Blasts Kennedy and Kerry for their "silence" in Catholic scandals

Senator Rick Santorum, Republican of Pennsylvania, yesterday alleged that Senators Edward M. Kennedy and John F. Kerry of Massachusetts ”did nothing" about sexual abuse in the Catholic Church in 2002.

”They spoke nothing. They sat by and let this happen," Santorum said.

…..

Newspapers stories from the time show a reluctance by members of Congress to involve themselves in matters regarding the church and law enforcement; a front-page article published in The Boston Globe on May 6, 2002, said that ”the sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic Church has generated a startlingly unusual reaction: dead silence." It quoted lawmakers from both parties as saying it was a matter for the church to resolve. Senator Pete V. Domenici, a New Mexico Republican, was quoted as saying: ”Congress has no role in this. We can’t do anything. It’s the Catholic Church." The article quoted Kennedy as saying, ”We’re not the ones to do it."

Still, Kennedy and Kerry were quoted about the scandal during 2002. Kennedy was quoted in the Globe in April 2002 as saying, ”I urge the cardinal and the church to reflect on the situation and to take the necessary steps to heal the wounds of the victims and the church to allow all of us to move forward." A December 2002 article in the Globe quoted Kerry on his reaction to Cardinal Bernard F. Law’s resignation as Boston’s archbishop, saying: ”While obviously a difficult decision for his eminence, I believe this is the right decision to begin a healing process in the church long overdue."

Santorum, appearing yesterday on ABC’s ”This Week with George Stephanopoulos," was asked to explain his comment about Boston. He said: ”I singled out Boston in 2002. In July of 2002, that was the epicenter. We did not know — "

Stephanopoulos cut off Santorum, saying, ”That simply is not true," noting that stories about abuse in many places had been printed at the time of Santorum’s article. ”Well, at the time, we did not know it was in every city of the country," Santorum responded.

Santorum said that in 2002: ”The senators from Massachusetts did nothing. They spoke nothing. They sat by and let this happen."

I really cannot see the sense of this.