This is probably the most telling document trail from today’s release of clergy sex abuse documents.
From the file of Servite Friar and former Servite HS teacher Joe Sharkey:
Letter from Fr. Steven Ryan to Servite Provincial Fr. Terence O’Connor:
Servite provincial Fr. Terence O’Connor to Fr. Steven Ryan:
Makes you want to call your Servite friends and see if they can get a tuition refund.
Joelle, thank you again for the information. I cannot understand why it took 8 years to release the last of the files, especially since the Diocese of Orange settled their cases in 2004-2005. Somehow, the Diocese of Orange always has a way to stall long enough for another statute of limitation to expire.
There is absolutely no reason the federal government continues to ENABLE crimes against children and families in California. Bishop Robert Finn (Missouri) and Mon. William Lynn (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) are facing criminal consequences for their failures to protect precious children. Why not Cardinals Mahoney and Levada (while in San Francisco), Bishops Brown, Brom, Barnes and multiple others?
I pray that a secret Non-Prosecution Agreement, similar to billionaire fund manager Jeff Epstein, in South Florida has not been negotiated between the federal government and California’s Catholic officials and their politically-connected/wealthy attorneys. The personnel files released to date evidence the crimes committed. If Missouri and Pennsylvania government officials can successfully hold wrongdoers accountable, then California government officials need to step up with courage and integrity–it is time for a FEDERAL INDICTMENT.
IMO, until criminal charges are filed in California, no child, adult or employee is safe from the political wrath of the Catholic Church and other religious institutions that hide behind religious freedom, TAX EXEMPT STATUS, while laughing all the way to the bank.