Why "lay people's involvement" is not the simple answer: Exhibit 256From the NYTimes (LRR) Priest's defenders see affection where accuser sees abuse.
What's the next headline? Man's defenders see borrowing where homeowner sees theft. Or maybe Creepy cretin's defenders see romance where woman sees stalking. Or perhaps even Husband's defenders see passion where dead wife sees....nothing anymore.
Mr. Lyons [a defender of the accused priest Kavanaugh] said he had spoken with about 15 former students at Cathedral Preparatory who support Monsignor Kavanagh. He said he met with officials at the archdiocese on June 3. "They were very supportive," he said. People familiar with the meeting said Cardinal Edward M. Egan attended, showed keen interest in the discussion and asked for prayers for Monsignor Kavanagh.
Like other Kavanagh supporters, Mr. Lyons said the monsignor's suspension was a sign that he was being considered guilty without a fair hearing. The guidelines call for a diocese to relieve a priest of his duties "when the investigation of a complaint against a cleric so indicates."
Mr. Lyons said, "You could say `Boo' and a priest is going to be out. It's almost like a lynch mob."
The Kavanagh case was the object of muted discussion Friday night at the annual gathering of Cathedral Preparatory alumni at St. Joseph's Seminary in Yonkers. Bishop Timothy A. McDonnell celebrated the Mass. At the end, he asked for prayers for Monsignor Kavanagh but not for Mr. Donohue, disturbing the former student's supporters.