"We Failed To Listen", Fr. Edward Schmidt, S.J.

Jesuit leader apologizes for abuse
CHICAGO (AP) - The head of the Jesuits is expressing sorrow that he hadn't done enough to prevent a member of the religious order from abusing members of the Roman Catholic church. The Rev. Edward Schmidt, head of the Chicago province of the Society of Jesus, expressed his sorrow Thursday, two days after more abuse allegations surfaced against a Chicago-area Jesuit priest. However, Schmidt declined to say whether steps are being taken to remove the convicted abuser from the priesthood.Meanwhile, a former prosecutor now advising the Jesuits said a review of the order's records turned up additional abuse allegations against the Rev. Donald McGuire. Patrick Collins said the information has been disclosed to multiple law-enforcement agencies. McGuire, 77, is accused of abusing at least five boys. He was convicted last year in Wisconsin of molesting two boys in the 1960s.Earlier this week, two Arizona brothers filed a civil lawsuit alleging McGuire, who lives in the Chicago suburb of Oak Lawn, molested the boys during confession between 1988 and 2002 in Arizona and in Chicago.The alleged victims are now 20 and 28 years old."Above all, I want to say I'm sorry. I say I'm sorry to anyone who may have been abused by Donald McGuire or any member of this province," Schmidt said Thursday. "More important, we failed to listen to those who came forward and to meet their courage in dealing with the problem that McGuire presented."Schmidt outlined actions the Jesuits are taking to protect children, including training programs and background checks of all Jesuit priests.Asked whether he had taken steps to remove McGuire from the priesthood, Schmidt said the priest was under the supervision of Wisconsin authorities and declined to comment further.Outside the Jesuits' Chicago office on Thursday, the president of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests dismissed Schmidt's expression of sorrow."Apologies are empty if they are not followed by strong actions," Barbara Blaine said. "Father McGuire is free to roam the streets of Chicago and abuse any child. Their actions tell us they are not concerned about children. They are more concerned about their image." Link to original article (here)