Recent Examples of Depravity Worldwide

Priests dying of AIDS [1]

Kansas City Star Says an Alarming Number of Roman Catholic Priests Are
Dying of AIDS, but Cause Is Being Concealed on Death Certificates

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - "Roman Catholic priests in the United States are dying from AIDS-related illnesses at a rate four times higher than the general population and the cause is often concealed on their death certificates, The Kansas City Star reported Sunday. In the first of a three-part series, the newspaper said death certificates and interviews with experts indicated several hundred priests have died of AIDS-related illnesses since the mid-1980s and hundreds more are living with HIV, the virus that causes the disease.

"……….The Star said precise numbers of priests who have died of AIDS or become infected with HIV is unknown, partly because many suffer in solitude. When priests tell their superiors, the cases generally are handled quietly.
The newspaper cited the case of Bishop Emerson Moore, who left the
Archdiocese of New York in 1995 and went to Minnesota, where he died in a
hospice of an AIDS-related illness. His death certificate attributed the
death to "unknown natural causes'' and listed his occupation as laborer in the manufacturing industry………."

Random Sampling of Yahoo Search Engine, January, 2000

Key Words: Catholic priesthood sexual abuse

Site # 1. National Conference of Catholics Bishops: "The Secretariat also serves the Bishops' Ad Hoc committee on Sexual Abuse which develops projects and resources to assist bishops in dealing with the problem of child sexual abuse by Catholic clergy and religious."

Site # 2. [Although this was a newspaper report, it was an item reported in the Catholic Daily, admittedly not anti-priesthood]: "Several weeks ago, retired Bishop Reinhold Stecher's private letter critical of Catholic teaching on priestly celibacy and the male priesthood was made public in several Austrian newspapers. After that, former Archbishop Han Hermann Groer of Vienna was accused of child sexual abuse. Meanwhile, a dissident Catholic group called Catholic Action has organized a petition drive gathering hundreds of thousands of signatures demanding changes in Church teaching, stirring up anger and resentment among parishioners."

Site # 3. Recovering Catholic Resources:

This website is dedicated to all those individuals, who in their willingness to give their lives to the Church they loved while they pursued their dreams of becoming Catholic priests, were abused by those entrusted with their spiritual care and guidance.

The Linkup - The premier website dealing with issues of clergy abuse

It's home page read as follows:

The Survivors of Clergy Abuse Linkup's Homepage

Welcome. Sexual abuse and exploitation of believers by their spiritual leaders is an unfortunate fact that can be found in all sects and denominations of all the religions in the world. The Linkup, the largest and most prominent victims' and survivors' advocacy group in the United States, is dedicated to the fight for justice, prevention and the healing of victims. We track cases around the world, publishing up to date summaries and special in-depth articles in our newsletter, the Missing

(In perusing the Black Collar Crimes documented in 1999 alone, this present writer was struck by the notable preponderance of Catholic clergy abuse. I then found this sickening article from the June, 1999 London Times):

Ireland

WATERFORD — A nun has been found guilty of raping a 10-year-old child in her care. Nora Wall, 51, pinned the girl by the ankles while a homeless man raped her in a children's home here run by the Sisters of Mercy.

Wall, the first nun to be found guilty of rape in Ireland, was in charge of the home and guardian of the girl at the time of the attack, in about 1988.

The Sisters of Mercy said that they were "devastated by the revolting crimes" carried out against the girl, now 21. The victim was sent by the social services to St Michael's care centre in Cappoquin, Co Waterford, at age 6 following allegations that she had been sexually abused by her father.

The center cared for about 30 children and was designed to mimic family life, breaking with the Irish tradition of placing children in large industrial schools where physical and sexual abuse were rampant. Wall, who took the name of Sr. Dominic in 1966, was appointed director in 1978. She had undertaken several courses on childcare and was highly praised in references as "a professional".

But the victim's testimony portrayed her otherwise. Dublin's Central Criminal Court was told how the nun befriended the victim, got into her bed and started kissing and fondling the girl. Wall also took the girl to her room, decorated with religious relics, and abused her in her double bed.

When the victim was ten, Wall brought Paul McCabe, described in court as "a smelly vagabond", into the girl's bedroom. The nun sat at the bottom of the bed and held the girl's ankles while McCabe molested and raped her.

Wall, who denied rape and sexual assault, was convicted by a jury of eight men and four women. She was acquitted of a second charge of rape. McCabe, a schizophrenic, was also convicted of raping and sexually abusing the child. He became friendly with Wall when he returned to St Michael's to find out about his mother who had left him there as a child.

Five years ago, the Sisters of Mercy were such a respected part of Irish society that their founder was depicted on the country's £5 notes.

But recently there have been a series of child abuse scandals. Hundreds of former residents at Goldenbridge, a home run by the Sisters in Dublin, are suing them for abuse. Two years ago the Sisters paid out £20,000 to a couple whose 11-month-old baby died shortly after arriving at the home in 1955. She had burns and a hole "the size of a silver dollar" on her legs.

Wall is the first nun, but the 35th member of the Irish Roman Catholic clergy, to be convicted of child sex abuse. Other cases are outstanding. In one, Gardai (national police) have received 230 complaints against 75 priests who worked in Artane, a Christian Brothers School in Dublin that was home for about six years to Paul McCabe, Wall's co-accused.
London Times, 6/12

Site # 4. A Legal Complaint by the Plaintiffs

The "brief" is 144 pages in length.

Site # 7. The Catholic Herald editorial, not a Protestant publication, states:

There is no simple answer or solution to the problem, but particular attention should be paid to a growing trend in Ireland, the U.S., and other countries: a series of damaging sexual abuse cases which are bankrupting dioceses and leaving permanent scars on the Catholic priesthood.

In July, the Diocese of Dallas agreed to pay $30 million to the victims of a pedophile priest. The Church in Texas was severely shaken again in early August by reports that the neighboring Diocese of Fort Worth covered up similar offenses by another priest. The Diocese of Stockton, Calif., asked a judge to throw out a $29 million jury verdict in connection with another abuse case against a Catholic priest.

In Stockton, the priest in question was convicted of molesting two brothers over a 12-year period. Diocesan officials reportedly ignored clear evidence for more than a decade that the priest was a pedophile. He was moved from parish to parish, with no concern for the safety of children.

In Fort Worth, Bishop Joseph P. Delaney admitted that Father Thomas Teczar left the diocese in 1993 in order to stop an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct. The bishop had announced a day earlier that Father Teczar merely felt he would be happier outside Texas. Bishop Delaney gave no explanation for the sudden change in his public explanation for the incident.

Father Teczar, who is suspended from priestly ministry, is now living in Massachusetts. He arrived in Fort Worth in 1988, after being suspended by the Diocese of Worcester. The former priest now faces a lawsuit in Massachusetts, brought by a man who says Teczar molested him more than 20 years ago.

Accusations of sexual abuse have hovered over Teczar since the 1960s, but Bishop Delaney insists that he was not aware of anything more serious than an alcohol problem. The Dallas Morning News reported that other bishops had seen a personnel file which clearly indicated Teczar's record of abusing children. The paper stated that when Bishop Delaney decided to give Teczar a parish assignment, he wrote to then-Bishop John Harrington of Worcester, thanking him "for the frank and open way in which you expressed your concerns about his ministry in the future based on what has already happened."

This case is much more involved, but once again it appears that Church officials intentionally ignored documented complaints and charges against a priest, and continued to put him in assignments where children would be harmed. "In retrospect, we should not have accepted Father Teczar," said Bishop Delaney. He described the case as "terribly embarrassing."

These cases are not the work of vindictive or disgruntled parishioners. We are well past the point where apologizes from bishops or other diocesan officials will suffice. The damage being done to these innocent children and their families is criminal, and should be dealt with swiftly and severely. Diocesan officials need to move pedophile priests away from children and help restore the Catholic priesthood to its rightful place of honor.— M.F.F.

Copyright ©1998 Arlington Catholic Herald, Inc. All rights reserved.

Site # 9. http://www.rentapriest.com/healing.htm

Facing the Problem - Helping the People

The issue of sexual abuse by celibate Roman Catholic priests is as real as the tip of an iceberg. Once again, the crisis has become the focus of the national and international news media. The $120,000,000 verdict in favor of eleven victims in Dallas has not only ignited an unprecedented international media frenzy, but has dealt the Church's legal response to victims a devastating and precedent-setting blow. As of today, October 15, 1997, there are over a dozen other cases being tried in cities across the country, with expert testimony detailing the enormity of the problem. Not all of these cases will make national news, but an even more important issue needs our attention.

There are may silent victims of clergy sexual abuse. They are reluctant to come forward because of the public exposure, the time and expense of litigation, and the emotional strain created by such an ordeal. Some individuals have dealt with their abuse and contain it as a painful memory. For others, the abuse is a never-ending source of depression and a life of quiet desperation. They need and deserve the spiritual healing that Jesus promised to us all!

____________________________________

Important Recommended Resource:

NEW
http://www.antichrist.com.au/churchoffenders.html

SNAP Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests

http://www.teleport.com/~snapmail/index.html

SNAP Lists Sexual Abuse Cases in Worcester Diocese From 1986-97

The sheer number boggles the mind

Catholic Diocese of Worcester, MA -- Sexual Abuse Cases -

(Compiled from news reports published in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette)

Rev. Edward Nicewicz -- Jailed on October 31, 1986, after pleading guilty to charges of indecent assault and rape of two Sutton girls, ages 11 and 12. Fr. Nicewicz was a chaplain at Gardner State Prison when the offenses occurred. (11/1/86)

Rev. Robert Kelley -- Sentenced to 5 - 7 years in Walpole state prison on March 11, 1990, after pleading guilty to two counts of indecent assault and unnatural rape of a female child. Father Kelley was pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Gardner when the molestations took place. (3/31/90)

Monsignor Leo Battista – The former director of Catholic Charities is named a defendant in a lawsuit filed in July 1992, by a former nun who claimed "Battista sexually assaulted and abused her while she was undergoing psychotherapy as his client." Previous allegations by another nun had led to the suspension of his license to practice social work in 1991. (2/9/93)

Rev. Ronald Provost -- Sentenced to 10 years in prison in February 1993 after being convicted of taking nude photographs of ten year-old boy. Placed on probation after suspension of sentence. Prior to his trial, investigators had seized about 100 photographs of nude male youths from the rectory of St. Joseph's Church in Barre. (2/17/93)

Rev. Justin Steponaitis – Alleged to have "sexually molested numerous young parish children" at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Athol, Steponaitis is a defendant in a sex abuse lawsuit filed Jan. 11, 1993. (1/12/93)

Rev. Thomas Kane – The former psychologist and director of the House of Affirmation, a treatment center for Catholic clergy, is named a defendant in a sex abuse lawsuit filed April 1993 by a local man who "claims he was sexually assaulted beginning at the age of 9 by the Rev. Kane." (4/24/93)

Rev. David A. Holley – This Worcester Diocese priest served in several area parishes during the 1960s, but after reports of abuse here, was transferred to New Mexico and Texas in the 1970s and 80s. In May 1993, he pleaded guilty to charges of sexual assault and aggravated sodomy in New Mexico, and was sentenced to 275 years in prison. (6/5/93)

Rev. Victor Frobas -- Indicted by grand jury on three counts of unnatural rape of a child and three counts of indecent assault and battery, May 1993. Rev. Frobas had previously served prison time after sexual assault convictions in Missouri in 1988. Rev. Frobas died before the Worcester case came to trial. (5/13/93)

Brother Antonio Antonucci (a Roman Catholic monk) -- Arraigned In Uxbridge District Court on charges of indecent assault and battery on a teenaged boy.

(5/22/93)

Rev. Brendon O'Donohue –A Spencer man who alleges that O’Donohue sexually assaulted him twice when he was a 13-year-old altar boy, names O’Donohue as a defendant in a sex abuse lawsuit filed May, 1994. (5/27/94)

Rev. Peter Inzerillo – The same Spencer man as above, who later considered entering the priesthood, alleges in the same lawsuit that in 1985, Inzerillo also sexually assaulted him. Inzerillo, who the young man had gone to for counseling, was vocation director for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester at the time of the assault. (5/27/94)

Rev. Brion Ares – Indicted by a Franklin County grand jury on charges of rape and indecent assault and battery on a 20 year old man he was counseling. The trial ended when the judge declared a mistrial after the jury could not reach a verdict. (10/20/94)

Rev. Thadeous Kardas – Two women who allege that Rev. Kardas sexually molested them in the early 1970s, beginning when they were 12 years old, name him in a sex abuse lawsuit filed in Feb., 1995.

Rev. Joseph Fredette – After being extradited from Canada, the former live-in director of Come Alive, Inc., a Worcester halfway house for delinquent boys, was convicted on July 12, 1995 for sexually assaulting a teenage boy who had been committed to Fredette's care by the state Department of Youth Services.(7/13/95)

Rev. Thomas Teczar -- Defendant in a sex abuse lawsuit filed April 26, 1996 by a Webster man who says Teczar molested him repeatedly when he was a teenager. (5/25/96)

Bishop Daniel P. Reilly – A lawsuit naming Bishop Reilly a defendant was filed in Rhode Island in May 1997. The suit accuses a priest of raping a college student 30 years ago and claims that Reilly, "then a monsignor in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, was warned that the priest was assaulting young women, but took no action to protect them." (5/23/97)