Just another week of Catholics in the news. Societies moral guardians at work and play.
Priest faces more sex allegationsCHATHAM -- Nearly four dozen women now allege they were sexually assaulted decades ago by a Roman Catholic priest. Charles Sylvestre, 84, of Belle River, faces 61 sex-related charges involving 47 women, a court heard yesterday. Sylvestre, who is retired, was a parish priest in London, Sarnia, Chatham, Pain Court, Windsor and Port Dover
Irish priest convicted of rape of 13-year-oldDUBLIN, Ireland - A Dublin jury convicted a Roman Catholic priest Wednesday of raping a 13-year-old girl.
The temptations while servicing the church
The Windhoek Observer is good at carrying stories on ‘tendo la ndoa’. It reported this week that Roman Catholic priest, Hans Peter Nagels (80) of Otjiwarongo church last Thursday appeared in court facing four counts of rape.
June 2 trial of 4 US Marines charged with rape
Jesuit Father James Reuter, 90, who is ministering to the accused servicemen, likewise is concerned about the way the media have treated them.
The American priest told UCA News he is "saddened" that the four men have been seen not "as individuals" but as an opportunity to fight the ongoing joint military exercises between American and Filipino troops under the 1998 Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).
SORROW, HOPE IN LOWELL
LOWELL -- Having the parish priest mentor your kids is a high honor for any working-class Irish Catholic family -- especially when the church is your reason for living.
Larry Finn's parents, Mickey and Ann, trusted Rev. Joseph Birmingham. While serving at St. Michael Church, the priest took a special interest in the Finn's 12-year-old son, taking him on ski trips and for rides in his gold Cadillac.
"He let me drive his car," Finn said. "He enjoyed letting me sit on his lap while he got aroused. ... He made me touch his privates, and he touched mine."
Finn was repeatedly violated by the priest. Now 46 and standing at the altar of St. Michael's, Finn finds himself returning to a place he has tried to forget since childhood. Looking out at more than 100 faces inside St. Michael's, Finn recounted his story of sexual abuse and innocence lost at the hands of Birmingham.
The priest’s comments came in a judgment rejecting the request of Roisin Fry, a Belfast woman, for an annulment of her marriage. She blamed the breakdown of the union on damage resulting from her sexual abuse as a child by a priest.
But the priest stated that “there is undoubtedly a tendency to exaggerate” the effects of such abuse. It was later defended by Sean Brady, the archbishop of Armagh, who said the priest did not mean to offend but “was merely carrying out his duty to defend the bond of marriage”.
The sins of the Father
NO DIRECT evidence tied a Toledo priest to the bizarre ritualistic murder of a Roman Catholic nun 26 years ago, but plenty of circumstantial evidence did.
To the jury's credit in reaching its surprisingly swift guilty verdict against the Rev. Gerald Robinson, justice may have been delayed - by a quarter century or so - but ultimately, it was not denied. When Sister Margaret Ann Pahl was found murdered in the sacristy of the Mercy Hospital chapel where she and Robinson worked, he was an early suspect. But according to police testimony, an investigation into the priest was just beginning when it was abruptly terminated. No one was charged in the crime. The man convicted a generation later of killing Sister Margaret Ann actually presided over her funeral and went on to serve as pastor in three Toledo Diocese parishes.
ICRT keeps acquitted Rwandan officials in 'safe house'Meanwhile, a Catholic priest, Father Gabriel Maindron, also known as Munderere, leads the list of the most wanted genocide suspects published recently by the Rwandan Government. He was the priest in charge of the Congo-Nil Parish in Kibuye Prefecture
To answer God's call is toughArchbishop Mataca said it was his mission to ensure more locals joined the priesthood.
"The church asked every family and parish to pray for more men to join the calling of God and it has continued."
He does not deny there have been problems.
"We all make mistakes and men who aspire to become a priest are dealt with if they do not abide by the rules," he said.
There is a case relating to an alleged rape by a seminarian which is before the court.
by : Ferds Sevilla
LIKE exotic flowers in a dark forest, vestal virgins emit a potent scent that sends sex fiends into a ravenous hunt for such idyllic prey. Even pagan gods preferred their human gifts to be nubile, fresh and untouched.
So did four young men of God in a Catholic church in Sta. Mesa, Manila. Their distorted faith allegedly told them to mix lust with prayers, and feast repeatedly on three girls. “Niligawan kami sa simbahan, tapos dinala kami sa bahay ni kuya. Doon nangyari ang lahat.”
Thus began the graphic narration of an eleven-year old, one of three girls allegedly sexually-ravished over and over by at least four altar boys.
Wempe agreed to forgo appeal on single count
Ex-teacher to serve 4 years in child porn caseA former religion teacher and coach of several athletic teams at St. Joseph's High School in Hammonton was sentenced Friday to four years in federal prison for possessing as many as 300 images of child pornography.
Public's views on Imesch vary Of late, Imesch has sought forgiveness himself, from people who were sexually abused by Joliet priests when they were children.
He's also appealed to faithful parishioners who felt betrayed by his response to reports of sordid sexual escapades.
The sexual abuse crisis has dominated discussion about Imesch during the twilight of his career, overshadowing his earlier achievements.
Victims' group attacks bishop's statements May 16, 2006 By Kevin O'Connor Rutland Herald
A national organization of people sexually abused by clergy is blasting Vermont Catholic Bishop Salvatore Matano for "attacking deeply wounded men and women who were raped as kids by priests."
In a recent letter to the state's 118,000 Catholics, Matano explained why the statewide Diocese of Burlington, fearing the costs of 19 priest misconduct lawsuits against it, just placed its 128 local parishes in charitable trusts.
"In such litigious times, it would be a gross act of mismanagement if I did not do everything possible to protect our parishes and the interests of the faithful from unbridled, unjust and terribly unreasonable assault," Matano wrote.
Groups want more public disclosure
By Mark Pratt, Associated Press | May 25, 2006
A coalition of clergy sexual abuse survivors groups and their supporters have written to Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley, asking him to develop a public list of archdiocesan priests and employees dismissed for sexual misconduct and to publicly support changes in sex-crime laws.
The coalition also announced yesterday that it will hand out leaflets at each stop on the cardinal's pilgrimage, scheduled to start today, to parishes around the Archdiocese of Boston with particularly painful histories of clergy sex abuse. The leaflets are intended for victims of abuse who have not come forward but who may attend the services and will include the names of ``credibly accused perpetrator priests" who served in the parish and phone numbers to call for information and support.
NATION IN BRIEF
· NEW YORK -- A Roman Catholic priest pleaded guilty to grand larceny for financing a lavish lifestyle of vacations, country clubs and fancy clothes with more than $800,000 looted from his parish. Attorneys for Monsignor John Woolsey, 67, pastor of the Church of St. John the Martyr, entered the plea as part of a deal in which the judge promised him a sentence of one to five years.
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