Today I will tell you how X the Chancellor of my Diocese has managed my case in a “topsy turvy” way. Spare a few minutes to scan my comment and the readers will detect a lot of funny things that may help the Bishops revise the Dallas Charter.

In a letter dated Feb 3, 2007, he said, “In compliance with the June 2002 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Charter (sic), ” Bishop Y” has delegated me to suspend you (sic) and remove your faculties etc…

One day later, he sent an e-mail dated Feb 4, to “Z” the Chancellor of the Diocese from which the accusation comes. It said, “Thank you for a copy of your letter to Fr Kiem, dated Feb 3, 2009… ” (A fiction! no letter has been sent to me!)

Tell Y (the accuser) to make a detailed written statement of his recollection of events that would be appreciated (sic) and enable “us” (?) to go forward and present information to “our” (?) Review Board …(I guess my Chancellor has beside him an eager adviser)

The letter continued, “Y has not yet contacted me about choosing a psychological counselor. Has he done so with you?”

E-mail sent from X to Z dated Feb 5, ” the accuser’s name S1 is confusing, it should be S2. More information would be important”.

E-mail from Z to X dated Feb 5 ” Attached is a “revised and updated letter” that suspends Fr Kiem of the Diocese of …from ministry… (It has been composed by an outsider Chancellor to be used by X, as the first incrimination letter was full of holes. Of course the revised incrimination letter addressed to the defendant (Fr Kiem) never reached its destination)

A letter from X to Fr Kiem, dated Feb 9, “I don’t have any details from Chancellor Z about the allegation.”(first scruple?”

In a letter from X to an official of the Diocese I have chosen as residence, ” I did not feel comfortable putting the words suspension and removal of faculties in the “original” letter to Fr Kiem I only inserted at the insistance of the Archdiocese. who communicated to me trough (a lady)” (Apparently more scruples)

Another e-mail dated Feb 10, from X to Z “It is disturbing to me that all these actions have been taken against a priest who had served for 63 years and is now 88 years old. Information need to be forthcoming.”

Several calls for testimonials from the parishioners of the Parish I once served. All in my favor.

E-mail dated March 12 from Z to X, “”Are things proceeding reasonably well at your end? Answer from from X to Z, “We cannot suspend a priest based on a general statemen without more details. The name of the accuser is confusing. It is disturbing to me that all these actions …(repetition of a sentence plugged from the Feb 10 e-mail)

Feb 23, First and long phone contact between X and accuser.” Accuser has not much to say .”

A letter from Bishop to his Chancellor dated July 13, referring to a letter I had sent to him previously, “It amazes me how someone like Fr Kiem whom I understand has limited ability speak English can write such a thing…The best response is…a lawyer for him …

From a long interview between X and the accuser in the city where lives the accuser X finally learned the date of molestation, still vague, “At the accuser’s first Communion.”

Well, the parish’s records are there, reported to X from the secretary as earlier as Feb 3, “The accuser received his First Communion on May 11, 1984 during the time ..(a new priest)served , as Father Kiem had moved away months earlier…

I forgot to mention that under the circumstances, I think your compassion for the priest who wrote you a single line, after all this time, when you as a brother priest had reached out to him is amazing. You are worth so much more than a one line note. I will pray for the priest because goodness knows he needs all the prayers on offer.

with love and blessings

your English friend

Jan

I continue to pray for you and for all priests. They are representing Christ here on earth at the altars of each and every Mass. The battle is relentless and we have to persevere. I just keep hearing Christ’s words “Father forgive them. They know not what they do”.

Your suffering is very real and when one of your own throws a stone, it must be unbelievably painful. I know from my own humanity that when one is hurting in some way, he wants to lash out and hurt another. Prayer, sacraments, penance are the things that help us through the love of Christ to endure. This is the only way I know of to change.

May the Holy Spirit come upon you Father, and upon all priests everywhere in this Year of the Priest. May He show us all light and peace, and forgiveness and charity.

God bless you Father. You are a light.

I thought it was bad enough that my 85 year old mother is never visited by the priest who lives three blocks away because she is a widow… supposedly, there would be some kind of impropriety that might happen. The last time she saw him was the day of my father’s burial.

But to see how your brother priests react to you, not even worthy enough as a human being, let alone a fellow priest… I wonder if there are enough prayers out there.

I offered up all the graces from my Holy Communion on Sunday for you, Father. And like Jan, I will continue to pray for you- and for justice.

I am horrified to know people chanted ‘kill the priest’ The media has a lot to answer for. I was not however amazed at the lack of support from your fellow priests (This worries me) that I expected it. How can a priest be truely serving God if he has no compassion for his fellow man. I did mean Father where you mistreated by the prisioners and Guards. I never stopped to consider you would be treated in anyway with regard or compassion from your fellow priests. Again a sad fact of not only prisoners ‘casting stones’

praying for you daily Father

with love

Jan