Posted on 02/12/2005 4:39:16 AM PST by Born Conservative
TOBYHANNA (PA)-- At least two computers from the St. Ann's church rectory contain images of child pornography, according to Pocono Mountain Regional Police, who continue to search for illicit images.
A visiting priest has admitted to police that he downloaded and viewed pornographic images, according to an affidavit of probable cause. But detectives are still trying to determine "what's on a computer, and is that illegal, and if it is, who's looking at it," Detective Sgt. Jeff Bowman said earlier this week.
"The investigation is far from complete," he said.
On Jan. 17, after tips funneled into police headquarters, two detectives began digging into child porn allegations at the rectory. The parish priest, the Rev. Michael Kloton, had already contacted authorities about the allegations, according to the affidavit of probable cause.
A man brought in to clean up the hard drives of the rectory computers discovered images of young men engaged in sexual acts on a computer used by the church secretary, the priest told detectives. Father Kloton agreed to a voluntary search, and detectives removed the computer a day later.
The state police Computer Crime Task Force discovered about 10 images of children under 18 engaged in sexual acts or in simulated sex acts. Police then received permission to confiscate all of the rectory computers, which are linked on a common server, along with Father Kloton's personal laptop computer.
On Jan. 20, a full forensic examination found one computer with images of child pornography. After returning the others to the rectory, detectives were given another computer to search -- this one used by a visiting priest.
Eleven days later, the visiting priest, the Rev. Gabriel Tetherow, traveled to Pocono Mountain police headquarters and admitted to downloading and viewing images of child pornography on the secretary's computer, "and that he also used the computer from upstairs located in his room" at the rectory, according to the affidavit.
He told police there "could be" images of child pornography on the computer that had been in his room.
Detectives obtained a search warrant Feb. 2 to check that computer's hard drive for illegal images.
So far, no arrests have been made.
Acting Diocese of Scranton spokesman Bill Genello said the diocese is fully cooperating with Pocono Mountain detectives.
Contacted at St. Ann's rectory, Father Kloton referred all questions to the diocese.
"I'm not at liberty to say anything at this point," he said.
As Catholics we are obligated to fight for our Church. A very narrow definition of detraction is equivalent to the modernist concept of blind obedience. According to this definition, Stephen Brady of RCF may as well hang it up and clothe himself in sack cloth and ashes for "detracting" corrupt, evil, apostate priests.
That being said, none of us take joy in cataloging Perricone's inconsistencies and indiscretions. That was never the intent. The intent was to save a traditional chapel from diocesan deceit and manipulation. Unfortunately, every news release and every personal account further proves us correct. The various pieces of information led me and I surmise the others to come to obvious conclusions.
Now you may disagree. Fine, but we have to decide for ourselves and battle according to our consciences, right or wrong. My intent was to save other independent chapels from a similar fate. That has already happened with a local chapel. The priest knew of St. Anthony's situation and took steps in writing to will his chapel to the appropriate priests. The diocese will never lay hands on it or be able to undermine the Faith in that group ever.
Just as there are sick perverts among all other ministries and in common life, they are mental and don't stop.
Though they are in lesser numbers in ministries than in public as a percentage of the population, it still isn't a good thing and I can assure you nobody put out a request for homosexual pedophiles in the priesthood.
Assembly of God has at least as many homosexual pedophiles as a percentage in their ranks as do Catholics, Jews, Baptists and so on.
It isn't a Catholic thing, it is made seemingly more so though because Catholics have lots of real estate holdings (assets) to chase with lawsuits.
Nobody in the Catholic Church asked the homosexual pedophiles to take vows, break them and to then stalk children.
The church did go get help with psychologists who treated and released these people. They would then do it again, more than anything proving they can't stop and that psychology is a bad science and shouldn't be trusted too much.
The Catholic Church is greatly under attack for it's stance on abortions, for life and against the gay life style.
They are targeted by the press, liberals in general and lawyers over their assets.
I think the claims by people with so-called suppressed memories two decades later are full of crap.
If you are traumatized, you know you are and why, you don't forget it and wake up in a cold sweat offended two decades later. That my friend is all about the money in suing.
These claims have changed the entire culture.
Male Doctors don't see women with doors closed unless a female nurse us there.
Teachers only see students with their office door OPEN.
Same happening throughout all areas of life.
The difference is that Stephen Brady actually obtains documented evidence and takes action. He doesn't just huff and puff on a public Internet forum while sitting at his computer. How many "corrupt, evil, apostate priests" have you and thor76 taken down?
If you and thor76 have the goods on Perricone, go for it. You don't need to talk about it on a public forum. As the Nike ad says, "Just do it."
I'm sorry you feel that way.
Time will reveal everything on Perricone.
"How many "corrupt, evil, apostate priests" have you and thor76 taken down?"
I cannot speak for Canticle_of_Deborah.
But Thor has personally "taken down" two priests who would fit that description. And caused a serious investigation into a third, which led to his ultimate early retirement.
Many people have contributed so much good information that has increased my knowledge of all things Catholic. Dangus and Notwithstanding have often given tips on techniques and tactics that can be used in classes that can redirect an out of control propaganda session and bring some Truth to the fore. For the many people who have helped me so much I am grateful,and I have used it,at times very successfully and have been able to effect small gains in this battle for the Church in Western Civilization.
I say this so you understand where I am coming from when I ask you to please,please tell me how you were able to expose and carry through to termination the careers of two corrupt evil priests. Any tips you can give would be appreciated by many of us,who are totally aware of the problems and do not need to be reminded on a daily basis about the problems,we are interested in getting rid of them,not hearing about them ad infinitum. Any help will be appreciated,thanks.
I am unfit to answer such a question. I am happy if anything I have said has been a help in the past. I have not ever had to press for the removal of a pervert, so I am not expert at these things. However, what I shall write, I hope is good advise for any situation. God have mercy on me for any deviation from his Word; I am attempting to express these things to the best of my ability.
Recall that you are not fighting people, but you are combatting demons who influence the priest. These demons rejoice in fear and feast on division. Any priest who offers a liturgically valid mass is your greatest ally, even if he opposes you politically. And I do not mean that the mass he offers meets some Traditionalists' perfection, or even is correct according to the GIRM (although that is obviously a blessing). So long as transubstantiation occurs, demons are conquered. Strive and pray for love in your heart for all involved, including the "bad" priests; true love is desiring what brings salvation to the object of your love. Do nothing which is not acting out of love, and know that true love for one person is not set against love for another person.
Go to daily mass, in your home parish. (If the eucharist is not valid, you need to find a new home parish.) Do not seek out a perfect parish, but stay in the one God has given to you (unless you know God wills you to move). Offer yourself up as sacrifice. Strive for the perfection of souls, but if the offenses are so heinious (pedophilia, etc.) or the priest is irredeemably opposed to goodness (a judgment you are scripturally forbidden to make), accept as victory his removal from the ability to add to his sins.
Let no potential opponent know the specifics or what you are praying for (i.e., "so that Fr. John quit preaching heresy," or "to remove that pedophile, Fr. Steve.") for this can sow division, and set you against anyone who doesn't believe the accusation. (And many good Christians will be slow to accept!) (I've prayed a good, bland, offering such as "for the Holy Spirit to enrich the soul of Fr. So-and-so, so that he can ever more perfectly be the instrument of God's plan for salvation." Even Fr. So-and-so would love hearing that prayer.) But seek trusted confidantes, and spiritual friends, and join in prayer together.
Moreover, show no fear. Praying for someone's removal is confessing that you have believe that his ministry cannot be redeemed. Acting politically is testifying to other priests and prayer-warriors that you do not believe that prayer works. Be obedient in all things, to your pastor (unless he is apostate or directs you to sin), and to your bishop, even if you believe them to be wrong, for God has allowed them the authority they excercise. Such obedience is a sign to them that what you do is in accord with God's will.
If you are chosen to take a visible role in ending an evil, your consience will be absolutely certain that there is no other course. Accept any such role with humility and great reluctance. Whenever you desire to take a greater role than is foisted apon your shoulders, pray instead. It may well be that your prayer leads to the burden being placed on your shoulders, but it may be that God solves things in ways you could not imagine.
Don't be stupid. Not all priests are pediophiles.
While what Fr. Gabriel has admitted to downloading child porn, which is evil, he has not admitted to actually doing anything with any children. There is no accusation of him abusing anyone physically. He has abused many people's trust, though.
And, yes, as Catholics, we must forgive as Christ would. However, forgiveness does not mean he does not have to pay for his sins. Remember that the Pope forgave his would be assassin but the man still had to go to jail.
Think about it.
The things which I involved myself with involved the censure and/or removal of certain pastors.
I will not discuss the details of the situations - but I will give the advice that it can be a lot easier to "catch" a pastor on financial misconduct. If one has solid proof, the quarry can be persued. And your cause can be victorious. The two key elements are solid evidence, and having Canon Law on your side.
The sad truth is that $$$ talks........all else walks.
And as anyone who has read the papaers in the last few years knows - trying to prove allegation of clerical sexual misconduct can be awfully distressing for those involved, very public, and very messy.
I was just thanking you and NWS for some techniques you had once given about attending classes and waiting until a subject that you were informed about came into play. I believe you then were able to ask a question in such a way that the instructor/facilitator/pastor was forced to give the teaching of the Church rather than his own interpretation.
At one time I had used that techique but had forgotten about it for some months until I read your comment which spurred me on to attend a couple more classes. It is a very wonderful tactic since it permits all in attendance to hear Truth,or the instructor/facilitator/pastor to speak heresy publicly which can be countered with the Truth from the Catholic Catechism. That is why one should always take the Catechism and a Bible to all classes one attends unless one knows the teacher and the diocese is orthodox.
Pope John Paul II said in the late nineties that we should "smother error with Truth" and that is what I try to do. He also said that we needed to "speak the Truth with love",which is also good advice. That combined with praying unceasingly will never hurt,IMHO.
Thanks for taking the time to relate the process we need to use to effect changes. God bless!!
How's this for reliability and/or "dirt". My wife and I are close personal friends of Fr. Perricone, and proud as punch to be so. And I gave up FR for Lent, but when I heard what was going on on this thread, I'm taking Laetare Sunday to say my peace. I won't be back on this thread, so don't bother responding to me here.
I have known Fr. Perricone for years now. I have been at many of his retreats (one coming up next week as a matter of fact). He baptized my wife, married us, and I have seen *personally* how he has continually been railroaded by his enemies left and right--AND YET, accepts each trial with meekness and humility and obedience, both to God and to his superiors. You don't have to like him. You don't have to agree with him. But he is a child of God, and one who has crosses (include this one) that many of you will never even come close to knowing. I have watched this man SUFFER intensely for his love of Our Lord, and just when everything looks rosy (St. Anthony's), Our Lord sends him another intense and bitter cross. I wouldn't give a flying fig for any so-called "reliable source" that didn't know how much he has suffered for Christ. So I don't want to hear any more vicious talk like this EVER again.
Lastly, on the Fr. Tetherow situation, I have had the pleasure of meeting him AND his whole family this year at a retreat. I don't know what happened in Tobyhanna any more than any of you do. But for heaven's sake, folks, let's let things be taken care of in their due time by the authorities, and not revel in backbiting and vicious innuendo. Like Antoninus, I think there's more to this than meets the eye--maybe I'm wrong, but it serves NOTHING but the fiefdom of Satan for us to keep snidely pointing fingers of condemnation. Pray. Get on your knees and pray. Pray for Fr. Tetherow, pray for Fr. Perricone, pray for the modernists, and pray for us that we trads all have the grace to resist slander and detraction that many of us (myself included) so delight to revel in like swine in the muck.
I don't know anything about Fr. Tetherow beyond what he has admitted. I find the admission disturbing but I will wait and see.
You are entitled to your opinion of Perricone. I am entitled to mine. It so happens they are diametrically opposed. Spare me the lectures. All I will say is I hope you are not bitterly disappointed someday.
Some people live in a fool's paradise......must have been all those dimly lit, mind altering, brainwashing sessions Perricone gave.
I concur with what is expressed in post #174.
Further, I have known of "Fr." Perricone on & off over a period of some nearly 20 years. I have observed very little in his conduct & character which would make me change my opinion of him.
Since I (and others)have been a victim to HIS backbiting and "railroading" - which has been most viscious - I have very little sympathy for him and his alleged "crosses". I will not discuss this particular matter any further.
What no glassy eyed supported of Perricone will admit or discuss is the suspension of his priestly faculties in the Arch of NY (and concurrently in Newark) regarding "allegations" of possible improper conduct. Regardless of what one thinks of NO Bishops, they cannot suspend a priest's faculties unless provided for in Canon Law. They have to have a pretext.........whether or not it is totally true and valid is another question entirely - and would normally come out in a canonical appeal process.
Then there is the issue of his association with Opus Dei.
Perricone's career is spotty and cryptic/mysterious. What has he done? Very few concrete accomplishments can be listed.
I could compare him to Msgr. Eugene Clark. He is a NO priest, who has a deep love of tradition. But I can clearly track his assignments. I can see what his accomplishments have been. His history and associations are all above board - and out in the open. This is also a priest who says both the NO as well as the Tridentine mass. He firmly professes the truths of the faith - and has faced slings & arrows for it.
By comparison with Perricone - whether or not one likes Msgr. Clark - we know who he is, and where he stands, and whom he works for. Even if one disliked Clark - you cannot say anything against his good name, as there is really nothing to say; his record is clean.
From my perspective, I have seen very little "meekness, humility, & obedience" come from Perricone. I know of good priests who have suffered much for their devotion to the TLM and to tradition. Perricone has never gotten dirt under his fingernails........and would know hardship if it came up and bit him on the behind!
He only works with white upper middle class elitists. He has never worked with or for the poor - in any seriously demonstrable manner.
.....and those clean fingernails........hmmmmm.........
"However, in my book, the actions of muslims are far more contemptable and are more serious crimes than those of the priests."
In many ways they are. But you know what, we have higher expectations of priests. Nobody expects anything but crap out of the imams anyway, and that's what we get from them. No news value in the predictable getting-what-you-expect.
I worked at St. Ann's in Tobyhanna and found porn on Fr. Kloton's computer long before there was a Fr. Gabriel Tetherow. Blame Bishop Timlin to whom I reported the porn and sexual misconduct of Fr. Kloton and did nothing about it. Now he takes in this guy probably to help him get more porn and Fr. Gabriel gets bagged. I think your priest already knows about this, since there was a BIG scandal about my resignation as Director of Religious of St. Ann's Church.
I worked at St. Ann's in Tobyhanna and found porn on Fr. Kloton's computer long before there was a Fr. Gabriel Tetherow. Blame Bishop Timlin to whom I reported the porn and sexual misconduct of Fr. Kloton and did nothing about it. Now he takes in this guy probably to help him get more porn and Fr. Gabriel gets bagged. I think your priest already knows about this, since there was a BIG scandal about my resignation as Director of Religious Education of St. Ann's Church.
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