Sex abuse and scandal: How are Mississippi Catholics coping?

In 2002, a bombshell investigation in Boston revealed that priests had been abusing children for decades and that — also for decades — the church had been attempting to silence the victims and cover up the abuse. As more victims came forward, it was soon clear the abuse was not just confined to a few parishes in Massachusetts — it was a global coverup that implicated hundreds of priests. 

Mississippi was not immune. Despite an overhaul of policy and implementing a new program aimed at protecting children, new allegations emerged both locally and internationally. Lawsuits have been filed and either settled or dismissed. The church settled with 29 of 30 victims in 2006, paying them a total of $731,250. In the one case that was not settled, the victim was told he was "twenty years too late," due to the statute of limitations, and his case was dismissed.

Today — as the Jackson diocese prepares to release names of priests who have been accused of sexual abuse and as the church as a whole continues to address claims of sexual abuse while continually reviewing measures to prevent future incidents — Mississippi Catholics find themselves balancing the love of their faith with their reactions to scandals old and new.

Over the last six months, the Catholic Diocese of Jackson has found itself dealing with the following:

• A new lawsuit based on previous allegations of a child being victimized by a priest.
• A federal affidavit alleging one priest lied to his congregation about having cancer  and then raised money for treatment and for an orphanage that has not been proven to exist.
• Priests speaking out as informants for the federal government against another priest.
• A federal investigation related to the priest who lied about having cancer.

Mississippi Catholics have responded in different ways. Some parishioners are calling on the bishop to resign while others have found a newfound passion for their church community. 

Maureen Smith, communications director for the Jackson diocese, said while the church is dealing with "challenges," they're using the experiences as a way to learn and move forward. 

"I think every organization has moments where they’re challenged," Smith said. "Certainly these are challenges and we need to face them, we need to be transparent about facing them, we need to work through them. But, again, we’re trying to use this to strengthen what we’re doing, we’re trying to use this to identify weaknesses in our procedures and build a better way to address problems."

Story continues below.

Is Catholic membership declining faster than other religions?

Over the last 10 years, the Jackson diocese has lost approximately 6,500 members — a 12.8 percent decline. According to the 2008-2009 status animarum, an annual census submitted by each diocese to the Vatican, the Catholic population in the Jackson Diocese was 50,114, with 20,757 family units. The 2017-2018 status animarum listed the Catholic population at 43,709 with 18,799 family units. 

In the Biloxi Diocese, there were 58,548 members counted in 2007-2008 and 57,543 in 2017-2018 — a 1.7 percent decline. The Jackson diocese and the Biloxi diocese are the only two dioceses in Mississippi. 

Other Christian church membership, both nationally and in Mississippi, has also been on the decline. For example, the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board reported 692,908 members in 2008. In 2017, membership decreased to 591,598, a decline of 14.6 percent.

However, according to a 2010 Pew study, "the Catholic Church has lost more members over the past few decades than any other major religion."

Citing a 2007 U.S. Religious Landscape Study, "roughly a quarter, (27 percent) of former Catholics who no longer identify with a religion cited clergy sexual abuse scandals as a reason for leaving the Church.

"Among former Catholics who now identify as Protestant, 21 percent say the sexual abuse scandals were a reason for leaving the Catholic Church."

The Rev. John Bohn, pastor of St. Richard Church in Jackson, said even though the Jackson diocese has experienced a series of controversies lately, attendance remains steady and giving has increased there.

"The month of December was phenomenal collection wise. We're not seeing any ill effects like mass attendance or collections (losses)," he said. "Now, what people are saying behind the scenes, I don't know. I know there's a level of anger that palpable, but there's also a level of faith that's been destroyed.

"Maybe the faith of the leadership of the church has been shaken, as more new news accounts come up it kind of reopens an old wound or exacerbates that tension and that hurt, but I can just say, from St. Richard, I haven't seen any sort of negative impact from it."

Church scandals in Mississippi

In November, the diocese announced it would be releasing a list of names of priests who had been "credibly accused" of abuse. The Biloxi Diocese released the names of three priests "credibly accused of sexual misconduct" in January.

Also in November, the federal Office of Homeland Security raided the Jackson diocese office. The raid, however, wasn't the result of allegations of sexual abuse. According to a federal affidavit, a Starkville priest, the Rev. Lenin Vargas, "knowingly devised schemes for obtaining money by means of false and fraudulent pretense, through the use of wire communications."

Vargas lied to parishioners, the affidavit stated, and announced multiple times from the pulpit that he had cancer when, in fact, he had been diagnosed with HIV. Vargas also asked parishioners to write him personal checks they believed were going to an orphanage in Mexico. Authorities found no evidence the orphanage existed.

The affidavit said the diocese had knowledge of Vargas' alleged felony and concealed it by not making it immediately known.

It was then revealed that two priests had been informants for federal agents against Vargas. One of those priests, Rev. Rusty Vincent, was a priest alongside Vargas at St. Joseph church in Starkville. Vincent had been reassigned but asked the diocese to be allowed to stay in the parish. To the dismay of St. Joseph parishioners, the diocese did not grant Vincent's request to stay with his flock. 

In December, a Ridgeland man filed suit against the church, saying he was abused by a priest in 2004 when he was 9 years old. The church notified proper authorities but Hinds County District Attorney Robert Schuler Smith said he did not investigate. Via text message, Schuler Smith later asked a Clarion Ledger reporter "would it make a difference to the ledger (sic) that the attorneys don't believe this incident occurred at all?"

When asked for clarification, Schuler Smith said via phone he was referring to the attorney for the diocese. 

Schuler Smith later said his office is "issuing subpoenas as a result of the (Clarion Ledger) inquiry and after speaking with a few others."

Through Maureen Smith, Bishop Joseph Kopacz declined requests to be interviewed for this article, citing the ongoing federal investigation.

Brian Cox, spokesperson for Homeland Security, repeated the initial statement the office made in November, confirming the diocese was being investigated by the criminal division of the agency "pursuant to an ongoing federal investigation."

Cox declined to "discuss the particulars." 

Questioning the bishop

After the federal affidavit was made public, Kopacz hosted four listening sessions with St. Joseph parishioners. The sessions were often contentious. 

"There is a palpable level of anger and frustration directed toward the bishop or the vicar general or the higher-ups in the diocese who have been implicated in all of this," Bohn says. "I think a lot of people, I know the people in Starkville and Macon don't feel like they got the full story from the leadership here, they just sense that they're not being told the full truth. I think there's several priests and clergy that believe we're not being told the whole truth either."

St. Joe parishioner Glen Palmer said he's angry and disappointed.

His anger is not only directed at Kopacz but Vicar Kevin Slattery, who was named to the position in 2015.

"I not only think he should resign along with Vicar Slattery, I think they both should be prosecuted," Palmer said.

Regarding the federal investigation, Maureen Smith said, “The bishop did not commit fraud, he did not cover up fraud and there’s no indictment. We haven’t been indicted so, there is an investigation, but it is important to be clear that we’re not facing any charges.

"The only person who can judge a bishop or remove a bishop is the pope, and there’s a process by which that happens. We operate under canon law; it is important that we continue to do so. It’s a 2,000-year-old tradition."

Palmer referenced the fact Vincent and another informant went to the diocese in October 2017 with concerns over Vargas and church finances but an audit was not ordered by the diocese until spring 2018. 

"I'm sorry, in any corporation in the world, you call me up and say there are financial irregularities, I'm going to get there on site, no later than 30 days," he said. "But they waited."

Palmer also expressed concern that, during one of the listening sessions, Kopacz told attendees he had instructed Vargas to tell parishioners of his falsehoods. Vargas never did. 

After the listening sessions, Palmer said he was left with questions. Kopacz, he said, "sounded like a lawyer or a politician, not a bishop." 

"I heard nothing about 'We could have done it better' or 'I'm sorry we put you through it.' You're responsible, the buck stops at the bishop's office...I want to know what's the difference between the Catholic Church and the Pharisees of the past? When did we quit caring about people?

"Are you going to throw away the sheep because you're taking care of the shepherd? When the shepherd has been up there lying to us?"

Michael Nadorff, a cradle Catholic, pointed out that, before the federal investigation was made public, the diocese had plans to move Vargas to another parish.

"I just think it’s the wrong call, especially given the history of the church," he said. "I just don’t have much faith in (Kopacz's) leadership now because of that.

"I think all of us want to get to that point of healing and just acceptance but we still see issues within the church that need to be fixed."

Nadorff said he's questioning leaving the church.

"I’m very much fighting for my faith and religion on this one," Nadorff said. "I can’t do this anymore. I can’t pretend this isn’t happening anymore. This is what’s on the line for me."

Since first speaking with the Clarion Ledger, Nadorff left the Catholic Church.

"I would have kept going, I'm sure, my whole life, had things been different," he said.

'Step away for the season'

Not all parishioners believe Kopacz's first step should be resignation. David Buys, also a parishioner at St. Joe, said he believes the "balanced perspective" is the best approach and that the bishop should step back while the investigation is ongoing.

Buys noted that Vargas has not been charged and still has the right of "innocent until proven guilty." Kopacz made Vargas leave St. Joe and, therefore, he should step back as well, Buys said. If he doesn't, "it's a case of the fox guarding the hen house."

"As well intentioned as he may think he is, he cannot see what his own biases may be in protecting himself and the diocese. If nothing else, for the perception of objectivity, he should step away for the season. If he's cleared, as he suggested he will be, then come back and start anew, start fresh. But for now, it seems that his judgment may be clouded while the investigation is underway."

St. Joe parishioners aren't the only ones concerned with how things in Starkville are being handled from Jackson. 

Dr. Jason Stacy, a parishioner of St. James in Tupelo, said he and several St. James parishioners attended a listening session in Starkville "to give support to our brothers and sisters there who were experiencing such a difficult time."

"We stand with them in their search for transparency, which, so far, has been elusive," Stacy said.

'Positivity about the faith'

In times of controversy, Bohn regularly addresses issues from the pulpit in an effort to help his congregation heal and move forward. After news of the raid broke, Bohn revealed during Mass that he was an informant for the federal government. 

"Most people can separate out their faith life, their beliefs, the teachings of Christ, the tenants of the gospel, they can separate that out from the leadership," he said. "A lot of times, they're not OK with lapses in leadership but it doesn't affect them in a sense where they're going to stay away from church, quit believing in God, those kind of things. 

Bohn said recent scandals have "kind of reinvigorated" parishioners at St. Richard. 

"I think they've appreciated my honesty, I think they've appreciated the honesty of people who have tried to expose some things," Bohn said regarding his the Vargas case. 

"That gives people confidence going forward, that there are people, maybe even some priests who are wiling to make some, maybe risky choices or courageous stand because they know these priests and people have their back."

Smith said while the events that happened with Vargas have been "really difficult," the "average people in the pew, they’re still going to church, they’re still participating in faith formation, their kids are still participating in faith formation."

"We’re still moving forward in our faith lives," she said. 

Jeff Cook, a parishioner at St. Richard Church, said the church has been "relatively steady."

"I never considered leaving," he said. "I don't go to Mass to hear the sermon. I go to a Mass because of the eucharist and the liturgy and I will continue to be Catholic because of that."

However, referencing this history of sexual abuse in the church and the subsequent coverups, Cook said he believes "healing has been stalled."

"You don't let an alcoholic in a bar, you don't let a pedophile around children," he said. 

"Because sin is communal, the entire community has suffered and healing starts when things are brought out into the light. Communal healing starts once the truth is told. Once the healing starts, then you can really start making progress with moving forward. That needs to happen and we're way, way past due."

Despite the Jackson Diocese scandals, from the history of sexual abuse to the recent federal investigation, Cook said his faith has never wavered. If anything, he said, he's encouraged for the future of the church as a whole. 

"I'm encouraged because, in my mind's eye, I look to 10 years from now and things are going to be much better," he said. "It's been worse than this in the past with some of the scandals. We'll get through this and the church will continue to be OK."

In early February, the diocese hosted a series of training seminars for Catholic educators and priests in Mississippi, led by Monica Applewhite, a premier expert in sexual abuse within the church. Last week, the Vatican is hosted a Child Abuse Prevention summit. 

Want to share your thoughts on what it is like to be a Catholic in Mississippi today? Contact Sarah Fowler at 601-961-7303 or sfowler@gannett.com. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter.