Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on an editorial in today’s Washington Post:
The June 22 editorial in the Washington Post is a marvel. Writing about the accusation made against Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, it notes that the alleged offense took place almost 50 years ago. “That it took nearly a half-century for these allegations to be dealt with illustrates the church’s wretched track record in combating clerical sex abuse.”
The average reader will no doubt conclude that the Catholic Church sat on these allegations for five decades. But that is a lie. Worse, the Washington Post knows it is a lie. How do I know?
Two paragraphs after it makes this remark, the editorial notes that the allegations “became known to the church through its Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program….” That is true. So when did the accuser come forward? In the early part of this year, after the New York Archdiocese essentially invited him to come forward. In April he testified before this panel.
Are they dunces at the Washington Post? Or just malicious?
To blame the Catholic Church for not acting on a complaint made in 2018 about an offense that occurred in 1971 is astounding. Is their animus against the Church that deep that they don’t even see their bias?
Contact Fred Hiatt, editorial page editor: Fred.Hiatt@washpost.com
