A TEST OF FAITH: Exploring the Sexual Abuse Crisis in the Catholic Church

June 7, 2002

A TEST OF FAITH
Exploring the Sexual Abuse Crisis in the Catholic Church

Grades: 6-8,9-12

Subjects: Current Events, Language Arts, Social Studies

Related New York Times Article
"Some in Hierarchy Say Bishops' Plan on Abuse Must Be Stricter, By LAURIE GOODSTEIN", June 7, 2002

Overview of Lesson Plan:: In this lesson, students learn about the debate surrounding the current sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church. Through discussions and written reflection, students explore their own thoughts and opinions on this topic.

SUGGESTED TIME ALLOWANCE: 45 minutes - 1 hour

OBJECTIVES:
Students will:

Assess a scenario based on real-life sexual abuse situations within the Catholic Church.
Learn about the debate surrounding some of the current reactions to the sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church by reading and discussing the article "Some in Hierarchy Say Bishops' Plan on Abuse Must Be Stricter."
Participate in a "fishbowl" discussion of related issues.
Compose well-supported persuasive essays in response to questions posed in the discussion.

RESOURCES / MATERIALS:

pens/pencils
paper
classroom board
copies of the article "Some in Hierarchy Say Bishops' Plan on Abuse Must Be Stricter" (one per student)

ACTIVITIES / PROCEDURES:

WARM-UP/DO-NOW: Upon entering class, students respond to the following prompt (written on the board prior to class): "The house of worship that your family attends has had a clergyman of forty years. He was recently accused of sexual abuse committed during his fourth year of service to the parish. No new cases have been brought against him since this case. Which do you think is the most appropriate response to and course of action for this clergyman? Write the letter corresponding to your response on a small slip of paper:
1. He should be removed from his post but retain the position of clergyman in a small or remote city.
2. He should retain the title of clergyman but be removed from contact with parishioners (e.g., work in a monastery).
3. He should be forced to leave the clergy completely but be protected from legal action.
4. He should be forced to leave the clergy and turned over to legal authorities.
5. He should show that he is "repentant" and be allowed to remain at his post."
After writing down their responses, collect them and tally the results on the board. Conduct a short discussion about the results of their responses, and allow students to defend and refute the five options presented.
As a class, read and discuss the article "Some in Hierarchy Say Bishops' Plan on Abuse Must Be Stricter," focusing on the following questions:
1. What are the main points of the new proposal offered by the committee of Roman Catholic bishops to deal with sexual abuse by priests?
2. How do some Catholic cardinals feel about this proposal, and why?
3. What is the suggestion of Cardinals Theodore E. McCarrick of Washington and Adam Maida of Detroit regarding the treatment of elderly priests who abused minors?
4. According to Cardinal Maida, what is the problem with a "second chance" policy?
5. What is Cardinal Roger Mahony proposing in his written statement?
6. According to the article, what are the bishops' instincts as clerics? What are their instincts as Christians?
7. What is the punishment for a priest who is either a serial abuser or in whom pedophilia has been diagnosed?
8. According to Archbishop Harry J. Flynn, what do we "need to believe"?
9. What do the majority of Catholic laypeople want to see done about the sexual abuse crisis, according to the article?
Explain to the class that they will be participating in a "fishbowl" discussion about issues related to the sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church. First, ask students to number off from one to five, and keep a list on the board of all "1's," "2's," "3's," "4's," and "5's." Ask all "1's" to sit facing one another in the middle of a circle created by the rest of the students. The students in the center are the only ones allowed to address a question. If a student from the outer circle wants to add to the discussion, he or she moves to the middle of the circle, taps a participant to indicate that he or she should resume a place in the outer circle, and takes that student's place as a new student in the discussion. After discussing the first question, switch the students in the center to all "2's," and begin the fishbowl procedure again. Be sure to switch topics enough times so that all students have the opportunity to be in the center of the discussion at least once. Sets of questions to pose to the students include:
- What are the distinctions made between different types of offenders (e.g., one-time vs. serial offenders, elderly priests vs. younger priests, priests vs. other sex offenders)? Do you think that these are legitimate distinctions? How, if at all, should such distinctions affect the ways with which these different types of offenders are dealt?
- What effect has this crisis had on Catholic laypeople and the Catholic Church as a whole? How would you feel if a priest in your area was accused of sexual abuse and was still a practicing priest?
- How do you think that leaders of other religious movements should respond to this crisis?
- Do you believe in the possibility of "conversion" and "growth" in terms of sex offenders? What is the role of "repentance" in such a case? Can or should these religious terms play a role in a secular trial of a sex offender? How can such "conversions" be evaluated, and by whom? Would you feel comfortable having a religious leader who was "repentant" for past sexual abuse? Why or why not?
- How do you feel about the Church's response to this crisis? How do you feel about the public's response? How would you like to see this crisis dealt with in the future?
WRAP-UP/HOMEWORK: Each student responds to one of the questions posed in the fishbowl discussion in a well-supported persuasive essay. You may wish to provide a handout with all of the questions posed, from which students can select their focus. Students should find support in newspapers, magazines, Web sites and other reliable sources, making sure to give proper credit to their sources. In a future class, invite students to share their essays by reading or debating them aloud, posting them on the walls of the classroom, or submitting them to the school newspaper for publication in the editorial section.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

What is repentance? Does repentance mean a commitment not to perform a certain act again, or just to feel bad about having done it? What is the practical difference between these two in terms of the priests discussed in the article?
Should religious leaders be held to higher moral standards than laypeople? Why or why not? Can a person be a good religious leader while engaging in "sinful" acts?
What do you think are the underlying causes for the current sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church?
What is "sin"? How is sinning different from breaking the law? Which do you think is worse, and why?

EVALUATION / ASSESSMENT:
Students will be evaluated on participation in initial poll activity, participation in class discussions, and thoughtfully-written and well-supported persuasive essay.

VOCABULARY:
prominent, discretion, unconditional, parish, provision, contentious, clerics, parishioners, gauge, ad hoc, pedophiles, serial, ambiguity, nuanced

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES:

Compare and contrast the current sexual abuse charges brought against R & B singer R. Kelly with the sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church. Consider the issue of sensationalism in media and public response in your comparison. Also include your own assessment of the two different issues and how each should be handled.
Learn about another historical event that raised theological and practical questions within and about the Catholic Church, such as the sale of indulgences, the trial of Copernicus or the posting of Martin Luther's 95 Theses. Write a short paper exploring the conditions that led to the event, the way the event was handled, and how this event affected and changed the Church.
Interview religious leaders of various religions to learn about how they chose to go into their profession and how a religious leader is selected in their respective faiths. Ask questions regarding the general tenets of the religion, its view on marriage and intimacy for both leaders and laypeople, and the standard to which leaders are held. Compile your interviews in a documentary-style film.
Learn about groups that help victims of sexual abuse through counseling, legal services or other methods. If possible, volunteer at a clinic, phone hotline or other service dedicated to helping these victims. Finally, ask a school counselor about providing a resource to the school community to help sexual abuse victims get the help they need.
Watch the episode of ESPN's "Outside the Lines" series that deals with sports coaches and sexual abuse. After watching, write a letter to ESPN responding to what you saw and how it made you feel.

INTERDISCIPLINARY CONNECTIONS:
Civics- What is the law regarding sexual abuse? Learn about issues such as statutory rape, the statute of limitations for trying sexual offenders, child pornography laws and other related issues. Create a chapter for a civics textbook or small booklet with information on this topic, as well as a breakdown of the laws that might relate to cases in which clergymen are sexually abusive.

Fine Arts- Study a work of art in which the artist, through the subject chosen, style of representation or other artistic tools criticizes religion (in general or a specific religion or rite). Write a criticism of the message of the work of art and whether or not you agree with its position. Also comment on the right of artists to express their criticism of religion, even if it may mean defaming a person or object that people may consider holy.

Health- Interview a mental health professional about the source, diagnosis and effects of sexual disorders. Make sure to ask about the distinction between such terms as pedophilia, sexual deviance and sexual abuse. Learn not only about the problems associated with these behaviors but also the treatments possible for both offenders and victims. Give a presentation to your class based on your findings.

Journalism- Read newspaper and magazine articles about the sexual abuse crisis. Formulate a set of interview questions that reflect what appear to be the major issues about this crisis as discussed in the media. Use these questions to interview Catholics in your community about their reactions to this crisis. Then write an article for your school or local paper on your findings.

Media Studies- Watch the film "Primal Fear" or "Sleepers," paying special attention to the feelings of guilt, denial, and/or revenge experienced by the victims of sexual abuse as portrayed in the film. Conduct research in order to create a psychological profile of a victim from one of the films, including an assessment of the psychological disorders, their source and suggestions for treatment.