands of dollars in damages paid as recently as 1994 by the diocese due to sexual abuse claims.  The article wrote of sexual abuse allegations going as far back as the 1960's.
     

39. On 11-11-03  Bishop Wilton D. Gregory made the following statement in his Presidential Address to the opening of the Catholic Bishops Meeting: "If the scourge of sexual abuse is to be effectively eliminated, then the energy of the whole Church needs to be directed to this end."

40. Unanswered questions asked of Bishop Grahmann were published online 10-8-03. (Additional questions are welcome.)

41. Bishop Grahmann bars speaker, so group moves event article from 9-19-03 Morning News.

42. Dallas Morning News Editorial, 9-8-03, Disgraced Charity: Bishop should clean up mess that law can't

43. Two other excellent opinion pieces by KERA 90.1 commentator, Marisa Treviño, have been located: Father Ramon - A Commentary, dated 12-6-02, and Bishop Grahmann - A Commentary, dated 6-6-03.

44. Dallas Morning News article: Bishop Grahmann garners support published 8-15-03.

45. Marisa Treviño: Our Little Mexico is fading into past, a Viewpoints article published 7-30-03.

46. On 7-28-03 a Catholic World Report article by Rod Dreher was reposted at http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/953964/posts.  The article was titled: "Showdown in Dallas - An open conflict between two bishops has helped to expose deeper problems in a troubled diocese"

47. Under the title "Dallas Catholics revolt against bishop" the same Associated Press article mentioned below was printed in the Washington Times on 7-26-03.

48. An 800 word Associated Press article about Bishop Grahmann under the title "Religion in the News" appeared in 19 newspapers across the country on 7-25-03 according to Google News.  That same day the Dallas Morning News had an editorial on Priestly Abuse with a very fitting ending sentence: "History will judge the church hierarchy for what it has done; history will judge us all if we let it happen again." Therefore a question may need to be asked: "When are we going to start treating Bishops who have refused to stop abuse differently from the way we have in the past?"

49. Food was thrown away on 7-19-03 after Bishop Grahmann failed to draw over 50 people to a free meal/reception following his Mass for the Disabled which had been advertised both in the Texas Catholic and online at www.cathdal.org/Bishop Grahmann1.htm. Reportedly such turnouts are increasingly common for Bishop Grahmann.

50. On 7-19-03 an Associated Press article was printed  in both the Dallas Morning News (Disgruntled Catholics petition for Dallas bishop's removal) as well as the Houston Chronicle (Petition drive in Dallas seeking bishop's ouster) with slightly different versions picked up by other news media.

51. On 7-16-03 an index of the testimony of the 1997 Rudy Kos Liability Trial was posted online at  www.wearethechurch/kos. As testimony is modified to protect victim confidentiality it will be posted online and hyperlinked to this index. Almost 3 days of this 38 day trial are now online, over 500 pages. (As of 7-19-03 the number of testimony pages available has gone above 2000.)

52. The Dallas Morning News for 7-12-03 the second letter listed in the letters to the Editor had some new information for many of us.  What does "appointed by the Holy Father with mandate" really mean?  Does this really give Bishop Galante full control over the diocese? Then the same issue had an opinion piece by Lee Cullum: Issues of sex particularly divisive for churches with positive information about Bishop Galante.

53. Bishop Charles Grahmann is now the worst remaining bishop in the U.S. according to the listing of America's Worst Bishops by Beliefnet.com. The two bishops listed as worse and above him on this 2002 list, Cardinal Law and Bishop O'Brien, are no longer in power.

54. Another decision by Bishop Grahmann appears to be questionable as described in this linked article, “Bishop Exiles Priest Who Follows Pope's Agenda” by Fr. Joseph F. Wilson.  It about Blessed Sacrament Parish in Dallas and was published in the The Wanderer, July 2003.  (Here is a photo of Blessed Sacrament Church.)

55. 7-7-03 - Dallas Morning News Editorial regarding Fr. Justin Lucio: Disgraced Charity: Bishop should clean up mess that law can't

56. With the placing on hold of the demonstration campaign at the chancery for the summer the document linked by the Coalition Supporting Bishop Grahmann's Resignation homepage link is now being moved to the archives. Activity will now focus on supporting the Concerned Catholics web site at www.concernedcatholics.com

57. For the Cathedral demonstrations July 5, 2003 five new large signs in Spanish emphasizing that it is the Pope's wish that Bishop Grahmann resign were used.  The handout document that was originally made back in February to help explain this issue was copied and made available. Copies of the Spanish and English versions of the petition from the www.concernedcatholics.com web site were also handed out. (Everyone is encouraged to print these documents out and make multiple copies. Circulate them in your parish and among your Catholic friends.)

58. Sunday, 6-29-03, from 8:30 to 11:30AM, was our first demonstration at the Cathedral. It was filmed by all major local TV stations: 23, 11, 8, 5, and 4.  Come join us any time you have available next Sunday morning, July 6th, at the Cathedral!

59. After reading the 6-29-03 Dallas Morning News Sunday Reader section titled "Catholicism Today" you may wonder how our local church would change by next month if Bishop Grahmann were to humbly and quietly resign this week.

60. 6-28-03 - An article with very appropriate questions, The faithful elevate clergy, and clergy come to expect it, but does father really know best?, was published in the Dallas Morning News.

61. 6-28-03 - "The statement of Dallas Bishop Charles Grahmann's spokesman Bronson Havard that lay Catholics who call for accountability on the part of our bishops have "abandoned ecclesiastical community" is patently absurd on theological grounds and on grounds of church tradition." This and other statements from four letters are posted in Cyberletters for Saturday and in Letters for Saturday at the Dallas Morning News web site.

62. Friday, 6-27-03, Associated Press: Bishop facing petition drive, but willing to talk, spokesman says. This and similar articles appeared today in 27+ newspapers throughout the nation based on a Google.com search for "Grahmann".

63. On 6-26-03 Wick Allison wrote the following on the D-Magazine Front Burner:
    "WHEN IT RAINS IT POURS
    On the same day that the Concerned Catholics held their press conference to announce a petition drive to oust the Bishop Grahmann, his testimony in the 1997 Rudy Kos trial has been posted in its entirety on wearethechurch.org. Warning: it is worse than you remember it. Some excerpts:" (Go to Front Burner to see Wick's summary of some of the worst testimony he found online.)

64. 6-26-03 - A Dallas based group calling themselves Committee of Concerned Catholics (see articles below from 6-20-03) today launched their web site at www.concernedcatholics.com to begin an online petition drive to encourage Bishop Grahmann's resignation. It is a powerful site! See Dallas Morning News article dated 6-27-03: Web site targets Grahmann.

65. A copy of Bishop Grahmann's testimony during the Rudy Kos Liability Trial the summer of 1997 is now available on this web site at Bishop Grahmann's Testimony.

66. 6-22-03 Dallas Morning News: Bishops upbeat as Meetings End.
    When asked in St. Louis if action would be taken by the Vatican regarding leadership in Dallas, Vatican representative, Archbishop Montalvo, responded "Certainly" before walking away from the reporter.

67. 6-22-03 The New York Times: Healer Bishops Are Sent to Ease Churches' Pain

68. 6-21-03 Dallas Morning News: "It has been a truly lousy week for my church." begins E. J. Dionne in a Viewpoints column.

69. 6-20-03 St. Anthony's Messenger: Clergy Sex Abuse: Bishop Joseph Galante Responds

70. 6-20-03 Dallas Morning News: Lay group: Grahmann should go (Includes copy of Committees letter to Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo which was sent, and copied to Bishop Grahmann, over 10 days earlier.)

71. 6-20-03 Texas Catholic: Small group threatens campaign to oust bishop (Received in mail by many Catholics on 6-19-03.)

72. The DeOre cartoon from the 6-19-03 Dallas Morning News was modified and sent back to the news as a letter to the editor: (Click hyperlink to see full sized cartoon and letter.)
                       

73. 6-17-03 Dallas Morning News: Arizona Bishop arrested in hit-and-run death and an editorial, Hard Truths: Keating right about Catholic scandal.

74. "Friction is probably inevitable, but it is better than the lay deference and clerical silence that allowed sexual abuse to go unchecked in many dioceses for years."  This quote is from an editorial piece in the Boston Globe from 6-16-03: A choice for Bishops

75. On this Father's Day, 6-15-03, it is appropriate to remember and thank Father Robert Williams.  To know more read "A true hero emerged from the priest sex scandal,' a Viewpoints column from 7-2-02 by Randolph Severson about this exceptionally good priest.

76. 6-12-03 Report - Coalition Supporting Bishop Grahmann's Resignation - Demonstrations have been going on now for 6 months.

77. Some bishops falling short on enforcing sex-abuse policy is an article printed 6-9-03 on the front page Dallas Morning News.

78. On 6-7-03, the opinion of a Catholic priest, Fr. James Martin, was printed in the Dallas Morning News: Will church borrow page from Times?

79. Letters to the Editor  from 6-6-03 edition of the Texas Catholic.

80. A response to the 5-23-03 Texas Catholic Editorial was printed in the Dallas News Cyberletters for Wednesday on 6-4-03. The Texas Catholic would not print it.

81. An editorial printed 6-3-03 in Dallas Morning News, Seeing the Light: Withdrawal of priest is good news for Frisco, was across the page from a much more significant and to the point letter to the editor: 

    Follow Villaroya's lead
    Bishop Charles Grahmann, please, oh, please, won't you follow Monsignor Ernesto Villaroya's example and resign for the good of the diocese?
    Kathleen Cox, Dallas
     

82. On 6-2-03 there was an article in The Arizona Republic that sounds sadly familiar to many of us in the Dallas Diocese: Bishop O'Brien admits cover-up in sexual abuse cases.

83. Article printed 6-2-03 in Dallas Morning News: Accused Frisco Priest Resigns.

84. Letter to the editor published 6-1-03 with many questions, including "Why hasn't Bishop Grahmann insisted that the Monsignor pay child support?"

85. On 5-29-03 a letter about Passed around priests was published in the Morning News.

86. Seven letters printed 5-25-03 in Dallas News Sunday Reader under the heading Diocese Lacks Leadership

87. Article printed 5-25-03 in Dallas Morning News: Priest Faulted in Fund Raising with more details on priests assigned to St. Francis of Assisi in Frisco.

88. The editorial from the 5-23-03 Texas Catholic, A question of ethics in the news media, spoke of an "activist street protester." The Texas Catholic refused to print a letter challenging the editorial from the designated "activist street protester." It was subsequently printed by the Dallas News Cyberletters for Wednesday 6-4-03. Who was unethical?

89. The Dallas Morning News May 21, 2003, Viewpoints: Charles Grahmann: We all would benefit from reconciliation

90. The Washington Times, May 21, 2003: Catholics in Texas upset over priest accused of rape

91. Accused priest will remain - But diocese says it will monitor whether Frisco parish accepts him, Dallas Morning News 5-19-03. Following photo & caption was on front page of Metropolitan section:

    MEI-CHUN JAU / DMN
    Most of the two dozen protesters outside St. Francis of Assisi on Sunday carried signs aimed at Bishop Charles Grahmann.
     

92. Shadow of Abuse Lingers, Dallas Morning News 5-18-03

93. Naming of priest enrages Frisco Parish, Dallas Morning News 5-17-03 article on Hispanic Community outrage over bishop's assignment of priest. Meeting planned at St. Francis Parish for 7PM on 5-18-03.

94. On the Dallas diocesan website for corrections to media stories a document entitled "May 16 Correction of errors in Dallas Morning News story on Msgr. Villaroya" is posted.

95. Here We Go Again: Frisco priest case provokes mistrust, cynicism Editorial 5-16-03, Dallas Morning News

96. Bishop letting priest work  He has admitted to fathering child; diocese cites lawsuit dismissal - Dallas Morning News 5-14-03

97. Bishop Galante expects to leave diocese Dallas Morning News 5-2-03.

98. 4-19-03 Report - Coalition Supporting Bishop Grahmann's Resignation

99. Photo from 4-4-03 weekend when 36 people joined us to demonstrate on Friday.

100. Report on Demonstrations as of 3-31-03 with Email sent Diocese

101. Report on Demonstrations as of March 9, 2003.

102. On 2-20-03, a letter entitled St. John Vianney was printed in the Dallas Morning News. It is the most tragic, yet powerful letter written to date on this crisis. The questions it raises are exceptionally painful. We need to keep them in our prayers.

103. On 2-17-03 Steve Blow's column in the Morning News, titled Their faith shaken, they take a message to the streets, reported on the demonstrations.

104. For the picketing of the Chancery office on 2-14-03 we were up to 9 demonstrators for the first time. Also, the following sign was introduced.  It prompts questions that should be answered regarding the Pope's appointment of a coadjutor bishop three years ago when Bishop Grahmann had only asked for an assistant bishop. Common practice is for the reigning bishop to resign within 18 months. A handout document was also created to help explain this issue. (Such an appointment is apparently not a direct order to a bishop to resign, but, following tradition going back hundreds of years, it is rather seen as an indirect statement of the Pope's wishes.  We therefore have, as of 2-26-03, created signs such as the second one below to be more precise.)
              

105. Wick Allison: Why bishop relied on others to circle wagons is a Viewpoints piece printed in the Dallas Morning News on 2-13-03.  It is taken from the March D-Magazine.

106. Grahmann picketers err is a 2-12-03 letter to the editor Dallas Morning News. I picketed parish is a response to that letter printed the next day.

107. Poll Finds Condemnation for Church, Bishop is an article about a survey done 2-5-03 regarding the Catholic bishop in Phoenix, Arizona. What would happen if the same type survey were done in Dallas?

108. A wonderful faith suffers - letter responding to negative press printed in 2-7-03 issue of National Catholic Reporter, by Bill Betzen

109. Letter by Bill Betzen sent to Texas Catholic and Dallas Morning News in response to Bishop Grahmann's 1-29-03 statement

110. Letter by Cliff and Claudette Allen sent to Texas Catholic responding to 1-17-03 Editorial by Bronson Havard

111. The January 31, 2003 issue of the Texas Catholic has a series of articles including a statement by Bishop Grahmann dated 1-29-03 relating to the most recent allegations about his reported agreement in 1997 to resign.  These and other related documents are now gathered online at www.cathdal.org/thetruth.htm, the web site for the Dallas Diocese.

112. The February 2003 Edition of D-Magazine has a painful but powerful editorial by Wick Allison entitled "Why Won't This Bishop Go?"  The following description is given, "He reneged on a deal to resign. He stiff-armed the bishop sent to replace him. Now he says the News is trying to run the Church.  For the good of the diocese, this prelate should pack his bags."  As of 1-29-03 it is online and will be on the newsstands 1-30-03.

113. Keep the Faith: Bishop should honor his 1997 pledge to resign 1-28-03 Dallas Morning News Editorial.  There is also another letter to the editor from another Catholic family asking the Bishop to resign.

114. Report on Demonstrations 1-17-03 through 1-26-03.

115. 1-26-03 Sunday Dallas Morning News front page had a painful article  entitled Laymen say bishop cut deal in '97 to go . This article draws on the allegations also mentioned in the D-Magazine editorial that hits the newsstand on January 29th.

116. 1-17-03 Texas Catholic Editorial "Discerning the truth is vital, but difficult." (This is pdf file and takes about a minute to load.)

117. 1-16-03 Dallas Morning News Editorial "Priestly Scandals:  Another terrible decision by Dallas diocese"

118. 1-14-03 Dallas Morning News article "Ministries Board calls for reform: Story revealed financial abuses by priest's charity, officials say"

119. 1-13-03 Dallas Morning News article "Sexual abuse allegations haven't kept priest off job"

120. 1-12-03 Dallas (Sunday) Morning News article "Priest's charity charges immigrants millions, Records show ministry provided him and associates cars, loans"

121. Report on Demonstrations through 1/12/03.

122. Good News, a report on the presentation given 12/7/02 at the University of Dallas by Archbishop Michael J. Sheehan of Santa Fe, New Mexico regarding his handling of Sex abuse crisis there.

123. Abuse Victims Praise Two Outspoken Bishops is an 11-14-02 press release from SNAP that praises Bishop Galante and another bishop for taking stands to protect potential and actual victims of abuse.

124. Which bishops have made the worst decisions about abusive priests? An answer to this question was attempted by Beliefnet.com on their web site in a listing of America's Worst Bishops. Bishop Grahmann is #3 on this list, but now #2 since the resignation of Cardinal Law.

125. An article in the 6-20-02 Dallas Observer entitled "The Gay Priest thing"  included the following painful statements that cannot be ignored if children are to be as safe as possible at church. What history would make people believe these statements are true, and how can that be changed?

     "I'm not saying that gays caused the pedophile abuse," Turley told me. "I'm saying there is a tolerance of the failure of celibacy."
     The underground nature of un-celibate behavior, both homosexual and heterosexual, he said, has made possible a brand of adult dishonesty and manipulativeness in which pedophiles may find convenient shelter.
     The sum of these problems, Turley believes, makes the Catholic Church tangibly more dangerous to children than other religious institutions. He says the Catholic Church suffers from a "long heritage and practice of hiding and concealing and tolerating sexual abuse." As a result, he says, "I think that pedophilia is more common in the Catholic Church than it is in other religious institutions."
      

126. A Community Fights To Save Vestige Of Its Hispanic Heritage is an 11-13-98 article about St. Ann's and the struggle to save it.

127. Article published in September of 1997, "To Do Nothing Is Not a Solution" CHRONOLOGY OF RUDY KOS COURT CASE went over some of the basic information surrounding the Rudy Kos case.

128. Editorial from the Sex Abuse Crisis: EDITORIAL: On child sex abuse, when will bishops get it?, printed 8-15-1997 in the National Catholic Reporter. 

If you know of information that should be added to these history pages please send suggestions to history@wearethechurch.org.

Grace in truth, not in secrecy.

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