Bernardin vindicated, says fellow bishop - Cardinal Joseph Bernardin; Archbishop William Keeler

Christian Century, March 16, 1994

Archbishop William Keeler of Baltimore, president of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, has welcomed the dropping of sex-abuse allegations against Cardinal Joseph Bernardin of Chicago, declaring March 1 that the influential prelate has been completely vindicated. "Throughout this painful ordeal, he has shown himself to be the pastor and humble leader that the bishops and the Catholic people of the United States have long known him to be," said the archbishop.

Keeler made his comments in response to actions by Steven Cook, who had filed a 810 million lawsuit November 12 in Cincinnati--Bernardin's former diocese--claiming that Bernardin and another priest sexually abused him from 1975 to 1977. On February 28 Cook, saying his memory was unreliable, dropped Bernardin from the lawsuit. Cook, who said his memories of the abuse were brought out under hypnosis, asked the court to alter the lawsuit because he was no longer sure that his recollections were accurate.

Also praising the decision to drop the suit against the cardinal were leaders of the Chicago-based Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests (SNAP), a 1,000-member national support group. "Our hearts go out to Cardinal Bernardin," said David Clohessy, the organization% national director. "We believe Steve Cook did the right thing by dropping his suit if he is unsure of his memories, and we applaud the cardinal's Christian response to this suit and his defending himself while not attacking his accuser." Barbara Blaine, SNAP president, said she was initially surprised by Cook's decision, because his initial recollections had seemed credible.

Still, Blaine said she was "very relieved" by the development, adding that "no one wants to believe someone in [Bernardin's] position was molesting kids." And while she and others in the survivors organization have criticized the Chicago archdioeese's handling of sexual-abuse cases, she acknowledged that Bernardin and the archdiocese have been "in the forefront" of reform in that area.

Archbishop Keeler praised Bernardin's "grace under pressure, his willingness to forgive his accuser, his openness and candor with the press and with the faithful of Chicago. For his friends and his fellow bishops, there was never any question of his innocence." Keeler and other bishops have been critical of the way the media handled Cook's accusations against Bernardin-especially the role of the Cable News Network (CNN), which first reported the accusations in a talk-show interview with Cook.

"Without impugning the seriousness of authentic cases of sexual abuse, important questions remain concerning the role of certain attorneys, psychiatrists, and media in bringing reckless charges against innocent people," Keeler said. "The role of CNN and others in the accusations made against Cardinal Bernardin is a story deserving of telling."

Commented Bernardin at a Chicago news conference February 28: "I harbor no ill feelings toward Steven Cook. I have compassion for him. I have prayed for him every day, and I will continue to do so." Bernardin also expressed concern "about the almost instantaneous judgment made by some that I had fallen from grace... even before I had a chance to respond or the legal system had deliberated." The cardinal said that "the ordeal of the past several months has been very painful. I was totally humiliated by the public attack on my character. I have a tremendous sympathy for anyone who has been falsely accused." Bernardin added that his "experience has also strengthened my resolve to reach out to victims of sexual abuse and to do all in my power to eradicate the causes of abuse wherever it occurs ."

Bernardin was the only person dropped from the suit, which also names priest Ellis Harsham and charges the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and archdiocesan officials, including Archbishop Daniel Pilarczyk, of negligence for allowing the alleged abuse.