OPINION | Barry Richard: O’Malley in No Position to Judge Trump

People in glass churches ought not to throw stones.

Cardinal Sean O'Malley, who runs the Boston Archdiocese, has issued a statement blasting the Trump Administration policy of detaining illegal immigrants caught sneaking into the United States as "misguided moral logic."

The administration's "zero-tolerance" policy reverses the "catch and release" practices of the previous administration. Often times, these illegal immigrants have young children in tow who are separated from their parents or guardians upon capture. O'Malley says the Administration is now openly "using children as pawns to enforce a hostile immigration policy."

Some 5,129 immigrant children are currently being housed in three states by Southwest Key, a non-profit under federal contract to care for them. Reporters were given a tour this week of one such shelter known as Casa Padre, a former Walmart Super Store in Brownsville, Texas. The children are reported to be well taken care of, and in good health and spirits.

The Catholic Church, specifically Cardinal O'Malley, is in no position to be lecturing others about the mistreatment of children. Only yesterday, police in Chile raided the offices of the Catholic church in two cities, the latest chapter in a worldwide clergy sex abuse scandal that dates back more than four decades. Three Chilean Bishops have resigned, and 14 priests are accused of performing sexual acts on children.

The Boston Globe reported in 2003 that O'Malley, while Bishop of the Fall River Diocese in 1992 was accused, though never charged, with covering for the Reverend Donald J. Bowen, who was charged with sexually molesting a nine-year-old girl over a seven-year period.

Then-Bristol County District Attorney Paul Walsh accused O"Malley and his aides of impeding his investigation into priests who were molesting children, according to the Globe story.

Enforcing immigration policy is serious business. Those who chose to violate immigration laws face serious consequences. If they chose to involve their children in their unlawful acts, those consequences might involve separation from those children.

As for Cardinal O'Malley, sometimes it's best to just keep your powder dry and hold your tongue, or risk losing all credibility on the matter.

Barry Richard is the host of The Barry Richard Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. Contact him at barry@wbsm.com and follow him on Twitter @BarryJRichard58. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.