It was during the "long Lent of 2002," that the Church in America was forced to acknowledge both the fact of sexual abuse within the Church's clergy, and the systematic attempt, extending back over decades, to hide this abuse.
On Sunday, August 26, 2018, the Most. Rev. David A. Konderla, Bishop of the Diocese of Tulsa & Eastern Oklahoma, commented on his personal Facebook page concerning the eleven-page testimony given by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò. The full statement, which included a link to the testimony, follows:
On August 22, 2018, the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City released a statement that they had received an allegation of sexual abuse against a former priest, Ben Zoeller. The alleged abuse took place in 1985. The Archdiocese stated, “Archbishop Coakley expressed profound sadness upon receiving the letter and apologized for the abuse suffered at the hands of a former priest,” and confirmed they are working with local authorities.
Two short weeks after accusations of sexual abuse against Archbishop Theodore McCarrick were made public, the Catholic Church in the U.S. faces another profound crisis. The Grand Jury Report in Pennsylvania has brought to light allegations of horrific, depraved, and inhuman offenses committed by some of the priests and bishops in the church against the most vulnerable in our care, our children.
The recent accusations of decades of sexual abuse made against Archbishop Theodore McCarrick reveal a serious and concerning problem in the Church. Such behavior cannot be tolerated in the Body of Christ. Please know that the Diocese of Tulsa and Eastern Oklahoma is committed to protecting our children, youth, and vulnerable adults. It is a sacred obligation that I take seriously and, as your bishop, I want to make sure that everyone in the flock is safe.