Open Letter to Archbishop Gregory

Archbishop Gregory,

Grace and Peace to you. I respectfully direct your attention to my previous correspondence addressed to you with respect to Archabbot Douglas Nowicki, and the lecture, which you gave at St. Vincent seminary on November 27, 2012. The significant readership of the Misconduct in Latrobe website will no doubt view said lecture with interest.

Nevertheless, the reasons remain incomprehensible, as to why you, Archbishop Gregory, would wilfully choose to ignore the irrefutable evidence concerning the Archabbot Douglas Nowicki’s alleged sexually abusive behaviour towards a former member of the monastic community at the Archabbey. While, I can accept that you do not personally read all the email correspondence sent to your email address; what I am not prepared to accept is that no archdiocesan official did not bring the Nowicki matter to your attention.

Having observed closely the sycophantic behaviour of Archabbot Nowicki in the presence of ecclesiastical dignitaries, I have no doubt that his welcome, to you, Archbishop Gregory, upon your arrival at the Archabbey, was gracious, as you refer to during your lecture at 13:22.

Within your lecture, there are a number of matters that I would like to address. From 16:10 onwards, you bring to the listener’s attention – statistics from the Pew Research Center – that one in three Catholics during the course of a year will leave the Church, and become a non-practising Catholic[…..]referring to this phenomenon as a “silent erosion”.

Your Excellency, I would like to respectfully suggest that “Faith” is alive and well. These very real desertions from mainstream Roman Catholic practice are a response – directly attributable to the institutional hypocrisy of the American Catholic Church.

The American Catholic Church says: do as we say; not as we do. The American Roman Catholic Church proclaims its resistance to Obama Care. At St. Vincent College the provision of contraceptive / abortifacient drugs have been and continue to be available under the College medical plan overseen by the Chancellor Archabbot Nowicki.

Moreover, this policy of St. Vincent College was confirmed in an email to all members of the college staff, sent by the incumbent President Br. Norman Hipps. A copy of said email is in my possession.

This is the type of medical care plan exactly envisaged by President Obama, which was overseen by the former President of the College. H. James Towey, who now like a craven immoral hypocrite can never remain silent about Obama Care. The same H. James Towey who while President of St. Vincent College was deposed in Greensburg, Pennsylvania for his immoral involvement in the demise of a marriage in accordance with Florida state law.

An attorney here in London reviewing the 378 pages of email correspondence sent from Towey’s AOL email account to this married woman remarked that Towey groomed her [the married woman] like a paedophile grooms a child. The obsequiousness of Mr. Towey, along with his craven immoral hypocrisy is yet another demonstrable example of institutional hypocrisy.

Not only was Towey’s behaviour hypocritical while at St. Vincent with respect to the management of the medical care plan for the employees – he also committed a misdemeanour with respect to Pennsylvania State Law with further irrefutable evidence of this contained in the two Decrees issued by the CDF. It is regrettable that Towey is continued by the Bishop of Venice, Florida, Bishop Frank J. Dewane, a man with an interesting past to masquerade as President of a Catholic College.

So in effect, the Church rewards wrongdoing. No punitive sanctions have ever been brought to bear on Archabbot Nowicki and Mr. Towey but that will change soon when they will have to give an account for their actions in accordance to the civil law.

The aforesaid are just a few demonstrable examples, which evidence something systemic at the Archabbey/College – real institutional hypocrisy, which brings the proclamation of the Gospel into disrepute, and attempts at meaningful evangelisation, an exercise in futility. Christ’s faithful respond to the authentic proclamation of the Gospel – not duplicitous hypocrisy.

Archbishop Gregory the fact remains, your office was notified about Archabbot Douglas Nowicki’s serious sexual misconduct, and your deliberate action was to do nothing, which appears to be the standard modus operandi of the American Roman Catholic Church, when Ordinaries or religious superiors are involved.

Your Excellency, embedded is a link to a recent lecture given by H.E. George Cardinal Pell. It is a remarkably illuminating and candid talk. Cardinal Pell is a figure that engenders much controversy, as he has no problem speaking truth to power. While I would not espouse all his views, wholeheartedly, I endorse his view that the sexual abuse scandal is the greatest barrier to the new evangelisation facing the Church today.

Indeed, the Church has lost moral credibility because it contumaciously refuses to deal with recidivist cleric’s. Let us expand this failure within the context of the American Cassinese Congregation.

Let us start with a monk of St. Vincent Archabbey, Archbishop Weakland. This is a man who paid $450,000 of Church money to buy the silence of his former homosexual lover, who has consistently and notoriously defected from the teaching of the magisterial Church, who acknowledged that under his leadership as Archbishop of Milwaukee – complaints of sexual misconduct were routinely shredded. Weakland’s notoriety remains a stain on the American Church. For the sake of the reputation and standing of the Church in America it is to be hoped that other actions of this Archbishop do not come into the public domain. Nowicki was Weakland’s golden boy, regrettably Nowicki is perpetuating the malevolent legacy of Weakland at the Archabbey.

One Abbot President John Eidenschink admitted being a sexual deviant; the late former Abbot President, Abbot Kelly stands credibly accused of the sexual molestation of an altar boy, which has resulted in a lawsuit, with 23 members of St John’s Abbey having credible allegations of sexual misconduct, which are accepted as being legitimate by the incumbent Abbot. Res ipsa loquitur.

Fr. Dan Ward, a monk and priest of St John’s Abbey, Collegeville, who was the “go to man” for every “problem” in the Congregation now stands credibly accused of several allegations of serious sexual misconduct, yet how the remains a priest in good standing remains a mystery despite the Norms of the Dallas Charter, which you, Archbishop Gregory, were instrumental in introducing.

St. John Chrysostom, Bishop and Doctor of the Church with his words excoriating bishops are as prescient today, as they were during his lifetime.

Archbishop Gregory, how do you justify wilfully ignoring the very clear evidence authenticated by a Notary Public concerning the allegations of serious sexual misconduct / assault that have been made against Archabbot Douglas Nowicki by giving a lecture in his presence, and thanking him for his gracious welcome?

The record clearly shows that Archabbot Nowicki never stood aside while the allegations were being investigated; no public statement was ever made; no public statement of exoneration, in contravention of every established Norm, and the provisions of the Code of Canon Law in flagrant contravention of the Norms, which you Archbishop Gregory were instrumental in having promulgated. Is that not demonstrable evidence of institutional hypocrisy?

What did you ask Archabbot Douglas Nowicki upon your arrival at the Archabbey?

Did you ask him about the nature of the allegations?

Did Archabbot Douglas Nowicki deny the allegations?

Did Archabbot Douglas Nowicki say they were without substance and foundation because the complainant Junior monk was put up to doing so by Fr. Mark Gruber?

How did Archabbot Nowicki explain the significant time difference between the alleged assault and the Fr. Mark Gruber saga?

Did you then ask Archabbot Nowicki, why has he not sued the complainant in the civil forum? Please be advised that Archabbot Nowicki has a long history of unnecessary pugilistic litigation, including his rapacious lawsuit against the estate of a dead woman Annette Brownfield, resulting in $850,000 paid into his discretionary account, to then be squandered in his profligate spending.

Why then did Your Excellency not exercise prudence by insisting that Archabbot Nowicki not concelebrate the Eucharistic mystery with you?

Were you aware that the Master of Ceremonies at St. Vincent College, Fr. Athanasius Cherry was previously accused of sexual misconduct/impropriety, and to the best of my knowledge Fr. Cherry is still not permitted to celebrate the Eucharistic publicly? No, most probably you did not.

Attached are photographs, which publicly record that you celebrated the Eucharist with a known sexual deviant, Archabbot Douglas R. Nowicki, and were happy to pose for photographs with the said sexual deviant, Archabbot Nowicki. Also, the photographs record the presence of Fr. Cherry, Master of Ceremonies, for the evening wearing a surplice over his monastic habit. Fr. Cherry was never delated for the CDF even though the complainant was a minor

Demonstrable Institutional Hypocrisy as outlined above – this is what alienates Roman Catholics from the Faith. Regrettably, either through wilful ignorance and/or wilful malice – your presence at St Vincent Archabbey continues to legitimate Nowicki’s sexual misconduct, and tyrannical regime.

Archbishop Gregory, I wish to be clear, I am not accusing you of being a hypocrite, but I am suggesting that you were deeply naive, foolish, and showed a serious lack of judgement with respect to giving the lecture at St. Vincent Archabbey. The was only worsened when you concelebrated the Eucharist beside Archabbot Nowicki.

Not only have I accused Nowicki of being a sexual deviant, I have offered the Archabbot, a choice of jurisdiction for a lawsuit, should he foolishly wish to challenge my legitimate assertions: Westmoreland County Court in Pennsylvania and/or the High Court in London, an offer which still stands. As I have said in the past, I want my day in court with Nowicki. After all, Nowicki had his legal firm send me a cease and deist letter, but these very grave matters cannot be simply swept under the rug, and ignored.

Personally, I have no problem in calling as a witness the complainant Junior monk, and a few other parties that would highlight other matters, which many in the Church would not want brought into the public domain in a lawsuit. I have every piece of evidence I require to prove what I assert.

Furthermore, the only reason I have not sought significant damages in a lawsuit with respect to the harassing email correspondence, which I received from a party/parties at St Vincent Archabbey is because of the enormous reputational damage that would occur to the Church. It would be RUINOUS.

Lest there be any doubt, I have no wish to do any harm to the Church, the Archabbey, St. Vincent College or St. Vincent Seminary.

Until, I have a public acknowledgement, and a written apology from “Randall Flag”, and the other person/persons, who sent me a number of deeply harassing and insulting emails, I will continue to highlight Archabbot Douglas Nowicki’s “dysfunctional sex life” to quote Mr. Michael Ference, and the misconduct at the Archabbey. Archabbot Nowicki remains an intractable problems that is not going to go away. Furthermore, I am not interested in any financial settlement whatsoever, I just want the truth – it really is that simple. Who is Randall Flag?

Not only is Archabbot Nowicki a sexual deviant, he is also a pathological liar. In the second Decree of the CDF with respect to Fr. Mark Gruber, we read in Paragraph 32 that there is no religious house in the United States capable of providing the supervision required with respect to Fr. Gruber.

Now this would require Archabbot Nowicki having to petition each monastic house to take Gruber, and the request considered by the Abbot and his council in accordance with the relevant provisions of Canon Law, and the ordinary law of the relevant monastic congregation. No petitions were ever made by Nowicki. I know this from speaking with a Benedictine Abbot in the North Americas, whom I have known for over ten years.

Even more evidence of the pathological lies that issue forth from the mouth of the Archabbot. With reckless and a capricious arrogance, Nowicki is prepared to lie to the CDF, and spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on law firms to make his lies look credible to the CDF. Where I come from Nowicki would be referred to as an individual whom you could not believe the Truth of the Gospel from his mouth.

Archabbot Nowicki is really a bully, but bullies are always cowards. If Archabbot Nowicki valued the good name of the Archabbey, and his own good name, he would immediately bring proceedings against me, but he knows I am telling the truth, and he will lose in court. If Archabbot Douglas Nowicki had any integrity and self-respect remaining, he would resign immediately. It remains a mystery as to why there has been no Apostolic Visitation of the Archabbey – maybe that is why Archabbot Nowicki is currently doing everything within his power seems to preventing the next canonical visitation, scheduled for January 2013 from taking place.

Finally, I would like to address some matters pertaining to the ongoing Fr. Mark Gruber saga, as Gruber seems to be Nowicki’s favourite whipping boy. Should Archabbot Nowicki continue to hold to the quixotic view that all these problems will dissipate when Fr. Gruber is moved in accordance to the provisions contained within the Decree of the CDF, he is very much mistaken. Regrettably, this will not be happening. The CDF will eventually come to the realisation the problem is: Archabbot Nowicki, and until he either resigns or is canonically removed these problems will remain.

Furthermore, Fr. Gruber is NEVER going to be moved to any other jurisdiction outside the USA, as he will never get a visa as a religious worker and/or a professor. The maximum he could stay in any single European country would be 90 days.

Moreover, in accordance with the spirit of the Norms of the Dallas Charter Archabbot Nowicki would be required to inform the local Bishop, and the civil authorities, should Fr. Gruber be removed to another religious house in accordance to said Norms, which you had significant responsibility for introducing, during your time as President of the USCCB.

Personally, I am strongly of the opinion that the civil authorities in any country outside the US will not be happy with Fr. Gruber being a resident, and will ship Gruber back to St Vincent Archabbey, as it is the house where his stability is located.

Furthermore, should I get wind of any attempt to move Fr. Gruber – I will immediately alert the immigration authorities, to put Gruber on the first plane back to the US. Archabbot Nowicki will not get his way, and should be in no doubt that he will have to face Fr. Gruber, every single day, as long as he remains Archabbot of St. Vincent.

Should the CDF decide to send Gruber to a monastery in the US, we have the Decrees of the CDF, so the police, and local prosecutors will have no problem petitioning Reed Smith LLP and Ballard Spahr LLP for the information to make a determination on the guilt/innocence of Fr. Gruber. In fact, I am sure the CDF would have no problem in sharing the information they hold on Gruber with the civil authorities in any US state, provided the request was made in the requisite manner: a petition to the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith sent via the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington, to the Cardinal Secretary of State, to be forwarded to said Dicastery. Procedural protocol is important. We forget the Holy See is a sovereign state, and diplomatic procedure and protocol vitally important.

So in light of this, it remains fit and proper that Fr. Gruber should remain a resident in the state of Pennsylvania, where in accordance to law and due process, something he was not afforded by Archabbot Nowicki, is deemed to be innocent with no stain on his character. Something which cannot be said of Archabbot Nowicki.

Archbishop Gregory, I understand that H.E. Francis Cardinal Arinze is coming to the Archabbey during April 2013. Respectfully, it is suggested you should write formally to H.E. Francis Cardinal Arinze, a good man, and spare him from the ignominy of being besmirched by being in the presence of Nowicki, and celebrating the Eucharist with a sexual deviant. The letter can be sent directly to the Cardinal at his home address: Largo del Colonnato 3, 00193, Roma, Republic of Italy.

Further contact details for the Cardinal are found on Page 35* of the 2012 Edition of the Annuario Pontificio. Tel: 011 39 06 69 88 55 19. Fax: 011 39 06 69 88 34 99.

Archbishop Gregory, the known episodes of Archabbot Nowicki’s sexual misconduct is becoming widely known, and it is only a matter of time before people start protesting outside the Archabbey. Nowicki is toxic, and for any Bishop, or Church dignitary to be associated with him is potentially ruinous. Therefore, I would further respectfully request that you write to the Cardinal Prefect to the Congregation for Religious expressing your concerns, and possibly to supplicate an Apostolic Visitation of the aforesaid religious congregation.

Respectfully,

James Carr
Sent via Email
December 18, 2012