A priest’s lyrical reference during a recent mass was found to be offensive by a member of the congregation
On Sept. 15, the sermon at the evening mass at St. Francis of Assisi was about changing the world, starting with changing oneself. Father Ray Gramata used the example of the lyrics to Michael Jackson’s song “Man in the Mirror.”
For Ed Rodgers, attending the first Catholic church service in more than 30 years after alleged abuse at the hands of a priest at Bradford Central Christian High School in 1988 and 1989, the point was lost.
“Michael Jackson was a suspected pedophile,” Rodgers said, expressing his disbelief and outrage over what he felt was a “slap in the face to survivors.”
“Going to church after 30-some years, I felt like I took back a piece of me,” he said, but the mention of Michael Jackson “felt like they were trying to take that piece back.”
Jackson died in 2009, but for years had been the subject of multiple sexual abuse allegations, police investigations and lawsuits alleging he had molested young boys. Jackson was criminally charged, but acquitted of the charges against him. After his death, two of the alleged victims filed suit against his estate. The suits were rejected as being untimely. The two later went on to participate in a documentary alleging abuse by Jackson.
For Rodgers, what bothered him the most about the service was that it came on a day that Bishop Lawrence Persico had asked all parishes of the diocese to spend time in prayer to recognize the one year anniversary of the grand jury report detailing years of abuse and coverups within the Catholic dioceses of Pennsylvania.
Contacted via phone, Gramata explained it was never his intention to offend anyone.
“My whole purpose with that homily was the importance of change and it had to begin with us,” the priest explained. “That’s why I used the image of Michael Jackson and the ‘Man in the Mirror.’ It says change needs to come from within.”
He apologized if anyone had been offended by it.
“We had a day of prayer for the victims,” he explained, saying a rosary and benediction were held between masses. The victims and the victimized were prayed for, Gramata said.
“I had no intention of doing anything bad or offending anyone,” he said.
For Rodgers, it was enough to change his mind on his return to church.
“I still pray, but I will talk to God from my home,” he said.
Rodgers alleges he was repeatedly assaulted by Father Desmond McGee between 1988 and 1989 while he was a student at Bradford Central Christian High School and McGee was headmaster. He had written a letter to the Erie Diocese in 1990, but nothing was done. He filed a civil lawsuit against McGee, which was dismissed in 1997 on the grounds that the statute of limitations had expired.
Rodgers came forward again last year after a Pennsylvania grand jury investigation and report identified more than 300 priests with credible abuse allegations against them. Even though the grand jury report detailed secrecy, cover-ups and victim shaming that took place within the Catholic Church in Pennsylvania, spurring mass outrage in the public, Rodgers still finds himself doubted, questioned and vilified by people who accuse him of making up the allegations.
McGee has denied any abuse took place; the diocese has him listed as “under investigation” on its Public Disclosure List.
