Whom will he accuse next?
Ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, accuser James Grein, and the late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin
Last year, this site was excoriated after we dared to raise questions about decades-old abuse accusations made by Virginia resident James Grein against ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick.
Well, we feel even more confident in our beliefs now that Grein resurfaced this week to make a new claim that the late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, Archbishop of Chicago before his death in 1996, also "sexually assaulted" him in the late 1970s.
"Make sure that it's credible first"
Michael Voris
But in a new interview with Michael Voris of Church Militant, Grein said that Cardinal Bernardin abused him in 1977 at age 19 while swimming in Wisconsin at Lake Geneva, about 2 hours outside of Chicago.
Grein claims that Bernardin groped his genitals after Grein jumped off a pier into the water.
Voris sat across from Grein and displayed total belief throughout Grein's story, as Voris views Bernardin to have been a "homopredator." But, ironically, it was a question from Voris that gave away the fact that Grein's claims are indeed dubious at best:
Voris: Why are you coming out with the Bernardin news now?
Grein: When I first I came out last July, my counselor said to me, "We're gonna focus on McCarrick. We have to stay with McCarrick, because that's the first abuse, that's the main abuse we have, and we stay with this." I explained to him last July, he says, "This is a huge bombshell. We need to cover this and make sure that it's credible first before we can go do all that."
"[M]ake sure that it's credible first." Well, Grein's remarks have all the hallmarks of involvement in "Recovered memory therapy," a completely discredited therapeutic practice in which a therapist claims to "recover" lost memories from years earlier.
Memory experts have called Recovered memory therapy "the most pernicious bit of folklore ever to infect psychology and psychiatry" and "the worst catastrophe to befall the mental health field since the lobotomy era." Indeed, recovered memory therapy has destroyed the lives of countless innocent individuals.
C'mon, everyone
In the end, James Grein wants us to believe that he is only now coming forward – at age 61, only after his counselor deemed his stories "credible" – that he was sexually abused by not just one, but two, of the country's most high-ranking clerics of the last century.
Let's just say we hope that media outlets, both Catholic and secular, take a much closer look at Grein's wild claims.
And in the case of the self-referential Church Militant, the truthfulness of an accusation should not hinge on the theological leanings of the accused cleric. That's not Christian, Michael.
Well said. As a friend of Fr Gordon MacRae who was falsely accuded, I know how important credibility is. It looks to me like James also knows that and that he is fishing to make his report sound credible.
Claire, Do you know how many of your priests have claimed innocence, only to repeat their criminal molesting against children and later admit to their pedophilia? I've come across too many to count. Many of your clergy were repeat offenders because no pope or bishops had the guts to stop them and send them to the proper authorities. One has to wonder what criminal behavior your popes or bishops were up to in allowing this to continue for so long. Catholics, please come to your senses and get away from the demise of your apostate belief system. .
Dan,
“Do you know how many of your priests have claimed innocence, only to repeat their criminal molesting against children and later admit to their pedophilia?” = according to your own anecdotes, you have been jailed despite professing innocence, n’est-ce pas? Hence, if we were to use the same ruler on you (Matthew 7:2), you also would be guilty.
“Many of your clergy were repeat offenders” = factually incorrect. The correct sentence is, “Many of the guilty clergy were repeated offenders”, and they account for the majority of the cases.
“because no pope or bishops had the guts to stop them and send them to the proper authorities” = also factually incorrect. While it is true that in the past the Church has been slow to take the actions now considered necessary to deal with these issues, it is also true that other venues were recommended at that time by professionals. Monday Morning Quarterbacking does not equal wisdom.
“One has to wonder what criminal behavior your popes or bishops were up to in allowing this to continue for so long” = wishful thinking or, in few cases, incompetence, are a more appropriate characterization. Except for the biased and conspiracy theorists, it is.
It's ridiculously stupid to claim I'm judging (Matthew7:2) the creeps of your Church. I'm stating the fact that many have claimed innocence only to later admit guilt. Comparing my cases with your Church's clergy is foolish because I was truly innocent of the lies of your hierarchy, catholic cops and catholic thugs. I'm not flip-flopping and changing what I know truly transpired. Do you know why the liars, deniers and excuse makers of your Church never want people to judge? Because then no one will ever question the wickedness that you and your priests and bishops wish to sweep under the rug. Nothing but a slew of hypocrites pointing fingers at everyone but their own wicked selves. servant of the Lord
I would like to add – Take the dumbest, stupidest and most ignorant catholic among the bunch of you; If they think that pedophile or perverted priests deserve the right to have a second chance and serve what they call a holy mass or be housed near children, orphanages or schools after what they've done, then I would say that person needs mental help and surely has no understanding of the Bible. These were your leaders, popes and bishops, who made these horrible decisions with no clue of Biblical priincipals. Men with supposed college degrees, sometimes in theology, yet unable to make the correct decisions when it comes to morals. Once again, REALLY??? Every catholic who defends this ignorance is dumb as rocks, the same rock they think their Church is built upon. SAND! servant of the Truth
Dan,
“…because I was truly innocent…” = exactly what a criminal would say…
Dan, we Catholics would respond the same way the apostles did when Jesus asked them if they wanted to leave too—" Lord, to whom would we go? You have the wordls of life." The Catholic Church is the Church Jesus established when he was on earth. It remains HIS Church despite the horrible, sinful people who are in places of authority. We Catholcs follow Jesus, not these sinful men. The Catholic Church is the only Church with the authority of Jesus. It is the only place on earth where Jesus is physically present. No other church or religion comes close. We have come to our senses. We firmly believe that the Catholic Church is the ONLY place to be.
Seeing that you're named Mary like many other catholic women, should have made it easier for you to figure out that catholics worship Mary over Jesus, though constantly denying that fact. You go ahead and remain with your Church despite the horrible, sinful people who are in places of authority", but give some thought to this;
"Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then by their fruit you will recognize them. Matthew 7:17-20
Enjoy your marshmallows and S'mores now, 'cause I don't think God will be allowing any enjoyable bonfires in hell. If your priests by some evil magic can turn bread into his body and wine into his blood, then catholics are cannibles and drinkers of blood, totally against Biblical practices. "No other church or religion comes close" to being so wicked and perverted as the catholic church. Can't agree more!
Never cease to be amazed at how bigotry and prejudice can de-rail minds that our normally rational. This case is a good example. Just consider how a rational mind normally operates. An employer is assessing applicants for a vacancy.. So he compares the applicants re experience and qualifications. But he also needs a person he can trust, so checks references, and sometimes asks for a police clearance.. So why then do we assume that a man like Grein is honest and accurate. Shouldn't we reserve our judgement, until the full background of this accuser is know to us. This is not simply an academic exercise, it's of real importance. E.g….. a defence lawyer wanted a court order to get the medical records of Cardinal Pell's accuser. The judge refused the request, so the jury returned a guillty verdict, without knowing anything of the accuser's character, or his mental health..
I don't understand why you tolerate this "Dan". troll. He is nothing more than an anti-Catholic bigot who distracts from the conversation. I really think that you should block him.
MS,
As annoying and distracting he may be, Dan actually performs a useful task. He is a good training tool to learn to address coherently and logically the biased and overly generalized talking points regularly spat out by the Media and the Church adversaries while keeping one’s cool under fire.
As you may have noticed, Dan usually starts out with a general point, sometimes apropos, more often completely off topic, simply aimed to stir controversy. When factually rebuked, he turns to wild and lengthy theological accusations against the Church, which he tries to support by misquoting Scriptures or citing supposed historic events, thus showing his ignorance in both realms, and ultimately resolves to offensive language and name calling to mask his defeats.
Ultimately, Dan the sparrer is a classic example of Evangelical intransigence, harder to argue in person because of his spreading technique and overly generalizations. Luckily, verba volant, scripta manent, so his nonsense is very easy to spot and confronted in a printed setup.
LLC, I would like to personally thank you for all your false accusations, lies regarding my Biblical teaching along with your false claims of how you've "factually rebuked" me and your overall nasty sarcastic remarks thrown my way. And you catholics have questioned why I have responded as I have? Catholics do worship and bow down to Mary, totally against the 1st commandment. Have you ever read any of my quotes concerning your Church, or are you to busy trying to dispute or deny how they apply so well to the Church. Romans 1:18-32, 2 Peter 2, Jude and Rev chapter 17-18. The Bible supersedes any of your catechism or false teachings. Sorry you've been so deceived.
OK, everyone.
We can end this discussion for now.
Thank you.
Michael Smith, I agree. I have always wondered why Dan the troll has been allowed to come on here and indulge himself with calumny and constant insults and not add anything constructive without being blocked. I get the wanting to be fair, but a lot of good people are having mud flung at them simply for trying to have a voice. Dan is trying to scare people into being silent by being as ugly and insulting as he can to them and he's being given free reign to do so. He's a bully.
calumny (def.) – the making of false and defamatory statements about someone in order to damage their reputation; slander
None of you came up with any valid answers when several times I asked you to point out how what I said was untrue about you or your church. Not slander if it's true. Stop the lying, deceiving and denying and I'll stop exposing the evils of your church. Ain't gonna happen, now is it?
And by the way, there would be no way one could cause any worse damage to the Church's reputation than has already been done by it's own clergy, bishops, popes and dumb sheep! The problem is that I have offered many constructive points, but as heathen idolaters you fail to understand my advice or suggestions.
"Hear this, you foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear." Jer 5:21
You fail to listen to me and so receive precisely what you deserve. Nothing!
Dan,
“None of you came up with any valid answers when several times I asked you to point out how what I said was untrue about you or your church” = factually incorrect (i.e., it’s a lie). You have been proven in error with facts countless times, either regarding the topics at hand and the teachings of the Church; case-in-point, “…catholics worship Mary over Jesus…”, or “…your priests by some evil magic can turn bread into his body and wine into his blood, then catholics are cannibles [sic…] and drinkers of blood…”.
Dan, Knock yourself out.
Who you talking to? Dan Corner, Dan the troll, Dan the anti-catholic bigot, Dan the mud slinger, ugly Dan, insulting Dan or Dan the bully? And you claim I'm the bully? I never asked anyone to be blocked. For both you and Michael, on this 4th of July, are you aware that there is free speech in this country. I forgot that bullies think they make the rules and can push others around. servant of the Lord
Well, I guess I'm talking to "Dan corner". That seems to be the appropriate persona, in this " Sybil" type of personality that gets the messages from the bathroom mirror.at least I'm not calling you "Dan/Jim" anymore. If I could turn back the hands of time, I'd read you your Miranda and re-arrest you! – PC
Dan,
“I never asked anyone to be blocked” = actually, on November 6, 2018, you wrote, verbatim: “Why are those who have nothing intelligent to say, other than making personal attacks, calling names or trying to loop me together with Jim, allowed to join in this conversation?”. It sounds to me like a request to block those who “who have nothing intelligent to say”, n’est-ce pas? Incidentally, that would mean mostly you. Talking about a faux pas!
Peoples Clown added nothing but stupidity and personal attacks to the conversation, along with gender bendy connecting me with Jim. I did forget that I said that and I never demanded him to be blocked, as Michael did. More proof of stupidity in PC's 2:22am comment today. Oh! Big faux pas! Why do you find it so necessary to defend all of the stupidity and ignorance of your Church and it's dumb sheep, including yourself?
It sure seems like a request to block me! You forget these things, but we don't! It seems that you still trust the bathroom mirror, as anyone that doesn't agree with you, or promotes the church point of view is "stupid" and "ignorant" . well Dan, you have centuries of catholic knowledge to catch up on, not just this century. I'd still read you your Miranda!
PC, I'm not expecting that anyone has to agree with me, but don't understand how those who consider themselves Christians would ever disagree with the Bible. After your leaders have lied about me in order to imprison me, I'm not wild about your threatening to do the same. Hopefully it's all in jest, because it was no fun being wrongly punished. And I surely don't think all catholics are ignorant or stupid, only lost and deceived. Peace.