Fortune 500 CEO lambastes Vatican

There was an extraordinary editorial yesterday in the Boston Globe by the ex-CEO of John Hancock Financial Services, David D'Alessandro.  http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2005/07/09/sell_art_and_keep_parish es_open/  The editorial takes dead aim at the Vatican for its moral failures in relation to the epidemic of child rape among Catholic priests in the U.S.  D'Alessandro was Hancock's CEO at the time of its acquisition last year by Manulife.  At the time, John Hancock was probably earning around $1bn per year, making it one of the largest 500 companies in the world.  I am dwelling on D'Alessandro's background because the words he penned are not at all what one would expect from a recent corporate chieftan.

On Bernard Law:  "Despite great criticism for allowing children to be abused, the arrogant, clueless, CEO Cardinal Bernard Law doesn't go to jail -- he presides over the magnificent Santa Maria Maggiore basilica here in return for toeing the party line."

On the Vatican, "Rome creates the rules, but is not willing to accept responsibility for the actions of its employees -- criminal priests and their protectors."  And, "Why make the victims and the faithful pay the price when you have the means to do it yourself?  What message does that send? We fail. You pay. And the church expects loyalty and trust in return?"

D'Alessandro argues that instead of closing parishes, in order to be able to sell real estate, as is happening in Boston right now, the Vatican should step to the plate and dip into its vast collection of priceless art ... as he puts it, there's "enough forgotten art in Law's basilica to keep all of our parishes and schools open and create a long-standing recruitment campaign for new priests."

As Hancock CEO, D'Alessandro struck me as a bit of an egotist.  But, since that time, I've been incredibly impressed.  He wrote a great editorial in the Globe regarding the realities of the glass ceiling ... an antidote to Larry Summers if you will (sorry, this was some time ago ... no link).  He seems to be playing a critical role as a Trustee in rescuing Boston University from the fallout of John Silber's autocratic reign.  And, then this.  God, I hope he runs for governor in '06 or '10.