'priest who served 21 months in prison for possessing child pornography to move back'

[jdnation]

**A slap at loyal Catholics
**

IN A blatant show of arrogance, the Toledo Catholic Diocese just doesn’t get it. It has allowed a priest who served 21 months in prison for possessing child pornography to move back into a church-owned apartment near Corpus Christi University Parish. There’s more: The diocese continued to keep him on the payroll while he was incarcerated.

That’s a slap in the face to parishioners who have been asked to believe the church isn’t coddling molesters.

State law allows authorities to force convicted sex offenders to move when they live within 1,000 feet of a school. So it logically follows that Stephen G. Rogers, former Central Catholic High School religion teacher and associate pastor, shouldn’t live a mere 100 yards from the Dorr Street church that caters to University of Toledo students and hosts events for young children.

This case didn’t accidently slip through the cracks. Both Toledo Diocese Bishop Leonard Blair and federal law enforcement officials signed off on the move. The feds conducted a raid and seized a large volume of child pornography from the apartment in 2002. Lord knows why the bishop approved the move, and the public has a right to know why federal officials didn’t deny it.

At a time when the diocese was facing dire financial problems, it kept Rogers on the payroll while he was in prison. Although he is still a priest unless the Vatican decides to laicize him, he cannot represent himself as a priest, celebrate Mass, or serve anyone else the sacraments.

The diocese will soon stop paying him now that he has full-time work with the Maumee Valley Habitat for Humanity. But paying him at all reflects the diocese’s disdain for its faithful parishioners, especially when it laid off 11 people in May, 2004.

How many jobs could have been saved, and could at least one of the now-closed Catholic schools have remained open, if the church had better priorities for parishioners’ money?

Nobody’s suggesting that the church put priests who are convicted sex offenders out on the street. However, the church hierarchy has acted to harbor sex offenders and their sins rather than protect and comfort the innocent. toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050727/OPINION02/507270317

 

[YinYangMom]

If he did his time, justice was served.

That’s what forgiveness is about, and confession, for the most part.
Confession isn’t valid if you don’t do what the priest tells you to do afterward. Once you do that, then you have a clean slate and you’re not supposed to carry guilt for that forgiven act again - it’s over, done, erased.

Isn’t that what prison time is about? Commit a crime (sin), confess it or get convicted for it, receive a sentence, serve the sentence, and that crime can no longer be held against you.

So why wouldn’t the priest be allowed back home after he serves his sentence?

 

[buffalo]

A man who makes the choice to give his life to God, who fails as a human and we take an attitude of unforgiveness.

What should we do? Shun him? Exile? Put him on the streets? Double jeopardy?

Do we Catholics believe in forgiveness and growth? I wonder.

Isn’t our job to love him?

 

[Richardols]

jdnation:

That’s a slap in the face to parishioners who have been asked to believe the church isn’t coddling molesters.

The priest wasn’t convicted of child molestation, so the church “isnt coddling molesters.”

 

[contemplative]

This story is about the outrage of a priest convicted of possessing child porn and remaining on the payroll.

Where do you work and what would happen to your paycheck if you were convicted of possesion of child porn?

 

[felra]

contemplative:

This story is about the outrage of a priest convicted of possessing child porn and remaining on the payroll.

Where do you work and what would happen to your paycheck if you were convicted of possesion of child porn?

Yes, there was mixed review in our parish when about 1 year after the priest sex scandal broke, out parish priest was removed for “credible” allegations of prior sexual misconduct (never specified).
He was somehow allowed after this news to devote a cover page article in the weekly pamphlet to categorically deny such allegations and place blame on those who make such unfounded allegations. Then, the parish council with the blessings of the residing associate pastor, extended to this removed priest a gift of money (from the parish coffer) to show their appreciation for the service that he rended while in tenure at the parish. Needless to say, this left a bad taste in many parishioners mouth. It was the lack of show of humility in the face of credible allegations that tipped the scales for many good folks in that parish. I cannot imagine this type of exit occuring in any other comparable professional setting (medical, legal, educational, mental health, …).

 

[stanley123]

YinYangMom:

If he did his time, justice was served.

So why wouldn’t the priest be allowed back home after he serves his sentence?

Because there were chjildren whose lives were ruined by this type of exploitation. It doesn’t balance: Several children abused and with their whole lives ruined, versus 21 months of vacation in a US prison.
I am opposed to enslaving young children and forcing them to engage in immoral activities such as this, and I don;t think that this sentence is truly reflective of the harm done to these innocent children.

 

[Richardols]

stanley123:

21 months of vacation in a US prison.

You’ve not visited a prison, I see.

 

[felra]

Richardols:

The priest wasn’t convicted of child molestation, so the church “isnt coddling molesters.”

Your statement begs the question: The priest was convicted of possesing child pornography, so the Church is coddling a child pornography offender?

 

[masondoggy]

If what this article is saying is true, then the way the diocese handled this case was very wrong.

On the other hand, (this is a secular news article) it sounds like the article really has a biased axe to grind, and I’d like to hear the diocese’s version of events before I pass judgement. I no longer trust secular news regarding anything they allege the Church has done.

 

[YinYangMom]

stanley123:

Because there were chjildren whose lives were ruined by this type of exploitation. It doesn’t balance: Several children abused and with their whole lives ruined, versus 21 months of vacation in a US prison.
I am opposed to enslaving young children and forcing them to engage in immoral activities such as this, and I don;t think that this sentence is truly reflective of the harm done to these innocent children.

But the fact remains he served his sentence.
And according to the other poster, the priest was convicted of possessing pornography not molesting children (that apparently wasn’t able to be proven).

You choose to believe this man was guilty of molestation.
Maybe he was, maybe he wasn’t. But we believe in innocence until proven guilty while on earth.
We also believe that the Truth will be revealed and judged at the end of this priests life.
It is not our role to play God with this man while he is on this earth.

In the meantime, he served the sentence for the crime for which he was proven guilty so as far as his earthly existence, the debt has been paid. You, as a member of society, do not have the right or the authority to overrule the sentence handed down by the court system. But you do have the obligation not to hold this man’s sentence against him since it has been paid. Doing so puts your soul in jeopardy.

Leave the rest to God.

 

[AmyS]

masondoggy:

If what this article is saying is true, then the way the diocese handled this case was very wrong.

On the other hand, (this is a secular news article) it sounds like the article really has a biased axe to grind, and I’d like to hear the diocese’s version of events before I pass judgement. I no longer trust secular news regarding anything they allege the Church has done.

That is where I stand on this too. There is two sides to this. We don’t know enough about the amount of pornography, the age of the children, ect ect… Anyways, I don’t also trust these reports.

On the other hand, child pornography should not be pacified. It could be a stepping stone to other crimes.

 

[stanley123]

Richardols:

The priest wasn’t convicted of child molestation, so the church “isnt coddling molesters.”

How is this type of material obtained, except by enslaving young children and forcing them to engage in these degrading activities? I don’t see how anyone, let alone a Catholic priest, can justifiy the enslavement of young children and their forcible and shameful exploitation and degradation?

 

[buffalo]

stanley123:

How is this type of material obtained, except by enslaving young children and forcing them to engage in these degrading activities? I don’t see how anyone, let alone a Catholic priest, can justifiy the enslavement of young children and their forcible and shameful exploitation and degradation?

Who justifies it? They are sick - don’t you get it? The makers of this material feed the sickness for profit. This is the real evil.

 

[Richardols]

buffalo:

Who justifies it? They are sick - don’t you get it? The makers of this material feed the sickness for profit. This is the real evil.

I agree. It’s like blaming drug addicts for the existence of meth labs.

 

[AmyS]

buffalo:

Who justifies it? They are sick - don’t you get it? The makers of this material feed the sickness for profit. This is the real evil.

It is evil on both ends.

 

[HagiaSophia]

AmyS:

It is evil on both ends.

I heard Mr. Rice-Bannon speak at least twice on radio now at length and the details behind the child slave trade for sex are horrendous. It together with illelegal drugs pays for black market arms basically. When I went to check out the price of his book I found the following new books on sale:

• The Natashas : Inside the New Global Sex Trade by Victor Malarek

• Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children: Youth Involved in Prostitution, Pornography & Sex Trafficking by Laura A. Barnitz

• Woman, Child for Sale: The New Slave Trade in the 21st Century by Gilbert King

• Human Traffic_Sex, Slaves and Immigration by Craig McGill

Race Against Evil: David Race Bannon

 

[AmyS]

HagiaSophia:

I heard Mr. Rice-Bannon speak at least twice on radio now at length and the details behind the child slave trade for sex are horrendous. It together with illelegal drugs pays for black market arms basically. When I went to check out the price of his book I found the following new books on sale:

• The Natashas : Inside the New Global Sex Trade by Victor Malarek

• Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children: Youth Involved in Prostitution, Pornography & Sex Trafficking by Laura A. Barnitz

• Woman, Child for Sale: The New Slave Trade in the 21st Century by Gilbert King

• Human Traffic_Sex, Slaves and Immigration by Craig McGill

Race Against Evil: David Race Bannon

It is all around heart breaking and sickning… It is so hard for me to show chairity on these this. Although I am trying.

 

[stanley123]

YinYangMom:

You choose to believe this man was guilty of molestation.
…
In the meantime, he served the sentence for the crime for which he was proven guilty so as far as his earthly existence, the debt has been paid. You, as a member of society, do not have the right or the authority to overrule the sentence handed down by the court system. .

1. The man was supporting those who were in the business of CP. The business of CP involves the horrific exploitation of children.
   When you support this business, you are contributing to the exploitation of children.
2. My opinion is that the sentence was a light one. I don’t go by the rules of American society in deciding what is right and what is wrong. I go by the Bible and what Our Lord said:
   MT 18:6 But he that shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be drowned in the depth of the sea.

 

[Karin]

YinYangMom:

But the fact remains he served his sentence.
And according to the other poster, the priest was convicted of possessing pornography not molesting children (that apparently wasn’t able to be proven).

You choose to believe this man was guilty of molestation.
Maybe he was, maybe he wasn’t. But we believe in innocence until proven guilty while on earth.
We also believe that the Truth will be revealed and judged at the end of this priests life.
It is not our role to play God with this man while he is on this earth.

In the meantime, he served the sentence for the crime for which he was proven guilty so as far as his earthly existence, the debt has been paid. You, as a member of society, do not have the right or the authority to overrule the sentence handed down by the court system. But you do have the obligation not to hold this man’s sentence against him since it has been paid. Doing so puts your soul in jeopardy.

Leave the rest to God.

Yes he served his time but I think the question is why was he on the payroll while in jail?