I am an Oregonian and will always be an Oregonian. I have fled to Montana for personal reasons but keep an obsessional eye on certain Oregon news, knowing that one day I will return to the greener, wetter land of my childhood. Of particular note lately is the archdiocese of Portland's proclaimed "transparency"; Archbishop Vlazny's words and silences and his legal counsel's spin on the rather strange release of 20,000 new, largely irrelevant, documents of confidential personnel files after a year of balking.
There is so much to say about this, and so much is being said about this that for me, circling the outskirts of this circus on a blog about my happy adventures in Yellowstone seems out of context. But you see, I'm obsessional and I'm pissed off at Archbishop Vlazny. So I'll talk about what I darn well please, and it would be an outrage for me, who loves the Catholic church and at one time considered converting, to remain silent when I'm as righteously angry as I am right now.
This is my turf, my blog, and I'll say here with a nod and love to those who may or may not read this blog who are Catholic and trust Vlazny, that Vlazny is a coward and liar, a brilliant and "baffling" liar, who, through a revered, religious medium, has revictimized those who were raped, sodomized, and disgustingly fondled in the Catholic church by priests and others.
In his most recent statement on www.archdiocesedocuments.org he calls into doubt that many of those who brought claim were telling the truth. "...many claimants received payment even though their claim could not be verified...the release of personnel files in such uncertain circumstances would serve no proper goal."
As far as Vlazny's statement that "other documents are not being released because living priests (or former priests) object to further disclosure" and that he respects that right, he fails to mention that the priest Laughlin, an admitted abuser with a bad habit of lying, is currently in a "multi-million" dollar lawsuit for molestation and that is why he doesn't want anything released. Another point of note-the archdiocese is also named in those multi-million dollar lawsuits, the archdiocese's legal counsel has attempted to force the claimants to reveal their identity and that this hardball legal action is what prompted the plaintiff's attorneys to "accuse" and walk out of negotiation on the release of documents.
Dulcich, a shareholder with Schwabe, Williamson, and Wyatt, seems, along with Bud Bunce, to be the main spokesperson in a recent article by Ashbel S. Green in the Oregonian. Quote: "You wonder if there is some other agenda on the part of the people who continue to complain about the archdiocese as it continues to release thousands of documents."
Knowing very little about Dulcich as a human being I'll refrain from commenting on that, but I will comment on Schwabe, Williamson, and Wyatt's legal tactics, utilizing their own words in response to a therapist's letter to the archdiocese regarding symptoms of anxiety a gentleman endured resulting from his abuse at the hands of a Father Goodrich (part of the first batch of released documentation in 2007):
"Please be advised that my client considers it extremely inappropriate that you have mentioned Father Goodrich by name in the letter. Neither the alleged abuser's occupation, nor certainly his name are relevant to the issues addressed in your letter." http://www.archdiocesedocuments.org/uploads/PD_0027-0030.pdf
Well, Mr. Dulcich, and "Most Revered" Archbishop Vlazny you and I both know that this is legal maneuvering and hardball tactics against both attorneys and the victims of clergy sexual abuse they represent. Cut the bullshit. I believe the victims, and I stand with them and will no matter the cost. There are those of us who will never give up on this fight, no matter the false aspersions and shadows you cast.
