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Child porn images found at Tobyhanna rectory (Catholic Church)
Scranton Times-Tribune ^ | 2/11/2005 | CHRIS BIRK

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.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; US: Pennsylvania
KEYWORDS: abusivepriests; catholic; childporn; gabrieltetherow
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To: Land of the Irish; MarineMomJ; thor76; murphE; Gerard.P; sempertrad; pascendi; nickcarraway; ...

Ping


21 posted on 02/12/2005 1:20:20 PM PST by Canticle_of_Deborah
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To: Canticle_of_Deborah
According to this, Tetherow's a Franciscan and has only been ordained two years. Scroll down and read the entry on July 12.
22 posted on 02/12/2005 1:48:17 PM PST by sinkspur ("Preach the gospel. If necessary, use words.")
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To: ArmedNReady

There are more cases of Child molestation in the Texas Educational system than the entire Catholic Church, but that does not advance the agenda. They might turn to it when they grow tired of Catholic bashing and want to beat up on Texas for a while.


23 posted on 02/12/2005 2:05:46 PM PST by Mark in the Old South (Note to GOP "Deliver or perish" Re: Specter I guess the GOP "chooses" to perish)
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To: Mark in the Old South

Go after both. There is no room for child molestation in either.


24 posted on 02/12/2005 2:10:27 PM PST by sinkspur ("Preach the gospel. If necessary, use words.")
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To: NotJustAnotherPrettyFace
There will be a Lenten Retreat at St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church, Troy, NY, featuring Father Gabriel Tetherow, on Friday, February 11, at 7:00p.m. and continuing on Saturday, the 12th, at 9:00a.m. A Traditional Latin Mass will be offered on Saturday morning.

Source.

25 posted on 02/12/2005 2:37:36 PM PST by sinkspur ("Preach the gospel. If necessary, use words.")
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To: Born Conservative

The saga continues.


26 posted on 02/12/2005 2:43:02 PM PST by MeneMeneTekelUpharsin
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To: sinkspur

I am a women, and I can't see what a grown man sees in a little child. Can anyone tell me? I would like to know!
Do priests have sex with other priests?
How can they peach the word of God with this in their conscious? I am baffled!
Hypocracy in the hightest sense!
If you are not called to be a eunich, get the hell out, and stop destroying the church! Get married!


27 posted on 02/12/2005 2:52:57 PM PST by Old anti feminist
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To: sinkspur

"And the silly bishop, instead of getting angry, comes to the parish and blubbers like a baby in front of the parishioners, telling them they have to forgive the pastor."

The parishoners should have pelted that sorry a$$ed bishop with rotten tomatos.
The bishop is no shepherd. He is an imposter, who should be defrocked.
I would not give a dime to that diocese as long as his name was on the stationary.


28 posted on 02/12/2005 2:55:24 PM PST by rogator
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To: Old anti feminist
A weirdo who likes to look at naked children ain't gonna fix his problem by getting married, especially if he has children.

Two years after the Dallas zero tolerance policy, and the Catholic Church is STILL finding perverts in its midst.

29 posted on 02/12/2005 2:55:40 PM PST by sinkspur ("Preach the gospel. If necessary, use words.")
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Comment #30 Removed by Moderator

To: seamole; sinkspur

The Benedictine abbey where he was initially assigned is N.O. If the Franciscans are too, where did he get his training to be a traditional priest? Or was he going to offer the N.O. at St. Anthony's?


31 posted on 02/12/2005 3:16:05 PM PST by Canticle_of_Deborah
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To: seamole
Well, Tetherow's from the diocese of Scranton. And, it appears that the diocese of Scranton lent him to Newark so he could work at St. Anthony's.

And what's with all of these "retreats" this guy is preaching? He's barely 30, and he's holding himself out as a retreatmaster?

I prefer seasoned priests who have some spiritual mileage under their belts.

32 posted on 02/12/2005 3:18:28 PM PST by sinkspur ("Preach the gospel. If necessary, use words.")
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Comment #33 Removed by Moderator

To: seamole

According the the ST. Anthony Chapel bulletin--linked to above--the bishop of Scranton "recalled Fr. Tetherow." That's where I got that he was a priest in Scranton.


34 posted on 02/12/2005 3:39:10 PM PST by sinkspur ("Preach the gospel. If necessary, use words.")
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To: NYer

" ...Lenten Retreat at St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church, Troy, NY, featuring Father Gabriel
Tetherow, on Friday, February 11, at 7:00p.m. and continuing on Saturday, the 12th, at 9:00a.m..."


Ping!


35 posted on 02/12/2005 3:45:05 PM PST by Domestic Church (AMDG...)
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To: Born Conservative
There was a thread in the "Religion" forum about how the Pope wants to "make sure seminarians can live in celibacy". No one was able to answer my question about how exactly this could be done.
36 posted on 02/12/2005 3:45:07 PM PST by k2blader (It is neither compassionate nor conservative to support the expansion of socialism.)
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Comment #37 Removed by Moderator

To: sinkspur
Not sure what to make of all this....did they shuttle a perv off to the now indult TLM @ St Anthony.

I wonder what this guy's connection was to Fr. Perricone? Did they just meet?

This priest had been bouncing around a lot and that is suspicious in and of itself.

38 posted on 02/12/2005 4:30:27 PM PST by Pio (There is no Salvation outside the Roman Catholic Church)
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To: Mark in the Old South

"There are more cases of Child molestation in the Texas Educational system than the entire Catholic Church, but that does not advance the agenda. They might turn to it when they grow tired of Catholic bashing and want to beat up on Texas for a while."

The Texas Educational system does not claim to be "CHRISTIAN", now does it?

Ignoring the devil in one's midst really gives the whole system a perverted reputation. You call this 'bashing', well the Bible calls it an abomination, and I will stick to what the WORD has to say, instead of people trying to pretend it is no big deal.



39 posted on 02/12/2005 5:20:51 PM PST by Just mythoughts
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To: Pio; Canticle_of_Deborah; thor76

Well, it is said, "By their fruits you shall know them."

His assignment to St. Anthony's would never have taken place had it remained either independent or with the SSPX.. but we know that war story already.

It's the diocese doing damage control as usual.


40 posted on 02/12/2005 5:27:10 PM PST by MarineMomJ (The truth only hurts when it's true.)
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