Priest accused

[cleofet]

Has anyone else been in the situation where one of the Priests of the parish was being accused of child molestation? What was the outcome? How long did it take? If the Priest was cleared of the charges was it publicized as much as the accusation was publicized? How are things now?

 

[peoplemaker39]

You sure you want to know the answers???

I worked with an accused priest. He denied the accusation. Other accusers came forward.

He ws supported by his employer - the majority of the parish - and the diocese. The parish became polarized as the accusers were members…

Eventually after a couple years (due to delays), there was a trial… Before it was over he confessed, pleaded guilty and went to jail.

It was shocking - as a colleague - I had trusted him and never bad-mouthed him and always gave him the benefit of the doubt…

I moved out of that city - he should be out of jail by now - I know it is the policy of the bishops not to allow him to minister in a parish again… That is a fitting punishment even if he is forgiven by God.

 

[BLB_Oregon]

peoplemaker39:

I know it is the policy of the bishops not to allow him to minister in a parish again… That is a fitting punishment even if he is forgiven by God.

It’s not even about punishment. When someone is caught embezzling, they should never work in a bank again. To work with children is a position of trust and a great privelege. Once you’ve abused that trust, it is best for all souls concerned that you never be put in that position again. I would hope for a world where someone who has done that or even feels capable of doing that could have the courage to come forward and have themselves removed from that situation for good.

 

[Shoshana]

We have had one in our diocese and this new bishop has zero tolerance for such crimes. The priest has gone to court and was under house arrest. I would think that his term is over by now. This whole matter is very close to some of us as we know him personnally…but he is defrocked.

Blessings,
Shoshana smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/8/8_2_63v.gif

 

[Lisa4Catholics]

There is one here that I believe as well as other people believe to be innocent.He was accused about 8 months ago by two twin boy(men Now),who claim on a fishing trip they had sudden recall memory that 24 years ago they were molested by this priest.The priest denies the accusations and nobody else has come foward with any accusations and he has worked around children and teens all these years.I have a hard time believing that two twin boys would forget this kind of thing.God Bless

 

[caroljm36]

Lisa4Catholics:

There is one here that I believe as well as other people believe to be innocent.He was accused about 8 months ago by two twin boy(men Now),who claim on a fishing trip they had sudden recall memory that 24 years ago they were molested by this priest.

Now THAT sounds bogus doesn’t it. Does “recovered memory” still get any traction in court? Now that homosex isn’t the hush-hush taboo it used to be, it must be really tempting to “remember” this stuff. Then again, 24 years the inmates were running the asylum too–if it feels good do it! Many people lost their minds back then.

We did have a scandal in our diocese about 10 years ago. I searched on his name though and came up with nothing. Not sure what happened to him. Nothing since then, thank God, though I admit sometimes I feel vaguely suspicious and wonder if all the fathers are making fools of us. That’s the trouble with a problem like this–it’s like a cancer in your heart after awhile.

 

[puzzleannie]

know of 3 cases, two involving Catholic priests, one a protestant youth pastor. all occurred in the 1980s, all were prosecuted in the courts, in all 3 cases there were multiple victims over at least a 5 year period. In all 3 cases, the perpetrator was judged guilty and given probation, or in one case sentenced to time already served in jail while awaiting trial. All 3 were removed from ministry by the bishop of their Church immediately when the charges first became known and were subject to Church disicipline. The minister’s wife divorced him and I have no further knowledge.

The 2 priest were defrocked, consequently no longer under Church control. Both had several subsequent teaching and other assignments working with youth, although the cases had received publicity. Both are living as active homosexuals (not with each other, in different locations in the same state). One has had a succession of under-age teenage live-ins, entirely unmolested by the police, and is prominent in local gay-rights activism. The other lives with a “long-time” companion, and has been treated for effects of physical abuse at his hands several times.

the courts, police, CPS, schools and other cogs in the system are at least equally of not more to blame for perpetuating and enabling this behavior than church hierarchy.

 

[MaggieOH]

Lisa4Catholics:

There is one here that I believe as well as other people believe to be innocent.He was accused about 8 months ago by two twin boy(men Now),who claim on a fishing trip they had sudden recall memory that 24 years ago they were molested by this priest.The priest denies the accusations and nobody else has come foward with any accusations and he has worked around children and teens all these years.I have a hard time believing that two twin boys would forget this kind of thing.God Bless

I do not trust “recovered memory”. If you have been sexually abused you do not forget, even if you never talk about it. If his case goes to court then it is more than likely that he will be found guilty, even if he was innocent of wrong doing.

There have been several cases in my diocese including one that affected the twin brother of a former assistant priest of my parish, and from what my friends told me, a former assistant priest was also accused of molestation whilst in my parish. In the second case the man who made the accusation came forward, not because of recovered memory but because the priest had turned up as parish priest where he was living and the man had a young son. It was too much for him and he had to say something. In other words he had not forgotten what happned but had kept it inside all of the years before telling his story.

With “recovered” memory therapy there is a lot of auto suggestion that is involved and the evidence as such is really tainted.

MaggieOH