Bishop Jenky and Haitian Hearts--April 2012

Bishop Daniel Jenky’s recent homily in front of 500 faithful Catholic men in Peoria's Cathedral is now part of history.

And even though he cleverly left out contraception, I agree with Bishop Jenky's statement that no Catholic institution under any circumstance can ever cooperate with the intrinsic evil of abortion.

However, many people around the world are shocked at what Bishop Jenky said in his homily regarding Hitler, Stalin, and President Obama.

I am not as shocked as I might be.

In 2002 I met with Catholic Diocese of Peoria Chancellor Patricia Gibson and Monsignor Stephen Rohlfs multiple times. I discussed with them petitioning for a Catholic Tribunal Court against OSF in Peoria for OSF's neglect of Haitian children who needed heart surgery. Both Gibson and Rohlfs encouraged me and gave me advice regarding the Tribunal. (The Tribunal does not seek money…it seeks the truth.)

However, in early 2003, when I told Rohlfs and Gibson in a meeting in Rohlf’s office that I was prepared to petition Bishop Jenky for a Tribunal Court, they both threatened to “go to the media against Haitian Hearts” if I petitioned the Bishop. I was stunned that both had changed their minds about the Tribunal Court and would now work against me.

The next day I met with Bishop Jenky in his office at the chancery. Gibson was already seated at his table when I arrived.

I explained to a sullen and angry appearing Bishop Jenky that I was there to petition the Diocese for a Tribunal Court against OSF. (Catholic Bishops are judges of Tribunal Courts in their own Dioceses.) I told him of some of the incredible statements that came from OSF’s CEO Keith Steffen prior to Steffen pulling all OSF funding of Haitian Hearts in 2002.

I could see that Bishop Jenky appeared shocked (and even scared) when he heard Steffen's comments, but he looked at me and said that he would not judge against OSF in a Tribunal Court. He said there would be no Tribunal Court against OSF and he reminded me that "OSF is a 1.6 billion dollar industry, Doctor."

And to make sure that he had convinced me, Bishop Jenky stated that if I pursued a Tribunal Court any further, I would need to come to confession to him “for killing 18 Haitian kids" (who needed heart surgery). I couldn’t believe what I was hearing and asked him to repeat what he said. While he repeated this threat, I wrote it down. Patricia Gibson sat there silently staring straight ahead.

I realized then Bishop Jenky’s fear of OSF's power, money, and connections and the importance of his up-and-coming Diocesan Capital Campaign which he mentioned. Catholic social justice did not seem important to the Diocese at that point. Money would win out over Haitian childrens' lives… and that is exactly what has happened.

Bishop Jenky’s situation now in 2012 is precarious at best, but not too surprising given his past history.

 

John A. Carroll, MD

www.haitianhearts.org