Priest who gave Sen. Ted Kennedy’s funeral homily charged in sex assault case

Boston Globe ^ | December 15, 2020 | Travis Andersen

[ebb tide]

Priest who gave Sen. Ted Kennedy’s funeral homily charged in sex assault case

A Catholic priest who delivered the funeral homily for Massachusetts Senator Edward M. Kennedy in 2009 has been indicted on charges alleging rape and indecent assault of a minor.

A Barnstable Superior Court grand jury on Friday indicted the Rev. Mark R. Hession, 62, on two counts of rape, one count of indecent assault and battery of a person under 14, and one count of witness intimidation, court records show.

An arraignment date will be set in January, a spokesperson for the Cape and Islands district attorney’s office said. It wasn’t clear who was representing Hession, and information on the dates and locations of the alleged rapes and assault wasn’t immediately available.

The Diocese of Fall River said Hession has been suspended from active priestly ministry since last year.

“A priest on leave is not permitted to exercise public ministry nor present himself as a priest in public settings,” the diocese said in a statement.

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The diocese said it learned of the criminal investigation after Hession was placed on leave in March 2019 for sending what church officials described as “inappropriate communications” to several adult parishioners.

Hession had previously served as pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Seekonk before being appointed in 2018 to the same position at Holy Family Parish in Taunton, according to the diocese’s website. He was also the pastor of Our Lady of Victory Parish in Centerville and Our Lady of the Assumption Parish in Osterville.

In 2009, the Globe described Hession as the Kennedys’ “family priest on Cape Cod.” During Kennedy’s funeral Mass, Hession said, “We bring with us treasured memories” of the lawmaker.

“Memories not only of a national leader and a master legislator, but of a beloved husband, a great father, a terrific grandfather, a sweet uncle, a dear friend, a trusted colleague, a wise mentor,” Hession told the congregation.

He knew “Ted and Vicki and their family as their parish priest. My sources of reflection are the scriptures and the pastoral experience of ministering to Ted and his family,” he said. “As a priest, I saw him treasure and draw strength from his family.”

In 2002, during the initial fallout from the clergy sex abuse scandal, Hession told the Cape Cod Times he didn’t feel priests who had been accused of wrongdoing should be named publicly in the absence of criminal charges.

“The law allows for a certain exercise of discretion to make settlements with confidentiality,” Hession told the newspaper. “I don’t think it’s the best policy to publish the names if there is no indictment. It just enlarges the circle of the crisis.”

Jeremiah Manion of the Globe staff contributed to this repor

[slapshot]

” The Catholic Church should refuse communion for all practicing pro-choice Catholics who are our Representatives and Senators....”

RCINC will not do anything which has an impact on their bottom line- They have to have the resources to pay the 500$/hr. mouthpieces to smear individuals involved in litigation vs. RCINC. The same individuals who are have credible allegations of past sexual molestation by RCINC representatives.

[ebb tide]

Speaking for homosexuals, check out Biden's cabinet appointmensts:

and:

[miserare]

These buggers are still at it.

It can only get worse while Pope Frankie is in charge.

[Verginius Rufus]

No fan of Teddy, but I believe he did serve a couple of years in the military (after being kicked out of Harvard for cheating). There is a whole section at Arlington given over to the Kennedy clan. There are also other non-veterans such as Supreme Court justices buried there.

[Beowulf9]

Why couldn’t she roll down the window? How did Kennedy get out of the car but she did not?

[ScottinVA]

How fitting is that?

[M Kehoe]

Makes sense.

Never mind.

Karma is a bitch.

5.56mm

[M Kehoe]

I apologise for my last post.

So I will say something good about the Kennedys.

Teddy has now been sober for 12 years.

5.56mm

[JeanLM]

Biden’s education secretary probably would win an arm wrestling match with Joe easily even with the hormones, judging by the biceps.

So this is where our educational system is headed. This cabinet will definitely cover all the bases.

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

Just continuing on with the Kennedy Family values!

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

I’ve heard of “stuffing the parish donation box” but not of “stuffing the parishers”. Well, why not? The Kennedy’s screwed anything in a dress as well as the whole country. Why break a winning tradition?

[MIchaelTArchangel]

Don’t you mean: “Kamala is a bitch!”?

[minnesota_bound]

FTA: ... on two counts of rape, one count of indecent assault and battery of a person under 14, and one count of witness intimidation

This must be about Biden and Clinton.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Yup.

[Eleutheria5]

He altered the altar boys?

[Eleutheria5]

“Arlington should be reserved for veterans and spouses only. Political hacks should be disinterred and reburied in Potter’s field.”

Besides, he’s taking up enough space for two veterans, or one veteran and one spouse.