Corruption in the Hierarchy of the Church in the United States

On March 11, 2025, Janet E. Smith helped organize the Witness Rally to Call for a RICO Investigation into USCCB and Advocate for Sex Abuse Victims at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, Washington, D.C.

Together with Friends of Rachel, Wes, and “Lost Immigrant Children” (an informal group), Prof. Janet E. Smith gathered for the following purposes:

• Requesting Vice President Vance to Initiate a RICO Investigation in the USCCB use of
  Government Funds and to Advocate for Legislation to Protect Sex Abuse Victims

• The Rally will announce a petition urging Vice President J.D. Vance to launch a RICO
  investigation into the USCCB use of over 100 million dollars to help settle refugees and
  immigrants. (1)
• Additionally, advocates are calling for legislation to safeguard victims of sexual abuse.
• The rally will announce a series of open letters from survivors of priestly sexual abuse,
  advocates, and a letter from Lt. General Michael Flynn, who has written in support of
  the initiative. (2)

• Exposing Cardinal Robert McElroy as a the Poster-Boy for Covering up Clergy Sexual
  Abuse:

• The rally will spotlight Cardinal Robert McElroy, described as a “poster boy for cover-up
  in the Church.” Rachel Mastrogiacomo, a survivor of ritual sexual abuse perpetrated by
  then-Fr. Jacob Bertrand, will be present. (3)
• McElroy is also accused of covering up for Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, who abused
  numerous seminarians, some of them immigrants.(4)
• Also attending the rally will be laity from the Archdiocese of Washington who are
  exhausted after 25 years of political and ideological bishops, who leave their
  presbyterate fatherless.

Project Members at the Witness Rally

• Rachel Mastrogiacomo, a survivor of ritual sexual abuse, who suffers more from McElroy’s
  cover-up then from Bertrand’s abuse
• Gene Thomas Gomulka, an advocate for victims and reform within the Church.
• Prof. Janet E. Smith, retired moral theologian, who will serve as the primary contact and
  can connect media with additional project members, including Wiesław Walawender, Gene
  Thomas Gomulka, Elizabeth Yore, and Kyle Clement
• For more information, contact Prof. Janet E. Smith at smithengagements@gmail.com.

Video Resources:

Relevant Articles:

• “Bishop Strickland Calls On Holy See to ‘Reconsider’ appointment of Cardinal McElroy to D.C.”, originally posted by Bishop Strickland to his Facebook page on 03.13.2025.
• “Former seminarian supports RICO investigation of US bishops on behalf of abuse victims,” Wieslaw J. Walawender writes an open letter to Vice President J.D. Vance stating that the Church’s work with immigrants and vulnerable people is problematic and should be discontinued and investigated for criminal activity.
• “USCCB & Catholic Charities Received $449 Million to Exploit Migrant Children,” Corpus
  Christi for Unity and Peace
• “Catholic Charities Partnering With Supporters of Terrorism?“
  Complicit Clergy, Sept. 29, 2024.
• “Stopping the Priests Who Prey on Adults,” Wall Street Journal, Sept. 1, 2018
• “What the McElroy Appointment Says About the Church’s Commitment to Sex Abuse Victims,” Janet E. Smith, www.crisismagazine.com, June 13, 2022
• “Richard Sipe Tried to Warn Us – But No One Was Listening,” National Catholic Register, Aug. 16, 2018
• “Seminary Sex Trafficking”: (https://www.bishop-accountability.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/news-2021-10-26-Gomulka-Seminarian-Sex.pdf)
• “Concerned Catholics request RICO investigation of bishops’ actions in letter to JD Vance,”
  https://www.lifesitenews.com/news
• “How the US Bishops Sold the Church to the Democrats” Interview with Christopher Manion (Substack Video)
• “Complicit Catholic Media and Clergy Cover for McElroy“
• “Satanic ritual abuse and its cover-up. Why Bishop McElroy should never become a Cardinal“