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American Morning
Church Sex Abuse Victim's Father, Attorney Discuss Case
Aired April 26, 2002 - 08:07 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: The ongoing priest sex abuse scandal has, not surprisingly, affected opinions about the Catholic Church overall. And the most recent Gallup poll on the church was taken this week, before the cardinals had finished their meetings in Rome. And their approval rating has taken a hit. 52 percent of Americans say they have a favorable opinion of the Catholic Church, 39 percent unfavorable. That compares, a 64 percent approval rating a month ago when just 27 percent of Americans had an unfavorable opinion. Also today, some new papers released by the Boston Archdiocese about Father Paul Shandley. Diary excerpts include frightening revelations of venereal disease and drug use with children.
Joining us now is Rodney Ford. He is suing Cardinal Law and the Boston Archdiocese for failing to protect his son, Greg, from Shandley. He claims his son was repeatedly abused by Father Shandley over a five-, six-year period. Rodney joins us this morning along with Attorney Eric MacLeish Jr.
Welcome back, gentlemen. Thanks for being with us.
RODNEY FORD, SEX ABUSE VICTIM'S FATHER: Good morning.
ERIC MACLEISH, ATTORNEY FOR VICTIM: Good morning.
ZAHN: Rodney, how much time have you been able to spend reading through these latest documents that were released?
FORD: Well, I can't tell you the number of hours that I spent reading them. But when I started to read them, I first thought I was reading about organized crime. And then when I proceeded to go along, I thought I was reading about drug dealerships. And then further into it, I thought I was reading about a rapist and a pimp. And then it hit me, what I was reading was about Father Paul Shandley and the Church that committed these crimes against my son.
ZAHN: Now when you just referred to some of what you read, was this the diary that was seized, that Father Shandley apparently wrote?
FORD: That was part of it, yes ma'am.
ZAHN: I'm going to put up on the screen something that we have been told is in this document. Quote, "One of the first things I do in a new city is to sign up a the local clinics for help with my VD." Rodney, has anybody told you whether anybody at the archdiocese actually knew he was making these appointments at VD clinics?
FORD: No, no one ever approached as -- I can't even put into words how I really feel about this. God forbid that my son contacted any type of disease from Father Paul Shandley. And I really hate to refer to him as Father Shandley. From now on, I'm going to really try to refer to him as Shandley.
MACLEISH: I think it is important, Paula, that your viewers understand that these diaries were received at the cardinal's residence in 1972. This was not something -- these are not the private writings of Paul Shandley that he had shared himself. One of the things that we put up on our video presentation yesterday at our press conference, was an acknowledgement of the receipt of these diaries at the cardinal's residence in 1972. Paul Shandley continued in Boston, molesting and eventually raping Greg Ford up until the late 1980s.
ZAHN: So, can you explain to me, why all of a sudden this week they are released? Particularly on the heels of this meeting in Rome with the Pope and the cardinals.
MACLEISH: Well, it is very disturbing. These documents were ordered produced by Judge Lila Curren (ph) of our Superior Court up here in Massachusetts. They were supposed to be released on April 5. We did get 800 pages of documents then. And then on Monday, I'm informed by the lawyers for the archdiocese, they found some more documents. They have refused to tell me, or they don't know -- the lawyers for the archdiocese -- don't know how they appeared. We were told as recently as Wednesday that there were only going to be 100 to 150 pages. And then we go over and pick them up yesterday, and there is more than 800 pages. And there is clearly still missing records. The cover-up over Paul Shandley continues.
ZAHN: Are you suggesting this morning, Mr. MacLeish that it, in fact, was Cardinal Law that suppressed these documents from going public?
MACLEISH: You know something, Paula, it is not uncommon in litigation -- and we are litigation -- that sometimes documents are found after they are ordered produced. But this is 800 pages. They were supposedly, according to the Archdiocese spokesperson, found in the files of another priest which is not something that gives us enormous comfort. Since we have lawsuits against ten or 12 of the other serial pedophiles that were allowed to reign in terror here in Boston for many years.
There is, in my 25 years of litigation experience, I've never heard of anything like that. We are at zero confidence in terms of knowing and believing that the court order ordering Cardinal Law and the Archdiocese to produce these documents has been complied with. And we are going to be seeking relief from the court today.
ZAHN: Rodney, you talked about trying to read through these documents and literally getting sick to your stomach. What does your son, Greg, say about this latest release of extremely damaging information? FORD: He doesn't say too much. He's really sick about it. How can a young man put into words how he feels when he's just trying to come to terms with acknowledging what happened to him. This has been a very tough time for all of us.
ZAHN: And Rodney, for people who haven't been following your story closely, just help people understand the impact that this had on your son's life. I know in previous conversations, you've told us how he went from this fun-loving, disciplined guy, to a guy who you even felt threatened by physically at one point.
FORD: Let me just say that my son lost his childhood years before. He spent his teenage years in and out of institutions. And now he is an adult. I look into his eyes, and I sometimes see the despair. And that would make me afraid a few years ago. But now, I look at him, I give him a big hug; and I say, I'm proud of you, Greg. And I tell him I love him. And he gives me a little smile, and that gives me confidence to know he's going to get through this.
MACLEISH: Paula one ...
ZAHN: Oh, just a final thing for both of you. There is a report in the Boston Herald this morning saying, that Cardinal Law will most likely be replaced. That he will be sent to the Vatican. Rodney what do you think of that?
FORD: I think all along that this has been a cover-up. And I really believe this has gone beyond comprehensive. I can't explain it.
ZAHN: So do you think if he ends up at the Vatican, that's ...
FORD: I think this is a (UNINTELLIGIBLE) ...
ZAHN: ... not good enough for you.
FORD: This has been a major conspiracy. And if we have to follow him to Rome, we will.
MACLEISH: One thing, one thing, Paula, that Rodney and Greg and Paul are doing is that we've written to Bishop Gregory this morning and asked him for Rodney and Paul and Greg to be able to come to the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in June. To start working on a plan to bring this community and this church together. I think that Rodney -- I'm not speaking for him, but I guess I am -- and Greg and Paul really want to be part of the healing process. This is a good church with a lot of good people in it, a lot of good priests. This is a tragedy for everybody, and I think the Fords now want to be part of the healing process for this Church around the country.
ZAHN: But do you think the cardinal should end up in the Vatican?
MACLEISH: No, I ...
ZAHN: In any position?
MACLEISH: No, I don't believe that he should, Paula. I think that what we have to have here is have the truth come out. The truth is going to come out eventually. He has to sit and be deposed, so that we'll know how bad this really was.
ZAHN: All right, gentlemen, we're going to have to leave it there this morning. Eric MacLeish, Rodney Ford, good of you to join us again on "AMERICAN MORNING".
MACLEISH: Thank you for having us.
FORD: Thank you, ma'am.
ZAHN: Appreciate your time.
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