more woes in Dallas

By Diogenes ( articles ) | May 17, 2003

A popular priest was sent back to Colombia without an explanation to his Dallas parish.

The diocese's chancellor, Mary Edlund, issued a brief written statement Friday saying that Father Beltran, "like all visiting priests, was asked to follow specific diocesan and parish standards. He violated those standards and was asked to leave the diocese. "The violations did not involve sexual misconduct," she added. "Because this is a personnel matter, we are not able to elaborate."

The diocese -- who knows? -- may be entirely in the right here. But by its own past actions it has forfeited the right to be believed when it plays its cards face down. There is one way forward: "admission against interest" -- in plain English, telling truths to one's own disadvantage when not under constraint to do so.