This Family Is Not

Archbishop of Baltimore
Archbishop Lori
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
                                                                                       May 21st, 2017
Your Eminence:

     My wife and I viewed the documentary, "The Keepers" this weekend.  We were probably more familiar with its production than most people in Maryland because I am one of Jane Doe, Jean Hargadon Wehner's brothers.  Over the years I have attempted to make direct and indirect contact with the Archdiocese concerning my sister and my parents treatment by the Church.  My first attempt was during the early nineties in which I begged Cardinal Keeler to call my mother, who rightfully felt abandoned.  Her life was anchored in the Church.  It ended when her pastor, Father Paschal Morlino OSB was told by the chancellery, "to stay out of it", when he attempted to get answers for her.  She was devastated and never attended Mass there again.  I never got a response to my letter, and the Cardinal did not call her.

     The second attempt was through Father Edward J. Bayer while Pastor of Holy Family Church.  In his letter of July 1998 to Keeler, he summarizes the destruction of the faith in this family, as a result of the treatment, and lack of personal attempts by the church to find closure.  In his letter, Father Bayer stated, "Maskell may be out of sight and sound in Ireland, but this family is not."  He tried to warn the Cardinal.  The Church should have learned.   When they initially told my sister that your investigation could find no corroboration with her story, our family got together, did a mailing, and according to the documentary, it produced a lot of corroboration.  If I hadn't known better, I would have thought that the Church either did not really try, or it was being untruthful.

      Now we find in the 7th episode of "The Keepers", that Maskell had been moved to Keough because of charges of sexual molestation at St. Clements.  As if this is not bad enough, the director of the film produces Archdiocesan answers to his questions, which directly contradict Dr. Charles Frantz's childhood abuse report.  Someone is lying. Additionally, Frantz describes how Bishop Malooly came to his dentist office, and offered him a boat.  Really?  The Church's lack of compassion, and non-existent love for the Truth, who is Jesus Christ, is making it harder and harder to be Catholic. 

      We changed rites years back, and when we attend the Latin rite, we travel to another diocese to avoid contributing to this mess.  I pray that you come clean before you lose all your members, along with your credibility.

Sincerely


Michealt T Hargadon DDS, PGK St. Charles Bormeo Council 3960