Re-Oconnellizing Knoxville

Whenever one calls for truth and transparency about Anthony J.O'Connell, first Bishop of Knoxville, the cries of forgiveness and mercy begin.

Why can we not have a discussion about Anthony O'Connell that is full and complete before the door is closed on the discussion by those who want nothing of the truth but want only blind mercy and unsolicited forgiveness?

Pope John Paul II forgave his attacker, but the attacker remained in jail to complete his just sentence for the crime. Could Pope John Paul
have interceded to put his attacker back on the street? Many believe so, but he taught us the lesson that even with forgiveness comes  justice.

Proponents of forgiveness for O'Connell want no justice. They want to "cafeteria style" forgiveness. Give me a plateful of forgiveness and
mercy but no side dish of truth and transparency. And definitely no justice -- Yuck!

Sadly, Catholics who read this are probably all too willing to just shut the door on discussions of truth by invoking the forgiveness card. I have forgiven O'Connell for being a total disappointment to me as one of the faithful in the diocese who was devastated by his admission of abuse. However, it would be a different story if he had molested MY son, said "I'm sorry" from the podium at a press conference and then left for a life of relative ease -- not in jail but in an abbey.

If O'Connell were the neighbor next door, would the paltry "I'm sorry" be enough for molesting your child? If he were the maintenance an, the mail man, the local fireman, the uncle, the stranger in the mall, would we say, "No jail for this crime. It's okay because he said he was sorry at a press conference."

Take away the title "Bishop" or "Father" from in front of someone's name, and things change. All of the sudden, ordinary man is subject to
justice, accountability, and restitution. But add the name "Bishop" or "Father" and we drown in a sea of mercy and forgiveness.

Go ahead and forgive, people of the diocese. But why not demand the truth and transparency that was promised by the church? They are not mutually exclusive. Our children deserve better from us, but we won't be giving the best, honest response. We are too satisfied with the easy way out of saying "forgiveness" over and over.

Truth and transparency is a much more difficult path and one the diocese of Knoxville won't be walking down any time soon.