Naughty, not nice: Contingency lawyer John Manly, dissident priest Tom Doyle, Church-suing lawyer Jeff Anderson, SNAP's David Clohessy, and the National Catholic Reporter's Joshua McElwee
Thank you to everyone for making 2012 the best year ever for TheMediaReport.com – now in its ninth year! Our readership continues to grow dramatically, thanks to you. We are very grateful!
We figured we would close out the year with a look at our most compelling posts of the past twelve months. It has been an eventful year!
A number of observers have long looked with skepticism upon California's high-profile, Church-suing lawyer John Manly. Therefore, it was not surprising to see that Manly openly admitted to Sue Nowicki at The Modesto Bee newspaper that that his office has obtained clients for abuse lawsuits by making unsolicited phone calls to Catholic Church parishioners.
The story was a shocker, indeed.
It is difficult to single out particular episodes from the numerous nasty public displays from the anti-Catholic group SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests).
However, the organization may have reached a new low point when SNAP National Director David Clohessy suggested that Philadelphia's Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua was somehow faking his cancer and dementia in order to avoid testifying at the high-profile abuse trial in Philadelphia earlier this year.
Cardinal Bevilacqua died barely 36 hours after Clohessy made his heartless remark. Not surprisingly, Clohessy – who repeatedly demands apologies from others for alleged events from 20, 30, or 40 years ago – has never publicly apologized to Catholics or to Cardinal Bevilacqua's family.
The media has shown no interest in the issue, but many have long wondered about the financial connection between wealthy contingency lawyers and professional "support" groups like SNAP.
TheMediaReport.com clarified the matter when it exclusively reported that the world's top Church-targeting lawyer, Jeff Anderson, wrote a whopping check for $43,950 to SNAP as he enthusiastically orchestrated this year's fundraising session at the group's annual conference in Chicago this past July.
#7 National Catholic Reporter Smears Arch. of Los Angeles in Bogus Abuse Story
Why let the facts get in the way of a good smear job against the Catholic Church?
That was the approach that Josh McElwee at the dissident National Catholic Reporter appeared to take in a reckless and mean-spirited piece in which he falsely suggested that the Archdiocese of Los Angeles somehow knew that a priest it had welcomed from England had been accused of child abuse there.
(Note to Josh: The next time that SNAP tries to plant you a story that is so fishy that even the Los Angeles Times won't touch it, take a pass.)
One of the media's favorite go-to people to bash the Catholic Church has long been Fr. Tom Doyle, a dissident Dominican priest and celebrity "expert witness" for Church-suing contingency lawyers.
Doyle finally revealed his true colors during a Q&A period following his talk at this year's SNAP Conference in Chicago, when he essentially conceded that he is really not even Catholic.
Although he said he was still "legally a priest," he freely acknowledged that he has "nothing to do with the Catholic Church" and "nothing to do with the clerical life."
However, don't look for the media to report on the real Tom Doyle anytime soon.
Don't forget to come back next week for TheMediaReport.com's Top 5 Stories of 2012. Thank you again for a great year!
Thanks to the Media Report for telling the other side of the story.
Keep speaking truth to power in 2013.
ditto..there is so much spin and slant to the other info sites. media report is a gift-will donate end of year gift.
David, thank you for all that you write and print! You are amazing!
I second that. Keep up the good work guys.
Yes. Keep up the good work! I enjoy this site and have been so disgusted and hurt by the propagandizing of this most important issue by the media.
Thanks to TMR for keeping tabs on the Truth Abuse Scandal.
I am back in England for Christmas and have seen several reports about child sexual abuse committed in various institutions. This very day there is a news report about a TV weatherman whose home has been searched by the police in connection with historical sexual abuse while he was a school teacher.
I have not encountered one story related to Catholic clergy.
I somehow think SNAP would have a hard time conning the media over here with their propaganda. I look forward to posting on sites where their misrepresentations appear during 2013. It seems Australia is their latest target. In the meantime I was blocked from posting comments on their own website. An organization which forbids freedom of speech and misrepresents the truth is one which should arouse everybody’s suspicion.
A happy Christmas to all readers. And a special mention for all the wonderful priests who serve the Church.
Amen and thank you Mark.
What I do is post comments on newspapers and blogs–when allowed–and link back to TMR. That way the truth spreads further.
Thanks to TMR – this is a perfect example of the Church Militant. "The first law of history is not to dare to utter falsehood; the second, not to fear to speak the truth." Pope Leo XIII. Bravo TMR, Bravo – this article is a 'weapon of mass instruction.'
Thanks, Aman. I will also be doing that!
Couldn't help but note [in]effective legal strategies re: the unholy onslaught against the Church when I read the article at this link (hope it translates):
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/28/16221308-aspca-to-pay-93-million-to-ringling-bros-circus-over-claims-about-elephants?lite
In a nutshell (that one was for the elephants), the Church's legal team could take a lesson from Ringling Bros.
And, can't deny the "circus" metaphor, either-
I'm surprised Mr. Clohessy didn't accuse of Cardinal Bevilacqua of faking his own death, and the church spiriting him away to South America.
Maybe I shouldn't give him any ideas.
What is this? A great 'love-in?' or an anti SNAP piece?
Let go of the biased and prejudiced remarks folks – nasty things happened to kids by nasty people so get used to that fact! Less shooting of the Messenger!
Hope your BP calms down and you all have a peaceful New Year.