Can the Justice Department apply the Rico Law against the Roman Catholic Church

BY STEVEN KASZAB

In 1970’s, The United States Government passed The Rico Law, the Racketeer and Influenced Corruption Organizations Act, allowing the authorities to punish offenders engaged in criminal activities, while being connected to an organizational structure with a boss, under bosses who ordered, or encouraged crimes to be committed on their organization’s behalf. The Rico Law incorporates every aspect of organized crime so long as a conspiracy was present.

More than 4,200 allegations of sexual abuse by Catholic Clergy and others within the Catholic Church in America have been made during the year ending June 30^th, 2020. Bishop Accountability, a website that keeps track of accusations named 6,433 priests, brothers and Catholic School Officials accused of abuse. Reports found that over 4,444 incidents of child abuse had been reported to Church authorities, many of which were officially denied after hidden church investigations. In some dioceses more than 15% of the priests were perpetrators.

The Dioceses of Buffalo presently has over 800 accusations of sexual abuse, and while they are investigating under the watchful eye of their Bishops many of the accusers feel neglected, fatalistic and depressed, believing that justice for them and their families will never be assured and achieved.

Historically the church hid accusations claiming to be investigated that they simply wanted to silently go away. Bishops and the Vatican itself continue to pontificate how far they are going to deal with this crisis, but no significant accountability can be noticed. Worldwide child abuse by Catholic Members continue to surface and grow. Only lawyers seem to be confident in a profitable future as both the church and the abused families continue to hire and pay for legal representation. One Diocese has two dozen lawyers under retainer.

In the past the Vatican wanted to deal with many of these cases but has now allowed individual Bishops to deal with their local problems. Bishops, like all priests, rose together with many of the accused priests and religious members. Human tendencies are to protect the accused as well as the accuser. Diocese authorities have responded by simply asking the accused to retire, confess and also exile the accused to other dioceses where priests are needed.

Silence for the public, distraction for the accused, unaccountability for all. “What is hidden will be revealed,” says the Bible, so long as it happens at the end times and not now on any specific Bishops watch. There is no transparency, accountability or trust within the church.

Since criminality is happening in many forms, I suggest the Justice Department bring the totality of these accusations together and create a Rico Law Action. There is criminality, conspiracy and a hierarchical organization commanding the conspiracy historically and contemporarily.

• Accusations are made of sexual child abuse
• The diocese hides the accusation, denies and distracts
• The accused ultimately is not sent to the police, but an internal investigation happens
• Payouts, promises and non-judicial plans given by the church

The Rico Law can be applied so long as proof can be found showing the church as an organization hidden, distracted attention away from accusations, falsified reports, ordered evidence and the accused out of police hands.

So, you have crimes committed (assault of many types, rape, forced confinement, attempts to hide evidence). A Hierarchical system determines that accusations need to disappear any way possible. Orders are given. I have personally seen this happen in Pennsylvania where a rapist priest was ultimately freed of the accusations and sent away to another parish, hidden and allowed to possibly continue their criminal ways.

The Catholic Church cannot reform itself, and we do not have hundreds of years to give it that opportunity. A Rico Action will accomplish much.

• Bring to light the wrongs done by the Church
• Bring accused to the light of justice and visibility
• Force the Church and all religious organizations to abide by the LAW!!!

Historically the Church Hierarchy, an organization of hundreds of thousands has shown itself incapable of ruling themselves: morally, ethically or practically.  A Rico Law application can be applied to issues such as: sexual assault of children and adults in the church-by-church members (that remain hidden or public viewed), the treatment of Aboriginals placed under the care of the Church as an organization, and an investigation of past and ongoing criminal conspiracies within all religious organizations.

“Find out what people will submit to, and you have found the exact amount of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them.” (F. Douglass). People trust and fear the church, their faith and religion. The church uses this to manipulate, distract and vilify the accused, and not the predators. The Church is made up of humans, so apply directly Secular Justice regarding all these abuse cases. Take decision making from the Church, and place it where it belongs, before the High Altar of justice and the law.