Robert Carlson, who is the head of the Archdiocese of St. Louis (Missouri), has made more than controversial statements during a trial for sexual abuse of a minor. I have read that he claims, while serving as auxiliary bishop in Minnesota (in the 80s) I didn't know that pedophilia is a crime, although it seems that today this concept is clearer.
It turned out that in the Saint Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Saint Paul Park, a minor had been abused by a priest during the previous decade (the 70s). Regarding this incident, Carlson did not file a complaint, although he encouraged the family to do so. He currently claims that he acted as best he could. The victim's lawyer, who is already an adult, points out that Carlson handled cases related to sexual abuse of minors for 15 years. This is one of the cases in which some member of the Church is accused as a pedophile, or cover-up.
From the archdiocese it is insisting that the moral question (which for me is as important as the legal one) of the actions of the auxiliary bishop, who states that his assessment of the subject has changed over the years.
Here my assessments focus on the importance of uncovering these cases. I would like to make it clear that when we think about sexual abuse of minors, we must not only consider that they are illegal, they are also tremendously immoral, and threaten the development of children and the principles of society.
Obviously here the crime is the abuse of minors by adults who take advantage of their authority and the confidence of children. But it is important that society as a whole learn from all this, because if it is not, little can we move forward.
It is about protecting the most valuable thing that a society has, it is already time to boldly address these issues, so that within 30 or 40 years situations like these are not relived.
