Democracy Now! March 21, 2002

9:01-9:06 HEADLINES: 9:06-9:07 ONE-MINUTE MUSIC BREAK 9:07-9:20 PREYING ON CHILDREN: A WIDENING SCANDAL OVER PRIEST PEDOPHILIA SHAKES THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH The foundations of the U.S. Catholic Church has been rocked by a widening controversy over the sexual abuse of children by priest, and of the systemic pattern of cover-up and protection by their superiors. It is a national controversy that many believe will seriously undermine the moral authority of the Church. One in 11US Catholics say they have personal knowledge of child sex abuse by a priest, according to the first national survey of Roman catholic opinion since revelations of sex abuse cases began sweeping the country this winter. Victims point to a wave of egregious abusers, such as John Geoghan, the former Boston priest accused of molesting more than 130 children. As the scandal unfolded, Boston Cardinal Bernard Law acknowledged transferring Geoghan between parishes after learning of the abuse allegations. Under pressure after the revelations, Cardinal Law instituted a new policy of ``zero tolerance'' for pedophilia among priests and turned over the names of more than 80 clerics accused of pedophilia in the last 50 years. Last week, the Archdiocese agreed to pay up to $30 million to 86 people who accused Geoghan of child molestation, in a highly publicized group of lawsuits that helped foment a national crisis in the Catholic Church. But still, scores of alleged victims continue to surface. Yesterday Pope John Paul made his first comment on the wave of Church pedophilia scandals, writing that he was profoundly hurt by Roman Catholic priests involved in what he called ``the most grievous form'' of evil. Partly in response to the recent scandals, a Vatican department is preparing a document on ``psychological profiling'' to block men who have potential sexual problems from entering the priesthood. Even President Bush weighed in on the scandal yestreday, saying he was confident the Church would clean up its business and do the right thing.'' But not many believe it is going to be that easy. GUEST: EUGENE KENNEDY, author of The Unhealed Wound: The Church and Human Sexuality. He was commissioned by the National Council of Catholic Bishops in the early 70s to coordinate a psychological study of the American Catholic Priesthood. When his study led to conclusions contrary to those that were hoped for, the study was not given official approval. GUEST: REVEREND PAT BAUMGARTNER, pastor at Metropolitan Community Church in New York Was a Catholic as a child IN STUDIO CONTACT: www.mccny.org GUEST: SHEILA DALEY, co-director, Call to Action, an organization of Catholics working for reform in the Catholic church . CTA has been pressing for change in the church for decades. CTA calls upon Church officials to incorporate women at all levels of ministry and decision-making, and to discard mandatory priestly celibacy, and for consultation with the Catholic people in developing church teaching on human sexuality. www.cta-usa.org 9:20-9:21 ONE-MINUTE MUSIC BREAK 9:21-9:40 A WIDENING SCANDAL OVER PRIEST PEDOPHILIA CLOUDS THE CATHOLIC CHURCH 9:40-9:41 ONE-MINUTE MUSIC BREAK 9:41-9:58 CHENEY, IRAQ AND INTERNATIONAL OIL Yesterday, we aired a landmark debate between the former CIA director James Woolsey and former US Attorney General Ramsey Clark. Hussein Ibish from the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee was also on the program. The focus of that show was will the US attack Iraq? Today we are going to continue on that theme and take a close look at the Bush administration, big oil and Iraq. Dick Cheney has just wrapped up his 11 nation tour of Arab countries as he has tried to drum up support for what the White House calls action against Iraq. GUEST: STEPHEN PELLETIERE, professor emeritus at the US Army War College and author of the recent book Iraq and the International Oil System MUSIC: 6-CANONS OF CHRISTIANITY Phil Ochs Phil Ochs in Concert 20-LET MY HOME BE MY GALLOWS featuring Sir Anthony Hopkins Hans Zimmer Hannibal Original Motion Picture Soundtrack 40-INFAMOUS ANGEL Iris DeMent Infamous Angel End-WRONG IS WRONG GARET SILK The Garet Silk Collection 9:58-9:59 OUTRO AND CREDITS