CARDINAL WUERL FAILED STRATEGY FROM CONTROL, TO DENIAL, TO SILENCE

On Saturday, ex-Nuncio to the USA, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano published an explosive which sent shockwaves throughout the Church.

Along with a host of accusations against the Holy Father himself, personages in the Vatican an Roman Curia, the Archbishop alleges that a goodly number of American Cardinals and Bishops knew of disgraced former Cardinal McCarrik but none of them from the top down said a word.

Contained in the same letter are the ex-Nuncio detailed exchanges had with Washington DC’s Cardinal Archbishop Donald Wuerl regarding McCarrick’s scandalous sexual behavior.

“I myself brought up the subject with Cardinal Wuerl on several occasions,” wrote Archbishop Viganò, “and I certainly didn’t need to go into detail because it was immediately clear to me that he was fully aware of it.”

The Cardinal’s “recent statements that he knew nothing about it,” said Viganò, “are absolutely laughable. He lies shamelessly.”

Viganò’s accusation follows on the heels of a similar accusation by Pennsylvania’s Attorney General Josh Shapiro who, after leading a sweeping, two-year long Grand Jury investigation into sexual abuse by Catholic priests, accused Wuerl of “not telling the truth.”

Shortly after the grand jury report––in which Cardinal Wuerl’s name was mentioned over 200 times––was made public, the Archdiocese of Washington launched a public relations campaign, The Wuerl Record, which appeared to serve no other purpose than to defend the Cardinal.  

After being met with public ridicule, the website vanished as quickly as it appeared.

Since the PR website failed, it appears the Cardinal has chosen not to control the narrative or even deny it.

Cardinal Wuerl has decided to remain silent.

Thus far, with a few notable exceptions of Bishops who are new to the Episcopacy or relatively unknown, the silence of the Church’s hierarchy has been defeaning.

Even the Holy Father responded to reporters questions about the ex-Nuncio’s accusations insisting, “I will say nothing about that!"

The Vicar of Christ challenged journalists (and their readers I suppose) to study the letter and “make up your own minds".

In that simple statement, Pope Francis personally destroyed the present and future of his Pontificate and sullied its legacy.

In this historic moment of direct challenge to the integrity Petrine Office itself, the Holy Father needs to speak clearly and truthfully, supporting his defense of himself and his Sacred Office with clear and convincing evidence to the contrary.

The same holds true for the others -- all of them -- who have likewise been accused of complicity in the sordid McCarrick affair by their silence.

Silence in the face of evil is never an answer.

And in this circumstance, it is the silence of these failed and tarnished leaders which convinces.

Don’t any of them understand that.

Of course, there may be another reason why these men have chosen silence, and that may be because they simply have nothing to say in their defense for it just may be that Archbishop Vigano’s allegations are all true.

What a sad and tragic moment for the Body of Christ, for faithful Catholics -- laity and Clergy -- everywhere.

We are owed better.  

Much better.