Thanks to a reader for reminding me about this “secret society” and the lengths “conservative Catholics” will go to protect their brand even as the church itself pretends to play ball.
In case you can’t get past the paywall at the above link, here is the AP version:
Another reader sent me this information a few years ago, including the fact that this “nonprofit” was being investigated by the Michigan AG in 2018 and 2019. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/tags/5781/opus-bono-sacerdotii.
Yet another reader and I wondered aloud how defrocked priest Gary Berthiaume managed to stay at a motel for many weeks while he was awaiting trial for criminal sexual conduct charges in Michigan. A judge would not let him return to Illinois while he awaited trial. Poor, poor “Fr.” Berthiaume, convicted pedophile. Maybe he had a benefactor like this group. It’s pretty sickening.
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Oxford MI area there is the huge Catholic retreat Columbier Center. I did not spell it right.
A little off topic, so I apologize, but has anyone been able to obtain contact information for Scott Busch? I have reached out to the few people who still remain alive and likely have answers to all of the unanswered questions, but the one person’s information I have yet to be able to obtain is Scott’s. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
The Associated Press article about “Opus Bono” is very misleading to readers. Co-founder of Opus Bono is quoted as saying, “all of these people that have made allegations are very well taken care of. That’s simply not true. I have first hand knowledge in many priest abuse allegation cases and have found over the years that most of the victims are not seeking money, and only some would like help with therapy or counseling. Most of the victims only want to get the name of their abuser(s) out to the public as a form of justice for them after being betrayed by their priest whom ruined their lives forever.
Joe Maher can’t even call the victims of credible allegations “victims.” He goes on to say that “many” of the allegations against priest are false. Again, based on my first hand experience sitting across from these grown men who were young boys when they were sexually abused by their priest, while they are sobbing, is something maybe Joe should experience before making bold inaccurate statements about victims. Based on my experience, I would say only an occasional allegation against a priest is false.
Joe Maher is only right about one thing, and that the allegations malign the priesthood and harms the faith, but that’s the fault of the culture that brought the priest with eventual credible sexual abuse allegations into the seminaries decades ago. The Catholic Church allowed this culture to grow in the Catholic Church and protect Homosexual & Pedophile priests for many years. Of course someday its all going to rise to the surface like it has in recent years. Joe Maher wants to blame the media and anyone else but the priests.
I’ve found in my years of experience handling these cases that there are many, many good priests that are in the profession for the right reasons. There is always going to be bad apples in every professions, but lets not minimize the credible victims and how their lives were ruined.
Enough