Archbishop was uncertain if pedophilia was a crime

 Now this is unbelievable.

Archbishop Robert J. Carlson claimed to be uncertain that he knew sexual abuse of a child by a priest constituted a crime when he was auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, according to a deposition released Monday (June 9).

It defies credulity.

During the deposition taken last month, attorney Jeff Anderson asked Carlson whether he knew it was a crime for an adult to engage in sex with a child. 

“I’m not sure whether I knew it was a crime or not,” Carlson replied. “I understand today it’s a crime." 

Anderson went on to ask Carlson whether he knew in 1984, when he was an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, that it was crime for a priest to engage in sex with a child. 

“I’m not sure if I did or didn’t,” Carlson said.

Claiming not to know if it was a crime for an adult in a position of authority to have a sex with a child continues a pattern of moral failure in this church "leader." Adding insult to injury, the Archdiocese of St. Louis defended the Archbishop's blissful agnosticism over whether pedophilia was a crime, but also claimed he never doubted it was a sin. It all fails the smell test. What we have here is complete failure in church leadership.

Archbishop Carlson claimed uncertainty over the legality of sexual abuse 193 times during his deposition. He even suggested his memory might have clouded by cancer treatments. Gosh, if that were true then he would have failed at his other responsibilities as bishop. Having studied memory disorders for more than 30 years, I never encountered deficits so selective and convenient.

Carlson should not be in a position of authority. He needs to resign and don some serious sackcloth and ashes. He has done enormous damage to the reputation of the church.