Barbara Blaine of the Survivor’s Network for those Abused by Priests (SNAP) has launched the second in her attempts to discredit Chicagoland’s beloved Father Michael O’Connell. It has been stated on many major news networks and through SNAP itself that another person has stepped forward and accused O’Connell of misconduct. The SNAP network is urging the community to safeguard their children, urging law enforcement to put O’Connell in a treatment center, and asking others to come forward. Essentially, the network is utilizing the same tactics they used before their previous accuser (in December of 2013) was proven incorrect and misguided. The network fails to mention the term “innocence” in regards to Father Mike, as provided by the two associations that investigated the prior case, and the network fails to mention the lack of credibility that was found in their star witness of the previous accusation.
While the entire situation is sickening and downright infuriating for O’Connell’s supporters, one question lingers on our minds this evening: Why attack O’Connell again? The answer is simple; Barbara Blaine has made Father Mike O’Connell a Chicagoland scapegoat.
Need a vocabulary lesson? “Scapegoat” was originally a biblical term (pun intended here) referring to a goat sent into the wilderness after the Jewish chief priest had symbolically laid the sins of the people upon it (as cited in Lev. 16). Scapegoats take the blame. Scapegoats are easy targets. Scapegoats, while their origins are in biblical times, still remain in our modern society.
O’Connell is unfortunately becoming one.
Crimes of sexual misconduct are just that: a crime. Anyone affected by abuse of any kind has the upmost sympathy. Abuse is not deserved by any living thing. Topping the news headlines are stories of misconduct with Catholic priests, as it has been for several years. But just because someone is Catholic, does not automatically mean they are a sexual predator! It’s easy to cast your hurt and blame onto someone, especially if that person seems like an easy target. It’s easier to lay the pain of your past onto another person, instead of facing them yourself. But emotional abuse is a sin like any other, and false accusations can ruin lives more than one might think.
SNAP is desperately taking people’s stories in, trying to murk the waters of Catholicism, and is unintentionally destroying our society in the process. They’re placing the blame of horrible crimes on innocent people, our society’s new scapegoats, just to propel their association’s name. On their website, SNAP is “aggressively seeking out others who saw, suspected or suffered the priests crimes or misdeeds and encourage them to call police or prosecutors, not Catholic officials.” Why not Catholic officials? Because SNAP didn’t get their way! O’Connell was cleared by an intense investigation, SNAP’s lead witness was discredited and Barbara Blaine looks like an uninformed imbecile. Is it a coincidence that this “allegation” came out immediately after the clearing of Michael O’Connell?
I don’t think so.
Do yourself a favor: whether you are Catholic or not, don’t watch news coverage of SNAP, Barbara Blaine, or anything regarding the allegations SNAP makes against priests. While sexual misconduct between priests and minors has been historically proven, in the case of Father Mike O’Connell the opposite has been found. He has been cleared and proved innocent on one charge and he will do it again. We here at B-Fast, completely understand Ms. Blaine’s need for a new case against the Catholics. We understand her need to fund her expensive north-side condominium. We understand that her well-being, her association, and her name are on the line with her original claims being unfounded. Blaine is desperately trying to claw herself out of a hole with this ridiculous accusation, but O’Connell loyals aren’t going to let it go and be silent this time.
Lady: you messed with the wrong priest.