On the heels of Judge Emilie Elias’ ruling that high-ranking Catholic officials’ names may NOT be redacted from clergy sex abuse and cover-up files, an upcoming announcement this Thursday may also be a huge win for victims of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. MEA MAXIMA CULPA: SILENCE IN THE HOUSE OF GOD, Alex Gibney’s…Continue reading Will a powerful documentary on clergy sex abuse get the Oscar nod?
Excellent news for victims of sexual abuse in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles … From The Associated Press: LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Los Angeles judge has ordered the release of personnel files that would identify Roman Catholic priests accused of child molestation. Superior Court Judge Emilie Elias also said Monday that she wants the…Continue reading Breaking: Judge orders release of UNREDACTED LA priest files
Remind me to take Los Angeles Archdiocese lawyer J. Michael Hennigan off my Christmas card list. From the Los Angeles Times: “We agree with Judge Tevrizian that enough time has passed and enough reforms have been made that it’s time to get off this and move onto another subject,” attorney J. Michael Hennigan said. Those…Continue reading Victim-hating quote of the day. Thanks, LA Archdiocese!
What would have happened if the LA Times and The Associated Press did not intervene in the court battle over the Los Angeles Archdiocese clergy sex abuse documents? My guess? The worst possible outcome. What do I mean by that? The document redactions—that would have allowed church officials guilty of covering up for clergy sex…Continue reading What would have happened if the LA Times and AP DIDN’T intervene?
What crime is worse: a) sexually abusing a child, or b) knowing about it, covering it up and allowing the abuse to continue? Don’t worry – I’m not requiring an answer. But I will say this: both groups deserve to be punished, exposed and held publicly accountable for the pain and suffering they caused. But…Continue reading Will the LA Times and the AP force the Archdiocese of LA to keep its promises?
Statement by Joelle Casteix of Newport Beach, SNAP Volunteer Western Regional Director As the fourth bishop of the Diocese of Orange, Bishop Kevin William Vann will preside over a transparent cathedral. It is now time for him to create a transparent church as well. Bishop Vann steps into a legacy fraught with sex abuse and cover-up.…Continue reading New Orange Bishop installed tomorrow, victims respond
NEWS EVENT: Maui man files new sex abuse & cover-up suit It’s the 1st time cleric/teacher has been accused And he’s the 10th alleged pedophile at Honolulu school When victim reported the crimes, cleric was sent away Then, Catholic officials brought him back, he retaliated & broke the victim’s hand What: Holding signs with photos…Continue reading 10th predator outed at Honolulu school, broke victim’s hand for reporting
The story this post was based on is incorrect. I am sorry for any confusion this post caused and pain that any victims may have suffered as a result. I accept full responsibility. This morning, former LA priest Carlos Rene Rodriguez was arrested on charges of lewd acts on a child under…Continue reading CORRECTION – Former LA Priest Arrested for Abuse, victims respond
Tomorrow (Cyber Monday), Jim Dunlap is launching his long-awaited murder mystery/thriller MILLSTONE. He’s also donating 10% of proceeds from the book to nonprofits that support victims of child sex abuse and cover-up in the Catholic Church. Pretty worthy, don’t you think? From the Amazon page: Detective Danni Pierce only wants one thing: justice for the victims…Continue reading A Worthy Book for a Worthy Cause – MILLSTONE
The latest lawsuit exposing a long string of sex abuse and cover-up scandals at Damien Memorial School in Honolulu Two Honolulu men file new clergy sex abuse suit They accuse a former Damien Catholic teacher He has allegedly molested at least 12 kids in five states A former Damien principal has also been named as…Continue reading New Abuse Lawsuit Against Damien, Honolulu Diocese
UPDATE – Seattle Archdiocese officials have admitted that Br. Karl Walczak was removed for sex abuse allegations. Walczak has been principal of O’Dea High School since 2011. Before that, he was at Brother Rice High School in Chicago. He was principal of Damien Memorial School in Honolulu from 1987 to 1999. ******** There are reports…Continue reading **Updated** Seattle high school principal removed for abuse – Parents not informed
What if Pablo Escobar had hosted a symposium on Drug Trade Gangland Violence Prevention? No matter what well-respected, hard-working experts he invited, the symposium wouldn’t have stopped the continued promulgation of violence in the Columbian Drug Cartel. Later this month, Penn State will be hosting a symposium on child sexual abuse and prevention. Their list…Continue reading A symposium has never stopped sex abuse and cover-up
Today, LA judge Emilie Elias gave the Archdiocese of Los Angeles a concrete schedule for the public release of thousands of pages of sex abuse and cover-up documents. If all goes according to plan, the redacted files on perpetrator priests will be made public by the end of the year. The documents were a part of…Continue reading LA clergy sex abuse files to be made public by end of year, judge says
Patrick Marker from BehindthePineCurtain broke this blockbuster story: The organization representing lawyers practicing Catholic Church “law” recently allowed a man with numerous allegations of sexual abuse to speak to its membership at its Chicago conference. The Canon Law Society of America (CLSA), the organization charged with “promotion of the study and application of canon law in…Continue reading Church “lawyers” keep mum on speaker’s five abuse allegations
Some of the Boy Scouts of America “perversion files” are going to be posted online next week. The documents – in which all victims’ names will be redacted – will outline the more than 80-year history of sex abuse and cover-up in the Boy Scouts. The list of “ineligible” volunteers – men who had…Continue reading A Modest Proposal for the Boy Scouts (and others)
From today’s Los Angeles Times: “We have already selected the documents that are going to be released, gone through a process of redacting innocent names and we need a court order” signing off on the release of the documents, (LA Archdiocese Attorney J. Michael) Hennigan said. (emphasis mine) Innocent names? If they truly cared about the…Continue reading LA Clergy Documents: Tell me, what does “innocent” mean, Mr. Hennigan?
*** Update: The CA Supreme Court ruled that the Archdiocese of Los Angeles must turn over the files. Deadline is immediate. A huge decision is expected today from the California Supreme Court regarding the confidential abuse and cover-up files of 25 known offending priests. The priests were a part of the 2007 $660 million…Continue reading UPDATED: CA SUPREME COURT: LA Archdiocese must turn over priest files
Fr. Jose Alexis Davila, the Venezuelan national, San Diego priest, and misdemeanor sex offender, has vanished. There has been no comment or statement from Diocese of San Diego, who just a few months ago, said that the “sex-probation priest” was “fit for ministry.” This past New Year’s Eve, Davila, the associate pastor of St. Jude Shrine…Continue reading BREAKING: Sex Offending San Diego Priest Vanishes
Let’s talk about Joliet, IL and Fall River, MA, two dioceses with bishops who, were it not for public embarrassment, were more than happy to throw child safety under the bus. In Joliet, Bishop Dan Conlon (the head of the USCCB committee on child protection, by the way) was going to reinstate a priest suspended…Continue reading Joliet, Fall River, and a little lesson in “Just and Ethical”