Review: The Evil Wolf Dressed in Sheep's Clothes
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 7, 2011
As a middle-aged, lifelong Catholic, it is so disturbing to read about the abhorrent way the Church systematically covered up this pervasive issue for multiple decades.  "A Predator Priest" details the story of one of these devils disguised as a priest, Bernard Bissonette, and the tragic impact he had on one Connecticut family, the Deary's, and other communities he was transferred to "serve".  Margolick's story illustrates the utter failure of an institution to protect those it is intended to serve.  Not only did the Church turn a blind eye to the abuse of children taking place by priests, it was complicitous by simply shuffling these rotten people to other locations so they could continue their vile and disgraceful behavior.  The Deary's story and the actions of individuals like Bishop Reilly illustrate this all too clearly (and disappointingly).  All this is captured in an objective and harrowing way that will leave any reader, particularly Catholic ones frustrated and angry to the point of questioning their faith in their Church.While Bissonette is a reprehensible person, the most disturbing thing this book documents is the Church leadership, the Diocese, Bishops and Archbishops, who willfully ignore the pleas of their flock and the incontrovertible evidence of evil in their midst.  They made the victims feel as if they were in the wrong, willfully covering up this issue rather than confronting it head on and defrocking the monsters in their midst.  This is a disturbing, frustrating and tragic topic, but Margolick does the topic justice so we won't forget and can prevent such institutional failure from ever taking place again -- and we can put people like Bissonette where they belond, behind bars.