My Dear Friends,

I am a voice calling out to all of you from the seminary in Boston. I have read all of the comments, and in fact, I am living through this problem we are having in the church.

I agree that the church in is crisis, but may I suggest, that the church was in crisis long before this problem started.

I am not trying to forgive those priests, or for that matter Cardinal Law, or the others before him. In fact, I think someone needs to resign. I think the fact that gets lost in all of this is the reaction of the church in Boston. Recently, one of the TV station here conducted a poll, the polled 800 "catholics" of the 2.5 million in the Archdiocese of Boston. They did not reveal what kind of catholics these people are. Did they stand outside of churches and ask these questions? Did they get the names from the local priests? We will never know.

Anyway, not only did the majority of the people polled want the Cardinal to resign, but a larger majority said that they have not lost faith in their church or in their local priest. I think we need to remember that there are some 500 priests currently serving in the Archdiocese of Boston who have NOT done this horiffic act.

These men are sick and they need some help, but we also need to remember that priests are just men, and men sin. I am not trying to make excuses or forgive their actions. Many mistakes have been made, and things are not all that good for the church in Boston. I am speaking of the administration, but the church in Boston is strong. Churches are still open, and the acraments are being conducted.

Just to clear up some facts. There have onyl been 2 convictions in Boston. There are only 3 pending cases, and they are all against the same person. Yes, the have settlled about 80 cases, again all against the same person. The archdiocese has just finished a search of all clergey records going back of 40 years, and they have identified another 8 priests who have been accused. One of the priests that has just been removed had one accusation against him, and that was 15 years ago.

Yes, this is closing the barn door after the horse has run out, and maybe the Cardinal should resign, and yes the church is in a crisis. The church in Boston in now cooperating fully with the authoprities here, yes, they should have been doing it all along, but they are cooperating.

As far as sending these priests to monasteries. I was in a monastery, and that is not what monasteries are for. These priests need help, real help, real psycological help, and they will not get it in the monastery. Think of it this way, the courts do not send criminals into the military anymore, because that is not the place for them.

This emergency has raised many questions for many people, me included. I thas made many people pary harder, me included. Let us not forget the good ones that are left out there.

During this time of Lent, it is my hope that we will pray for the victims of abuse, pray for the criminals as well, and please, pray for the presbyterate of Boston, as we try and get a handle on this situation.

Peace to you all

Peter Michael Preble