Prevost path to Pope follows Catholic family secrets tradition

 

Prevost path to Pope follows Catholic family secrets tradition

 

It should come as no surprise that credible allegations that newly elected Pope Robert Provost ignored child sexual abuse by priests have been raised for years.

 

The most serious charge is that Prevost, as provincial of the Augustinian Order, allowed accused priest Father James Ray to reside at an Augustinian St. John Stone Priory in 2000 despite his proximity to a Catholic elementary school. This approval came 9 years after the Archdiocese of Chicago had already placed restrictions on Ray being in the company of minors prior to his residence at St. John Stone Priory and communicated these when seeking approval from the Provincial, Robert Prevost.

 

According to activist group Survivor Network for those Accused by Priests. “Cardinal Prevost was aware of the danger that Ray posed to minors when he gave approval. Nonetheless, Ray was permitted to live at the Priory in the vicinity of an elementary school without informing the administration of the school. By doing so, Cardinal Prevost endangered the safety of the children attending St. Thomas the Apostle.”

 

It’s unlikely, indeed near impossible for any ambitious priest to rise in the Catholic hierarchy to Bishop, Cardinal, even Pope without ignoring, stonewalling, even covering up child sexual abuse by priests that has been going on for centuries, likely involving millions of victims. Alas, this includes new Pope Leo XIV, the former Robert Provost of Chicago. The new Pope simply followed the longstanding Catholic family secrets tradition.