Dear Pope Francis, Your Opus Dei & DC Archdiocese Part 5 of 7

Opus Dei's Prelature & the DC Archdiocese Broke Their Promises Again and Again

The Pope Francis Letters, a 7 Part Series+++

Pope Francis, Vatican, Vatican City, Italy

Opus Dei Prelature, New York City, New York

Washington, DC Roman Catholic Archdiocese, Washington, DC

re: Opus Dei’s Prelature, the DC Archdiocese, Broken Promises & Fraternal Correction

Dear Pope Francis, Opus Dei prelature, and the DC Archdiocese,

In numerous letters I have recounted in detail your failure, Opus Dei prelature and the Washington, DC Archdiocese ecclesial admin team to discipline in truth and love your brother priest and confrère Fr. C. John McCloskey (requiem pax) when he desperately needed your help.

In 2002-2003 I begged you Washington, DC Roman Catholic Archdiocese to give fraternal correction to C. John McCloskey, an Opus Dei priest operating in your diocese. I said he’d been repeatedly molesting and bullying colleague of mine in the CIC confessional and office; that he was sick in the very heart of his soul, mind, and spirit; that he was in desperate and dire need of help; that I was certain he’d molested other women.

Tragically, even though I was forceful in my report, you failed him - and you failed his victims, the Opus Dei flock, you failed each other, you failed the Church - and you failed me.

For 15 years I really trusted that you had helped him.

I begged you to help him.

You didn’t.

I gave the story - which I recounted in Parts 1 and 2 of The Pope Francis Letters - to the Washington Post. And even then you were not forthcoming about the severity of McCloskey’s predation.

In 2021, Opus Dei, you violated my confidentiality with the woman to whom you paid nearly a million dollars — and somehow manipulated her to give up the name of the victim about whom I had reported.

In so doing, you broke my confidentiality, as a freelance writer, with her. You broke the privacy, anonymity, and confidentiality she had requested.

You never disclosed you had asked for her name — or reached out to her. When you reached out to her — if you did - did you pay for her to have her own legal representation? Did you offer her an enormous settlement? She was depressed to the point of standing on a roof ready to jump off it and suicide her self as a result of McCloskey’s years of abuse.

In 2003 McCloskey’s ugly slanderous words and warning to that victim of his caused her to end the collegial friendship.

In 2021, your actions, Opus Dei prelature, ended my relationship with her again.

Her trust and confidence in me was gone.

I think you learned nothing about how to shepherd the most vulnerable of your flock.

Hence, The Pope Francis Letters.

Now I rely on the Pope, the Church at large, your Opus Dei flock — and also secular authorities to obtain mercy and justice for you.

Allegations of McCloskey’s alleged Alzheimers of which you spoke in 2019 - just 19 - 36 months before a Washington Post expose, I find little or no merit.

That’s because in public and private he was capable of producing intellectual work: articles and book reviews about profoundly difficult subject matter: philosophy, phenomenology, ontological being, ethics and morals — within 2 of the Washington Post investigative story about him¹.

An ability to interpret dense philosophical and theological texts about the phenomenologist John Paul II — literally a book on all of JP II’s teachings — and one of the Church’s greatest saints Thomas More seemed unusual for someone with Alzheimers.

Either Opus Dei was knowingly untruthful in public and to their Opus Dei flock — alleged supposed Alzheimers - and he did write these tracts and that in itself is a violation of canon law.

Or, Opus Dei knowingly was untruthful in public and to their Opus Dei flock and McCloskey did have Alzheimers and they put on a charade and false reputation of the priest — even as ghostwriters wrote these tracts for him.

Either way, it’s a violation of canon law.

One editor - as late as 2017 insisted that it was in fact McCloskey who wrote his own work. That editor and friend would know.

In light of his own predatory behavior when he opines about the need for treating the opposite sex well and practicing self-control, well, it’s more than ironic -it’s comically tragic.

And all this — all of this — comes after my repeated attempts in 2003 to get him help, all the research I did in 2018 to show that he was still un-disciplined, not fraternally corrected, and performing as a priest in full capactiy, likely with men and women.

The coup de grace is the attempt from his fellow peers to portray him as just a hale fellow — I am sure he was — however, he had a terrible maladorit personality and behavioral problem which went un-addressed - as far as the record shows.²

My question to this editor, to monied and powerful members of Opus Dei, as well as his Opus Dei prelature who protected him is 4-fold

• What price would you place on your own daughter- had McCloskey manipulated and connived her, then molested her repeatedly in the CIC confessional and office -and then denigrated her life choices and his behavior to the point where she was on a rooftop contemplating jumping off? That’s what my former colleague endured - she said when we last spoke. She, at that time, had admitted that to family and two men friends and colleagues.

• Would a payment of $1,000,000 be too little, or too great to cover your anguish and your daughter’s anguish? How about a nuisance payment, the usual basement bargain price of $100,000? Not enough?

• Is $10,000,000 enough? Too much for one daughter’s health and well-being?

• I have great affection, regard, and respect for the Opus Dei faithful flock and some of its leaders.

A graduate student at The Catholic University of America (CUA) and a professional at the USCCB, National Geographic Society, CUA, and The George Washington University, I had many happy masses and Catholic holidays among the Washington, DC Roman Catholic Archdiocese (DC Archdiocese) churches and parishes with inspiring, wonderful priests.

Your Opus Dei founder JoseMarie Escriva inspired my first column for my blog carolthecatholic ³

Good men and women among the Washington, DC Roman Catholic Archdiocese (DC Archdiocese) priests and the laity, increased my faith and formed me to be a good writer.

I seek from Pope Francis a minimum 7-year legal and fiscal conservatorship of Opus Dei by an American orthodox religious order of Catholic nuns - and I am formally requesting a forensic financial investigation into the DC Archdiocese for the years 2002 to the present.

That’s because you the Opus Dei prelature and also the Washington, DC Archdiocese - broke a Catholic principle, as ecclesial leaders, of assisting a brother priest C. John McCloskey (requiem pax) when he was in dire need.

You were not cowboys - you were not acting as a stand up guy.⁴

Herein I make a distinction between the Opus Dei prelature and its faithful flock — and also the DC Archdiocese ecclesial leadership team and its team of laity, priests, and flock among the parishes.

Opus Dei, you have given of your time, talent, and treasure to so many of us non-Opus Dei Catholics in your retreats, lectures, and spiritual advising, and I am deeply grateful.

However, in 2003, when it came to your brother and confrere C. John McCloskey, your prelature did not provide the fraternal correction nor judicious decision-making necessary to help him: de-laicization, intensive intervention, an in-house 12-step program, counseling.

In 2003 in repeat phone calls to the DC Archdiocese - and through them you, Opus Dei prelature - I stated that McCloskey had been molesting a colleague and young friend of mine in the confessional and his office and that he probably was doing so to other women.

In 2018 I learned neither his prelature nor the Washington, DC Archdiocese gave him fraternal correction nor protected your Opus Dei faithful flock, nor warned the good men and women, Catholic or not, who met him in London, England; Chicago, Illinois; and Menlo Park, California.

That broke my heart.

Considering my strong report to the Washington Archdiocese in 2003, the Opus Dei prelature, nor the Washington, DC Archdiocese, protected the Catholic woman or man who affiliated themselves with McCloskey’s writings, blog posts, or intellectual endeavors as co-creators or co-authors — and finally they did not protect the Catholic bishops under whose diocese McCloskey operated - leaving them vulnerable as well.   

Badly done, Opus Dei prelature, badly done. 

Badly done, Washington, DC Archdiocese, badly done.

In 2002 I met a young woman, a lady colleague where I once worked, who told she’d been molested by some priest in the confessional and at his office.  I told her to stay from him - that he had serious psychological problems and was probably preying on other women, too.

I told her that she needed to go to the Washington, DC Archdiocese, or I would. 

The young woman, very nervous and scared, explained that the priest had some prominence, and I explained that that did not matter.  He was ill, he was in mortal danger for his soul, and that she ought not be treated by him in such a manner. 

She told the priest my name.  He disparaged and threatened me through her, and I told her to tell him I was unafraid.  He advised she drop the friendship.  She did. 

By early 2003, I did report him to the Washington, DC Archdiocese – and through them the Opus Dei prelature. 

In 2018 I learned nothing had happened as to discipline and censure for Fr. C. John McCloskey that would help him. He gave interviews, wrote Catholic advice columns, practiced his priestly duties from London England, to Chicago, Illinois, to Menlo Park, California, giving talks on Catholicism. 

I researched whether there were other victims, found a woman paid $1,000,000 in a check signed by Opus Dei, the Washington Archdiocese, and McCloskey and urged her to break her NDA.  I gave all my information to the Washington Post’s Boorstein. I tried to get the woman I knew to come forward. 

In 2021 I learned that Opus Dei, two years after the Washington Post had published an investigative piece about McCloskey and Opus Dei, had reached out to the victim paid $1,000,000 in order to manipulate her to give them the name of the victim about whom I had reported.

Opus Dei prelature - you broke my journalistic confidence, trust, and privacy with that woman, who had once been suicidal because of McCloskey’s abuse; I had given her my word I would never give her name as a source, unless she wanted me to do so.

She consented only to allowing the woman paid the $1,000,000 settlement.

I wonder: did you reach out to her and give her the same settlement? Did you advise her to have legal counsel present in meetings with you?

It was done secretly, Opus Dei — without acknowledgment in the public that you had found a second victim of McCloskey (which you knew in 2003 when I’d disclosed that to you) - and you’ve not disclosed whether there were other settlements to other women. You breached my trust and the privacy and confidentiality of the woman.

fraternal correction

I come from a large and extensive Catholic family with 12 brothers and sisters in a blended family of Christians and Catholics, with just 1 set of Catholic cousins with 15 children, and an even larger extended Christian family of in-laws and cousins who are deeply faithful Evangelicals, Baptists, Methodists.

The youngest in a large tribe of self-disciplined brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts, and uncles, I was never a joiner of Catholic groups, because I think, “Just what I need another 100 people telling me what to do.” 

In that very large family I have received accountability and fraternal correction my whole life from those who love me — and even when the family member was wrong, I took the correction.  I took the hit.

I sincerely hope you can accept the fraternal correction of our beloved Papem Francis, if he chooses to give it to you.

verification

I have contacted my former employer and cell phone providers to supply the emails, text message and communications from 2002 – 2003 to verify that what I write herein is true and accurate.

I have contacted the Princeton, Washington, DC, Chicago, Menlo Park, California, and London secular legal authorities – their attorneys general - wherever John McCloskey was permitted to work as a representative member of Opus Dei - please read those letters.

Therein I ask for an investigation into the Opus Dei prelature as to its use of finances, properties, real estate – paid by the good Catholics who are part of their group - that were mis-used by clerics to hide any impropriety by their prelature – either McCloskey or others.

I have filed a report and asked secular authorities in London, Chicago, and Menlo Park to investigate those Opus Dei chapters. 

pax christi and ave maria,

Carol Therese Young

Please continue to read Part 6, The Pope Francis Letters, a 7 Part series

1. Intellectual writings of C. John McCloskey from 2016 onward - only 2 years before I had done my research about him and less than 2 years before the Washington Post investigative piece. See https://www.catholicity.com/mccloskey/behold-the-man.html. AND https://www.catholicity.com/mccloskey/timeless-teachings.html

There is a keen analysis of canon law in 2016 as one approached the year of mercy - https://www.thecatholicthing.org/2016/10/30/that-forgotten-person-the-holy-spirit/

The irony of discussing morality, sexuality, male identity in marriage as it relates to marriage to a woman and relationships with women — and in one of these articles about pornography he himself openly admits to giving confessions -

A 2017 article on pornography in which he admits to giving confession: “As a priest who hears confessions, I can testify that pornography destroys families. It becomes a habit that rewires the brain in ways the person may long struggle to overcome, with great anguish and devastating effects on spouses and children.

https://www.catholicity.com/mccloskey/porn-myth.htmlBook review

2016 on Male Sexuality- 2 years before I discovered he was not disciplined & 3 years before WaPo story https://www.catholicity.com/mccloskey/behold-the-man.html

2. See this description by The Catholic Thing resurrecting just 5 years from the first Washington Post story in 2019 and my research in 2018.

2016 Role Model for Bishops in The Catholic Thing — and resurrecting his image by doing a reprint on-line in 2024 mentioning NOTHING of his sin and serial predator behavior

Note: Fr. “C. J.” McCloskey, an Opus Dei priest, an early collaborator with this site, and a dear friend to many of us, died on February 23 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. He was a legend – even gaining a complimentary profile in the New York Times just a few years ago (here) – for his “magnetic touch” in the conversion of well-known figures such as Dr. Bernard Nathanson, Sen. Sam Brownback, Judge Robert Bork, and many others. One of his cultural programs on EWTN introduced Melissa Villalobos to John Henry Newman; the Vatican declared her healing after praying to Newman during a troubled pregnancy one of the miracles leading to his canonization. We reproduce here a column he wrote for The Catholic Thing, as relevant today as when it first appeared in 2016. Requiem aeternam dona ei Domine. – Robert Royal

https://www.thecatholicthing.org/2023/03/05/a-role-model-for-bishops-2/

3. Carol Therese Young carolthecatholic on substack which was first published on Wordpress as carolthecatholic in 2017.

4. Cowboy priests do an honest day’s work and when they see good or evil, act; accordingly, they’re the saints about whom we read; no present-day cowboy priest wants to be mentioned herein as their other quality is humility.

+++Grateful acknowledgment in the thorough research, writing, and conclusion of the Pope Francis letters to my nieces and nephews and their parents, each one of them, whose moral compass is pointed due North toward Christ, the big T Truth; - and whose fraternal correction of me yesterday, today, and tomorrow forms me to be a better Catholic and Christian; to the members and alumni of Purdue University, the University of Notre Dame School of Engineering and Law School, Case Western University Law School, Oberlin College, Saint Louis University, Earlham College, University of Michigan’s School of Engineering, Business School, and Computer Science department, The George Washington University, The Catholic University of America, and Dominican House of Studies whose people lent their talent, resources, and expertise in the writing of these letters. I want to thank in particular the Baptist, Evangelical, and Jewish communities of Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH; St Louis, Missouri; Colorado Springs, Colorado, St Paul, Minnesota, Vacaville, California, and Bremen, Indiana whose prayers, spiritual fortitude, encouragement, and faith inspired me to publish what I’ve written herein. Last of all, I want to thank the woman, my former colleague, who was courageous enough to share her story and by her example I am certain other women were protected from a hurting, confused, and disordered priest McCloskey, and he — at the very least received the prayers I, and my family and friends, offered on his behalf and he did have a portion of his responsibilities take from him, which is a minimal discipline but some discipline nonetheless. Finally, I want to thank the devout, pious Opus Dei priest who once worked at St Mary’s seminary in Maryland who encouraged one woman to hire a lawyer and sue Opus Dei; the Opus Dei faithful - the people and priests - who have been so kind to me and who lead by example in their walk with Christ; and the Dominicans of the East Coast and West coast provinces, the Holy Cross priests of the University of Notre Dame, and the many parishioners, priests, and prelates from Virginia to Washington, DC, California, Maryland, Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan who heard my confessions and urged me onward: St. Dominica Catholic Church, Bremen, Indiana; Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Lakeville, Indiana; St Joseph Catholic Church, South Bend, Indiana, St Dominic Church Washington, DC; You have the answers to life’s most difficult questions - Jesus Christ yesterday, today, and forever. You know who you are and so does God. Thank you.