Letters to the Editor: O.C.’s late Bishop Tod D. Brown and the double standard on clergy sex abuse

To the editor: Columnist Gustavo Arellano highlights former Diocese of Orange Bishop Tod D. Brown’s complicity in concealing and enabling Catholic clergy child abuse. He makes an important contribution to the struggle for equality: the equality of believers and nonbelievers.

Since major stories about clergy abuse broke around the beginning of this century, the church has attempted to obstruct full accountability for the crimes of its priests.

The underlying theme of Catholic efforts to escape full reckoning is that since the church is God’s true religion, its wrongdoers deserve more lenient treatment than other child rapists.

The 1st Amendment requires that believers and nonbelievers be equal before the law. Any lesser penalties, or allowing concealment of heinous crimes just because the perpetrators are clergy, violates this principle of equality. There should be no difference in how the law treats any child abuser and in how it deals with any institution that tries to hide and protect such criminals.

Edward Tabash, Los Angeles

The writer is an attorney who chairs the board of directors of the Center for Inquiry.

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To the editor: Arellano’s unflattering column on Brown was honest and real. He, like many of us former Catholics, has spoken out with courage and sought the truth.

I am a former priest from the Diocese of Salt Lake City who left active ministry in 2002 after 30 years. No, I never, ever abused a child or teen, and the clergy abuse scandal there was no less horrific than in Southern California.

In my opinion, the bishops destroyed all credibility with their secrecy policies. Their 2002 Dallas Charter declaring zero tolerance for accused priests really just circled the wagons around themselves and their dioceses. Priests were told we were on our own with no support from the diocese if any allegation was ever made about us. However, the charter effectively exempted bishops.

Arellano’s clear presentation of facts opens up a broader scope of what the truth is. Yes, Bishop Brown did many good things over the years. I applaud Arellano for giving us the rest of the story.

Gerald Lynch, Palm Springs