Since November 2010, the Boston Globe, through a large number of front-page and other high-profile articles, has made sure that you know that Boston Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley has visited Ireland to address the decades-old abuse cases there.
The story peaked in February, when the archbishop washed the feet of victims during a penitential service there.
Yet here we are in April – a week before Holy Week, no less – and the Globe trumpets two humungous articles and two large color photos on its front page.
What is especially astonishing is that the accompanying news articles have almost no new news value whatsoever. Through tired quotes from various individuals, Lisa Wangsness' lazy articles simply re-hash a narrative that has already been well trampled.
A couple of days ago we saw the United States government of the verge of a shutdown. The citizens of Japan are still suffering terribly, living with the daily fear of devastating aftershocks. Violent strife is still all over the Middle East.
Yet the Globe plasters another tired attack on the Church on its Sunday front page? C'mon …
By the way, the reference to O'Malley's "warm presence" isn't fooling anybody. The Globe's front-page articles serve no other purpose except to bash the Catholic Church. They are hit pieces, plain and simple.
I'll say it again: Yes, Catholic priests terribly abused minors, and bishops failed to stop the awful harm. That is an undeniable truth. Nothing justifies such a wretched evil. We must continue to demand justice and compassion for victims of clergy abuse.
But enough already, Boston Globe. How about looking into the shady operations of the high-profile advocacy group SNAP?
And are we to honestly believe that there are no abuse and cover-ups happening in Boston Public Schools? If research is any indication, they are happening – a lot. How about looking into that for a change?
