Abandoned Altars

This summer, sixteen years ago, the clergy abuse crisis began for me, as well as for a lot of people. On June 2, 1992, ABC News PrimeTime broadcast the very first piece about serial child molester James Porter. I remember watching it, hugging myself and crying. I couldn’t believe that they were talking about the same kind of horror I had been dealing with for several months previous.

But it was indeed. Three weeks later, they broadcast an update. A young Diane Sawyer told the story about how it came about. The exposure of Porter was due to a brave survivor, Frank Fitzpatrick, who had been abused by Porter as a 12-year-old altar boy. Now grown, and a professional investigator, he tracked Porter down and actually confronted him on the phone.

The show even ran bits of the tape. Porter admitted he had abused Frank with an embarrassed chuckle, but that was the most remorse he would show. He claimed he had stopped molesting children in 1967, which of course, was a total lie.

For Diane Sawyer said that just during those three weeks some 60 victims came out. They even showed footage of her camera crew confronting the ex-priest, who reacted like a caged animal. It was electric, overwhelming, like nothing that had been on television before.

Fitzpatrick had not only exposed a fallen ex-priest but a genuine monster, one who molested literally hundreds of kids. Moreover, this was a national story. Porter got around.
In 1967, she said, Porter had been sent from Fall River, Massachusetts, to Jemez Springs, New Mexico, for treatment by the Servants of the Paraclete. Once he had completed enough of their program, he was sent on assignment and promptly molested three altar boys. On his return, the Paracletes did indeed say he was cured and recommended he be reassigned. So he was sent to Bemidji, Minnesota, with similar results.

Back again to the Paracletes. Several years later, he would voluntarily leave the priesthood. He claimed that had really cured him, but not so. Long after the broadcast it was revealed that after he married and became a “real” father, he assaulted his children’s babysitter, and to make a long story short, finally died in prison in 2005.

I taped it and just last night I watched it again for the first time since. It was still as fresh as a raw wound, but there were some big differences. Fifteen years on now, I recognized the lawyers, experts and some of the victims. More importantly, I knew the result of what Frank had started with that phone call.

It was nothing less than the beginning of the scandals. There, at the very beginning, was already revealed the very worst of the predatory priests, the cynical policies of the bishops, and the role of the Servants in enabling the tragedy to happen. Over a decade later, it would culminate in the scandals in Boston exposing another monster, John Geoghan, and the cover-up by Cardinal Law and other high prelates.

And the scandals continue. At the City of Angels blog, for instance, Kay Ebeling continues the posting of evidence of what the Servants were up to. The full story has yet to be told.

It must not have been easy to even begin. According to Wikipedia, Frank started speaking out in 1990 – two years before ABC picked up the story. His outrage had a long way to carry him.

But what Frank accomplished was to not only point out one wolf in sheep’s clothing, he inspired others to look into their own past and do something about it. Case after case started as a direct result. God alone knows how many children have been spared thereby.

True, there was a generation slowly waking up, but we all needed someone with the courage to give us permission to stand up and speak out.

Frank Fitzpatrick, victim and survivor, did that for us.

Wherever you are these days, Frank, many, many thanks, and may God bless you.