The Beginning of The End
of The Bernardin Legacy

Introduction by Stephen Brady

Just what is the Bernardin Legacy? Ask that simple question to any Catholic and the answers you receive will vary from one extreme to the other. One either loved him or despised him. But regardless of your personal opinion of the man there is one point, I believe, we can all agree on: He was a powerful and influential individual, both politically and spiritually. James Hitchcock wrote in an article published shortly after the Cardinal’s death that: “He [Bernardin] consistently used his influence to promote liberal causes, even attacks on Church teachings and traditions.” Hitchcock went on to say: “...he consistently used his power to build a network of allies within both the hierarchy and the bureaucracy, a network which in effect has controlled the direction of the ‘American Church’.”

Bernardin received the Presidential award from President Clinton and was honored, posthumously, by the Masons. He was a friend of Call To Action (CTA) and allowed them to operate on Church property. He even went so far as to speak out against Bishop Bruskewitz for excommunicating CTA members in his own diocese. History has taught us that the Cardinal usually came down on the liberal side of every issue, but what is his legacy? What about his faith?

As Catholics we know that our purpose in life is to know, love, and serve God, and as Archbishop of Chicago Bernardin had an even greater responsibility. Defending the faith and safeguarding the souls of the faithful was his job. How did he do? What was the condition of the Church in Chicago at the time of his passing, after 15 years of his leadership? That is his legacy.

Who did he live with? Who were his friends? (According to the 11/97 Washington Blade, a homosexual newspaper, the Cardinal himself had arranged for the Windy City Gay Chorus to sing at his wake at Holy Name Cathedral. It did so behind a sign prominently displaying its name.) What kinds of men did he associate with and help elevate to bishop? Who praised him? Who followed him and what was the result? RCF has spent the last four years looking for those answers.

1996, RCF approached the Cardinal asking for his help in solving the problems faced by faithful Catholics in the Springfield diocese, the home of Bishop Ryan. His Eminence made it clear he would do nothing to help. But one could hardly blame him; back in Chicago dozens of schools and parishes were closing. Immoral sex education was common, and an alarming number of sex abuse cases were surfacing. Some of the Cardinal’s closest friends, Msgr. Hopwood (who pled guilty to sexual abuse charges in 1994) from Charleston and Fr. Harsham from Cincinnati were accused of sexual abuse. Even the Cardinal was accused of abuse by Steve Cook. Cook later dropped his suit and many claimed that was proof of the Cardinal’s innocence. But was it? According to a 6/18/98 Wanderer article by Paul Likoudis, Msgr. Hopwood was “not your ordinary pedophile. He did hundreds of boys, and I can’t imagine Bernardin not being aware of it, since they lived together for such a long time.” RCF recently contacted one of Hopwood’s victims and discovered that the law firm which represents the Chicago Archdiocese brokered the settlements with some of Msgr. Hopwood’s victims.

Many newspaper and magazine articles have been written regarding the Cardinal’s life. Some suggested he was an active homosexual and did indeed have a relationship with Cook. I had a conversation with a Vatican official as well as a Chicago priest who mentioned an alleged incident in California. But where is the proof?

Read the rest here.

-- Bill Nelson (bnelson45-nospam@hotmail.com), May 15, 2004

Answers

bump

-- Bill Nelson (bnelson45-nospam@hotmail.com), May 15, 2004.

Your thinly veiled attempt to smear the late Cardinal Bernardin says a lot about you.

-- Arlene Clancy (chitownmoma3@hotmail.com), May 15, 2004.

Your thinly veiled attempt to smear the late Cardinal Bernardin says a lot about you.

Actually, I have no opinion on the matter. Simply in the news now.

In Christ,
Bill

-- Bill Nelson (bnelson45-nospam@hotmail.com), May 15, 2004.

bill, check your sources on this one... if its true, then its a damning condition which will keep bishop bernardin from sainthood, but reading the intro page to the website, its a schismatic production piece, which makes me unlikely to accept it as factual without a non biased source in the mix.

-- paul h (dontsendmemail@notanaddress.com), May 15, 2004.

Paul, that's a great point. Schisms may have roots in the social, cultural, and political life of the laity but it's the clergy that make the move into open schism.

God Bless!

-- Vincent (love@noemail.net), May 16, 2004.