Surprising and Disgusting News...

6.8.2009

Surprising and Disgusting News…

I went home to Youngstown, Ohio this past weekend to surprise my sister at her graduation party and had planned to write about the whole concept of graduates hosting lavished, expensive celebrations to commemorate their achievements. While I thoroughly enjoyed these parties when I graduated, during these tough economic times I find these parties to be more of a nuisance than jubilation. After all, not only do parents have to pay thousands of dollars to host their own son or daughter’s party but they also have to give hundreds upon hundreds of dollars to their child’s friends whose own parties they attend. That idea was the working thesis for this back to work Monday blog until Sunday morning when I woke up and saw this headline in my hometown paper The Vindicator:

Former Mooney, Boardman priest removed over abuse allegation

Considering I am a graduate of Cardinal Mooney and a parishioner of the Boardman parish in question, I gasped prior to reading the name of the priest: Fr. Thomas Crum.

According to the article, Fr. Crum admitted to the thirty year old allegation to church authorities and immediately resigned. Bishop George Murray has since put the priest on administrative leave and has threatened to defrock the once respected man as the investigation goes forward. Regardless I am left feeling disgusted, ashamed, and perplexed with questions.

After all, Fr. Crum was at my parish, St. Charles parish, and I remember having a close relationship with the energetic priest when I was younger, even participating in a parish run play entitled “Welcome Matt” with him. During his short two years at St. Charles I found his homilies to be enlightening and his youth-oriented approach refreshing. Now we now what his true indent was behind all that attention he gave to the parish kids, including myself.

The article said that prior to coming to St. Charles he took some time off from the priesthood. Remembering this to be the case, I thought nothing of it at the time however I am now wondering: Did the Diocese know of this incident then and put him on administrative leave? Did they then in turn put my well being and the well being of all the minors in my parish in jeopardy by assigning him to my parish? In short, I do not know but I certainly have questions.

So is there anything worse than a priest abusing a minor? No. But something does come close: the tarnishing of reputations of otherwise good priests. Remember 99.9% of all Catholic priests are good, loving, and deeply spiritual men who find this behavior just as abhorrent as you and I do. Now their lives are affected. Now they are looked upon differently by society. Now these great, admirable people will hear words like “pedophile” and “creep” be muttered under people’s breaths when they see them on the street and that is damn shame.

Yes the behavior of Fr. Crum is disturbing and yes it is inexcusable but please do not let the actions of one man ruin your perceptions of an otherwise honorable profession with genuinely wonderful priests.

Joe St. George

***Note: I was never touched nor did I feel uncomfortable around Fr. Crum at any time