Of course this “under the radar” freak show started in Michigan
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.
Take a closer look at the Maryland AG’s 2023 Report on Child Abuse in the Archdiocese of Baltimore
https://www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/news documents/OAG_redacted_Report_on_Child_Sexual_Abuse.pdf
“One of the most distressing aspects of the abuse is the frequency with which abusers continued their behavior even after victims came forward or concerns were raised.” (Page 10.)
Actually, it is distressing to me that this is seemingly a surprise to the authors of the report. A common conclusion in emails I receive from people who have tried to report childhood sexual abuse to law enforcement is “No one cares.” That this is true in the setting of the Catholic Church is even less of a surprise.
See also, https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/community/religion/church-report-maskell-keepers-6JDJSLRFBFAGBI2GWMI35G3FH4/. If you haven’t watched 2017 Netflix documentary The Keepers, you should. In response to the documentary, the Archdiocese of Baltimore added a FAQ section to its website where it stated that any allegations that the church knew about Fr. Anthony Joseph Maskell’s sexual abuse and rapes before 1992 were just false speculation. Maskell’s name appears over 200 times in the 450-page report. They knew about this man’s crimes prior to 1992. As usual, the church is full of shit. https://www.wbaltv.com/article/church-abuse-father-joseph-maskell-attorney-general-report/43524030#.