Powerful Predators, Howard Hubbard & Theodore McCarrick, Protected Priests Instead of Children
(St. Paul, MN) – Another peek behind the curtain reveals perilous actions by Catholic officials unveiling whitewashing of decades of corrupt and coordinated activities. In an article recently released by the Albany Times Union, reporter Edward McKinley exposed another layer of deceitful, self-serving strategies practiced and confirmed by Bishop Howard Hubbard—systemic concealment of child sexual abuse.
The Times Union’s report further establishes what we already knew – that Catholic bishops consistently and callously concealed abuse, by not reporting abuse to the police and putting previously accused priests back into ministry. In the article, Bishop Howard Hubbard admits that in the 1970s and 1980s, the Diocese of Albany typically handled allegations of abuse by temporarily removing accused priests from ministry and sending them for “counseling and treatment”. That is the playbook deployed by Hubbard, McCarrick and the top officials. Keep it secret. Don’t tell.
Last week, a criminal complaint was filed against former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick that alleged he sexually abused a minor in the 1970s during a wedding reception at Wellesley College in Massachusetts. On the same day, we filed another suit against McCarrick. The high-profile and politically connected Bishop Howard Hubbard and former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick are both accused of committing sex crimes themselves and concealing the sex crimes of other church personnel. Attorney Jeff Anderson deposed both Howard Hubbard and Theodore McCarrick for days and believes that evidence should be made public immediately.
“I’m furious about these two incredibly high-ranking Catholic officials who are in the news right now,” said attorney Jeff Anderson. “Each one is accused of committing and concealing abuse. Both have publicly denied abusing kids. Their denials are doing further damage.”
For too long Catholic officials have been self-policing while making pledges and promises without action. Both Hubbard and McCarrick’s decades of deceit have caused deep and immeasurable damage to survivors.
“Each survivor that is coming forward is taking a step to further reveal the corrupt practices of these predators in power,” said attorney Jeff Anderson. “They are making a difference and are a part of the clean-up and excavation of decades of deceit.”
Time is short in New York to act. Survivors of sexual abuse have until August 13, 2021, to file a lawsuit under the New York Child Victims Act and until November 30, 2021, to file a lawsuit under the New Jersey Victims’ Rights Bill.