“Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”  James 1:27

The movie Spotlight, is the story of the group of Boston Globe reporters who uncovered the story in 2001 and 2002 of the Boston Archdiocese’s efforts to suppress and cover up the widespread sex abuse of children by the clergy. Spotlight refers to the name of the special investigative team of reporters at The Boston Globe. While the film does not whitewash the Church’s guilt and culpability, it hardly revealed any new aspects of the scandal, apart from the admission that The Boston Globe could have reported on it, at least five years prior. The initial reaction could be that the reporting team and the newspaper were heroes, but as you examine the story in total, it becomes clear that the team had their own agendas during and after the investigation and the result is they reported about the abuses but nothing has changed. In fact, the Catholic Church is seizing the moment to use Spotlight and all the media attention surrounding it as a vehicle for their PR touting the reforms they claim are happening. However, the reality is very different for those who continue to be preyed upon by this vast institution and its minions.February – 2016  During the 40s and 50s Hollywood more often than not, made movies portraying the Roman Catholic Church and the clergy in a positive light. The stories of Catholic Missionaries evangelizing and educating people in Asia and Africa was a recurring theme. While there were movies made of historic accounts of an ambitious Papacy and wicked inquisitors that could not whitewash the abuses of the Catholic Church, those were not the more common popular films. Those films that portrayed the kind neighborhood priest who would reach out to the kid on the verge of becoming a career criminal, intervening in time to turn him back to his family and integrity, were far more widely made and received. While inspiring to some, the Hollywood images are not a truthful picture of this institution that has worked as a political machine, thirsty for power, willing to oppress the weakest in its care. Even worse the Roman Catholic Church and its clergy has historically preyed upon the weakest and least able to defend themselves for their own personal aggrandizement and pleasure. In so doing, they have afflicted the body, soul, and spirit of children through sexual predation, all the time disguising themselves as shepherds tending to their spiritual flock.

Virtually all of the reporters involved in uncovering the details of the Church’s activities were non-practicing or “lapsed” (Their term) Catholics. As the story began to develop, it was discovered, that some five years earlier the lead reporter, Walter “Robby” Robinson, buried a story of abuse by a clergyman, with a small article in a little read section of the Boston Globe’s Metro section. Even more damning, he buried hard evidence that came to him from a victim’s support group, SNAP, and thereby failed to act on it when he could have. In so doing, he willfully remained ignorant of the scope of the abuse story. This made it easier for him to not follow through investigating what really happened when it first came to him. Even when the story re-emerged, he intended to and directed his staff to pursue another story, in spite of reporter Rezendes concerns and objections.

When the new chief editor comes in, he encourages the team to pursue the abuse story, not only on the single clergy accused most recently, but to uncover how widespread the abuse is within the Boston Archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church. This followed a meeting between Marty Baron, who happens to be Jewish, the new editor of the Globe, and Cardinal Law. Law appealed to Baron to cooperate with him and the Boston Archdiocese in their reporting. He was offering easy access to press releases in exchange for keeping things positive.  As Baron left the meeting, he made it clear that he would not make a deal with the Church and intended to report stories factually. Law handed him a gift as he was leaving the rectory. When Baron opened the gift he found a Book of Catholic Catechism. According to an article in The Jewish Journal, that really happened and in fact they used the actual book given to him in the movie. That incident shows some insight into Cardinal Law’s arrogance and guile. In the same article, Baron stated he did not believe at the time that his being Jewish mattered, and was surprised that the local media made note of it. Baron stated in the interview that he determined that he was not going to let some perception of him being a Jew in any way bias his reporting. Clearly, it made an impression on Law, based on his “gift” to Baron.

Marty Baron returns to his staff more determined than ever to uncover what the hierarchy knew and expose it. Editor Baron ended up foiling Robinson’s efforts to bury the story again. The editorial instruction was the catalyst to discover how high up the conspiracy went. This instruction came after Marty Baron found out the settlement records on abuse cases and litigation were sealed by the local courts for the Archdiocese. Baron decided The Globe should wage a legal battle to get the court records unsealed and to find out how how many settlements had been made in secret. The team did discover that the whole institution is completely corrupt and protected by lawyers, politicians, and ultimately the full resources of the Vatican. The scope of the battle the reporters would be facing in Boston was  something of a David vs. Goliath story in scope. (In Godly terms, the missing component was the faith of David and his heart for God.)

“And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.  But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear:
  Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell;
yea, I say unto you, Fear him.” Luke 12:4-5

All of the reporters knew they could face some real trouble and persecution for their story, but as their horror grew over how pervasive and wicked the abuse was, they apparently pressed on out of some compassion for the victims and their families who had been silenced for too long. That is where the virtue of their reporting ends, because little changed apart from the dollar amount of the subsequent settlements and that more victims were emboldened to come forward. In fact, in a recent interview on a Boston PBS station, the Attorney for many of the abused children, Mitchell Garabedian, and Phil Saviano from SNAP, a support group for many of the victims (survivors), agreed on camera that the abuse continues and has actually gotten worse since the Pope declared a “Zero tolerance policy”. Attorney Garabedian said that since the Catholic Church operates in complete secrecy, they have simply begun to hide their tracks more carefully, like shipping offending clergy to South America. Incidentally, the largest percentage of relocated clergy are documented to be in Argentina, the home of Pope Francis. It is a stretch to think it is a coincidence. Additionally, they have taken a standard policy of denial, according to Garabedian, using the defense of lack of evidence, when it comes to any new victims with a claim of abuse.

To those who did realize a modest settlement, it has not brought them any healing. No amount of money will buy back those souls who were destroyed by the wickedness of a church that preys on those most vulnerable; fatherless children and widows. As the reporters investigated the individual cases and gathered victim’s stories, a pattern emerged of clergy targeting the children of impoverished single mothers. In particular, the offenders  sought out those most in need, and eager to receive attention from the clergy as a kindness from God. Often, the mothers encouraged the children, the majority being boys, to spend time with these “holy” men, hoping their endangered child would receive mentoring. All that resulted was the predators were given easy access to their victims. This is nothing new for the Catholic Church. Almost from the very beginning of the institution of the Catholic Church, the clergy have preyed upon those in need, male or female. If you do any research into the history of sexual abuse in the Roman Church, it dates all the way back to when Constantine established it as the Church of the State. As soon as the hierarchy was established within the construct of the State Church, the authorities used their position to oppress the people, not the least of which was sexually. The practice is called the Nicolaitan system, which was designed to oppress the laity or the people. This institution has been so powerful for so long and it has not had to answer to any other authority. God is not at all pleased by this, and anyone who believes the Roman Church is at all submitted to God’s authority is kidding themselves. All one need do is look at the fruits to see that men are running the show in a very hellish way, as the Spotlight reporters discovered. God will not be mocked, so the truth did emerge from these incidents, if anyone has eyes to see it and the courage to face the truth.

The reporters believe that their efforts have effected some change within the Roman Church. They have deceived themselves about that. If you spend a little time on the web sites for the support groups of the victims, you will read that, although Pope Francis has stated he will have “Zero tolerance” for abuse of children, in practice he has continued the shell game of moving priests around, in particular to South America i.e. Argentina, to avoid prosecution or any legal action against them and continues the double talk to avoid making any change. The abuse is still going on, and these are not only decades old cases. Pope Francis has launched a PR campaign that Madison Avenue would envy to cover the tracks of the pedofiles and criminals he and the Church are harboring. Francis was actually quoted as saying on his recent visit to the United States, that the sexual abuse of children by the clergy is “Almost a sacrilege.” That should incite outrage in any sane human being. Abusing children is a sacrilege and more, it is an offense worthy of death.

“But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
  Woe unto the world because of offenses! for it must needs be that offenses come; but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh!”    Matt. 18.6-7

The real move of change in the Roman Church is to be more welcoming to homosexuals and to not “judge” their lifestyle, to quote Pope Francis. The result of this change of heart by the Papacy and with the Church authorities will be to make an alternative lifestyle out of homosexualtity, as the world has insisted on. This way they can keep the people in their pews and give them what they want. This has nothing to do with Godliness or what is righteous or just, it is another means to cover their wickedness. Meanwhile, most people are being duped by the Pope’s moves to be “more inclusive” and welcoming to all people. They are being sold on the idea of reforms within the Church, but the real reforms are conceding to the ways of sinful men which have nothing to do with God or righteousness, except to impugn His reputation. In this, the Church can continue to harbor pedophiles and perverts and even put them in positions of authority over the masses, and the people are eating it up. Meanwhile, the victims are set adrift in their pain and confusion turning their anger on God, who had nothing to do with this evil institution and its criminal hosts.

How will this impact the most vulnerable? They will continue to be victims of a large and powerful institution that harbors pedofiles and other criminals, as long as they remain enslaved to her. The only hope for these victims is if they can overcome the grip of this wicked institution and turn to Jesus Christ alone. That is the exception and a rare thing today, but it can be done. Just as those oppressed by the Inquisition did, during the Reformation. People can find true conversion to overcome and not surrender to the Church. Because of the power of The Roman Catholic Church, the converts often suffered imprisonment, torture and loss of their lives. However, in exchange, they received eternal life and liberty from the grip of the Roman Church.

In the analysis of this film and the story it relates, emerges five distinct aspects to it; The institution of the Catholic Church and its works, the Jewish Editor that assigned the team to the full investigation and gave the direction to it, the reporters who did the leg work but had their own agenda, the victims who continue to suffer today with little hope of any real healing due to an institution that has no repentance for its works, and finally the co-writers/directors of Spotlight, Josh Singer and Tom McCarthy, who wanted to tell the story.

Spotlight the movie did portray the Church in character. The Church wields their power in Boston so that criminals can be protected within the walls of the Church. They operate with impunity and politicians line up to defend them. The movie did make note that Cardinal Law was exposed as a protector of sex offenders and was close to being indicted in Boston, so the Church promoted him to a higher position in Rome as a reward for all his criminal activity. Cardinal Law stands emblematic of the Roman Church and how she responds to such wickedness. Fortunately, God is just and He will judge them for their works. Cardinal Law’s successor, Cardinal O’Malley has done a good job of keeping subsequent scandals out of the press and holding to the Vatican line in Boston so that it seems like the abuse has been stopped. As Atty. Garabedian stated, they have been able to operate in complete secrecy and are now denying new claims of abuse for “lack of evidence”. While it appears that the Church has made real progress in reform, in fact, they have done a better job of sanitizing the facts and hiding offenders. O’Malley, the Pope’s front man in monitoring the sexual abuse scandals, has proved to be a masterful politician in promoting the Vatican line of “Zero Tolerance”. It is all smoke and mirrors if you choose to check in with victim support groups. O’Malley recently released a statement praising the movie Spotlight, claiming he was so very glad this came out to remind everyone of what happened so that the reforms can continue. This gives the impression that it is all being corrected and abuse is prevented now by the church’s actions and diligence. All O’Malley has reformed is the payment of settlements to victims. He has successfully reeled that in through hiding assets and threatening closure of parishes if it continues. Secondly, according to Atty. Garabedian, O’Malley and Pope Francis have found new means of harboring offenders by shipping them to places where the members of the Church are not so vocal about abuse. In truth, O’Malley could be even more criminal than Law was.

Marty Baron, the new chief editor who directed the team of reporters to go after the institution of the Catholic Church was one who emerged as having an understanding of the problem. Is it possible that he as a Jew, more than the reporters, understood the nature of persecution by the Roman Catholic Church and its historic corruptness? The Jews have suffered persecution and victimization by the institution of the Church for centuries. As a result, it was not a stretch for him to see that the problem was much bigger than a few criminal priests. The real deal was a large conspiracy and a powerful network of sadistic and perverted wolves posing as shepherds. All the time they could do their works without any fear of reprisals by law enforcement because they had protection from  local government all the way up to the Vatican itself. Chief Editor, Marty Baron, had to convince his team that they should pursue the evidence and report it even though they might experience interference from the Church and even retaliation. In the film re-telling, it apparently emboldened the reporters to do their job, in particular, Walter Robinson the lead reporter. But he is not at all exonerated for his previous negligence in reporting horrific acts of abuse on hundreds of helpless children.

As previously noted, the reporters were all of a Roman Catholic background, which troubled each in various ways. Editor, Walter Robinson was an alumnus of Boston College and had friends from his days there, highly connected in the Boston Archdiocese. His connections apparently made him reluctant to aggressively pursue the facts when first assigned to the story. Five years prior to the team’s investigation, Phil Saviano, the head of SNAP in Boston, provided Robinson with names and testimonies of the victims, that Robinson discarded as not credible. One of Robinson’s arguments for not reporting on the abuse was a lack of victims willing to come forward to testify. Robinson, embarrassed by his omission when the accounts did come to light, pursued an admission of guilt from one of the Church’s representative attorneys. The man was an old college buddy of Robinson’s. He admitted that the Church had made private settlements to more than 70 abused children, that he personally was involved in for the Boston Archdiocese.

Sacha Pfeiffer, was portrayed as being very good at gleaning testimony from reluctant victims, which made the reporting credible and at times made her ill. In the film portrayal, she was keeping her investigation a secret from her family and still attending Mass with her Grandmother. At end of the film, Sacha sat in her grandmother’s kitchen waiting for her to finish reading the first of the series of articles about the scandals. The grandmother looked distressed and Sacha looked sheepish in the film. How true was the film in this portrayal? According to an article published on a website called Hollywood vs. History, the reporters all called themselves “lapsed Catholics”. When asked if they have returned to the Catholic Church since the investigation, Pfeiffer responded she continues to attend church like millions of other Catholics who know what the Church has done to destroy so many of any faith in God. However, Robinson reports that he is “super lapsed now” and reporter, Mike Rezendes reported that what they discovered was “just too shattering” to return now.

In the PSB interview previously referenced, Sacha Pfeiffer and the other reporters were asked what they thought was accomplished by their reporting and the team all seemed to agree, especially Pfeiffer,  that the stories brought about real improvements in the Catholic Church in terms of reforms. However, as previously noted, Atty. Garabedian and victim, Phil Saviano in a separate interview, said they believe that the story did nothing, and the abuse is worse now than before. Just as Pfeiffer convinced herself they brought about real helpful changes in the Church, it was noticeable she used the interview to make an appeal to the audience to subscribe to The Globe to keep it going. Her appeal exposed one of the big motivators for these reporters, their need to get and keep readers so that they have jobs. The press coverage of the movie during awards season has latched onto this notion that The Boston Globe and others like it have been crusaders bringing the hard truth to light so that real meaningful reforms can be made. The investigative reporting field is being lauded as the means of bringing out the truth so that societal wrongs can be corrected. The ugly truth gets no press in that the victimization of the little ones goes on unabated. Did the reporting of Watergate stop politicians from being crooked and paranoid? No. The real deal is that the Church is more careful to cover its tracks to avoid having to pay out more restitution and to maintain their numbers, in order to keep their power and keep the money coming in from those who choose to remain blind and deaf to the truth. If you have a mind to get the real story, check out some of the “survivors” web sites. Many do not want to be called victims now, they prefer survivors and it may be an accurate label if they are still alive. There were many who chose to take their lives because they couldn’t take all the pain and torment that came to them through no fault of their own. Others have become alcoholics and addicts in an effort to numb the memory and pain. “It is impossible that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than he should offend one of these little ones.” Luke 17:1-2

Reporter, Mike Rezendes was portrayed as being really fearful that the competing newspaper, The Boston Herald, might scoop him on the story of the reporting of the widespread scandals. Again proving that the reporters were at least as concerned about themselves as the victimization of the children. While he was sickened by the stories that he heard testified to out of the abuses, in the end he was portrayed as more concerned that one of the Diocese halfway houses where the Church moved their accused clergy (for treatment) until the heat of an accusation was past, was right in his own neighborhood. Rezendes was fearful that one of the pedophiles living there might get to one of his own kids. That is entirely understandable, but it also highlights the conflict of the reporting team and their lack of objectivity throughout the reporting process. As Catholics, they have to believe their reporting effected real reform so they can live with it and their families. Those in the position of advocates for the victims know otherwise because they live it day to day.

Most if not all of the victims that have survived are living without hope of any real healing because they have lost any belief they may have had in a just God who truly loves and cares for all his children. Some now believe they have been forsaken by God because of what was done to them by God’s supposed representatives on earth. Many of these sad victims have taken their own lives. Especially, the males who lived with the internal conflict of what was done to them and how to reconcile it to the natural order of things and because they were threatened with eternal damnation if they ever told their story. Couple that with the confusion that comes with the shame of the sexual acts they were forced to perform, against their own inclination and will, and many found the burden unbearable. Those that may have found some vindication in having their story told, identifying them as actual victims, often are still bound to the Roman Catholic Church. Sadly, for these victims, continuing to be involved in the institution that tormented and abused them leaves them with at best, a false sense of hope that some day the unrepentant Church will reform and provide for their spiritual needs. In the previously referenced interview, victim Phil Saviano affirms that he is still a Catholic and even though things have gotten worse, he hopes for a day when real reform will come to the Catholic Church hopefully in his lifetime. Sadly for Phil and others like him they are holding onto a false hope.

Finally, the co-writers, Singer and McCarthy set about to make this movie because as McCarthy said, the people need to be reminded about what happened. He commented on the Pope’s recent visit and said while the Pope said the right things, little has changed in the Catholic Church since the scandal broke. In a quote from McCarthy, “Talk is not going to fix anything” Tom McCarthy is correct in that but he gives far too much credit to the Globe and the reporters in bringing it to light. It was admitted in the film that people knew for years but kept silent and let it continue. Whether it was out of fear or complacency doesn’t matter, it is all wrong. Now that this movie has been made, men are congratulating each other for their bringing out the proof of the Church’s wickedness and criminal acts. As usual, men completely leave God out of the mix. It was time for judgement to come and expose the institution of the Catholic Church so people could choose who they would serve. This was all prophesied in the Bible and this movie is not to be heralded for breaking the story, it was already known. Men’s institutions are now lauding these men and the Boston Globe team for their courageous reporting but it has changed nothing. The awards and praise from men, the filmmakers are amassing amount to less than “sound and fury, signifying nothing.”

The Bible has prophesied that reform will not happen to this institution, this false religion that preys on its people. “And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.” Rev. 18.4-5 However, Jesus himself will see to the spiritual needs of all who will call upon him out of a pure heart and serve him. If you are not certain of what happened or need your memory refreshed, Spotlight could be worth seeing, to be reminded of how wickedly and corruptly the Church operates. All the time remember that the story is hardly news. The predatory acts have been going on for centuries but it will not continue forever, be assured of that. Jesus Christ will put an end to the iniquity and establish righteousness and truth under his rule and he is coming back soon. “to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.” Daniel 9:24

“The spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
  To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
  To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.” Isaiah 61:1-3