Defrocked molesters fall below the radar

The Philadelphia Inquirer ^ | Sun, Jul. 31, 2005 | Jim Remsen

[grjr21]

Defrocked molesters fall below the radar At a time of heightened national concern about the need to track sex offenders, the Catholic Church in America has begun cutting loose dozens - perhaps hundreds - of priests who have molested children.

The church had already suspended the clerics after finding the child-abuse allegations against them to be credible. Now, as it defrocks them, expelling them from the priesthood, the men are quietly reentering civilian life with only the barest notice to the public, and no ongoing oversight by the church.

Nor is law enforcement certain to be watching them.

[grjr21]

Is this a case of be carefull of what you ask for cause you just might get it?

Here is a list of Philadelphia area Priests who have been Defrocked

Below are the names of priests defrocked because of sexual misconduct involving minors. Archdiocese of Philadelphia Name Years of service as priest Announced June 2, 2005

Edward M. DePaoli 1970-1992

Martin J. Satchell 1993

Announced June 23, 2005 James J. Brzyski 1977-1984

Nicholas V. Cudemo 1963-1996

Thomas J. Durkin 1964-1968

Michael W. Swierzy 1975-1997

Richard G. Jones 1963-1988

Thomas M. Kohler 1968-1985

Francis X. Trauger 1972-2003

Petitions pending: The archdiocese has declined to say if it has petitioned the Vatican to defrock any other priests. Diocese of Camden Name Years of service as priest James F. Hopkins 1973-1995 Petitions pending: 6

SOURCES: Catholic Standard and Times; Diocese of Camden; Inquirer research

[Spktyr]

Uh... once they're defrocked, they're not the Church's responsibility any more. It's up to the secular authorities to charge and imprison them, as the local law deems appropriate.

[grjr21]

Your right they are not the Church's responsibility anymore but I've heard lot's of people calling for the church to defrock priests on the flimsy accusation

[lastchance]

I remember arguing that if priests were defrocked and dismissed this is just what would happen. I thought it would be better if the priests were suspended from duties and put in some kind of facility under church control. Of course that was only in those cases where civil or criminal charges and jailtime were not enacted. It was not because I condoned their actions but I thought that some sort of authority would have control over these sickos.

[satchmodog9]

It is the Church's responsibility to hand these heathens over. I feel betrayed by the Church because of this. It's bad enough my government covers things up and lies to me. Sometimes I understand it is for national security or the good of the nation or the world. There is no reason anyone can or will give me for the Church moving priests about and covering up predatory behavior. It is also the job of government to punish these freaks for their crimes. I do not think enough people take this seriously. Abuse leads to dysfunction which leads to more dysfunction once these victims have their own families. It eventually degenerates society as a whole. We have enough degenerates in society right now, we do not need future generations breeding more. The Church is supposed to give us the path, it is hard to follow a path that is shrouded in darkness. The Church is supposed to show you the light, not put it out. We go to the house of the lord to be safe and worship with our brothers and we get paid back with betrayal and lies. Before you attack me with cries of anti Catholic, stop. One hundred percent Italian and Catholic. I still go, but it is with a hole in my heart and I leave my wallet in the car.

[B4Ranch]

ping

[Spktyr]

Uhm, they defrocked them, which is about as far as Church authority goes. They cannot *legally* hand them over. The Church can hand over information about them to the secular authorities (i.e., cops), but they can't be taken in chains to the police station. Sorry, but that's not legal.

If you have a problem with these freaks not being locked up after being defrocked, go talk to the DA's office and the police. They are the ones who decide who to charge and prosecute. Once these freaks are defrocked, the only other thing the Church can do is excommunicate them. If the police aren't waiting outside the office to collect them, it's not because the Church didn't tell them, it's because the cops decided they had something better to do.

[TheGeezer]

There is no reason anyone can or will give me for the Church moving priests about and covering up predatory behavior.

In many cases, the bishop ("bp") or archbishop ("abp") used "competent" psychiatric-medical authority advice before putting these men back out onto an assignment. Given that a doctor said the priests were in conrol of their impulses, they were re-assigned. Who is at fault in such cases?

Interestingly, MOST of these cases were not men seducing children who had not yet reached puberty. In most cases, these were men seducing male teenagers. This fact does not lessen the betrayal factor: but in many European countries the age of consent is 16 and what was done here would not even be a crime! The fact is that these were homosexual seductions, not pedophilia.

Why didn't he media report that aspect of the scandal?

[sockmonkey]

I wish we had a Roman Catholic version of Gitmo for these kinds of Priests/former Priests.

I know in the Archdiocese where I reside, it was not uncommon for an accused Priest to return to his country of native origin, and hide out.

The (now retired) Archbishop denied knowing where they were, but it came out later that the on the lam Priests were receiving checks from the Archdiocese...so, I guess someone at the Chancery knew where they were hiding.

IIRC, Mexico, Ireland, and the Phillipines were some of the countries these guys fled to. We have a new Archbishop now. I have no idea if these perverts still get money or not.

[satchmodog9]

You know damn well I didn't mean the Church should take them to the cops in chains. Of course they should have reported the. As far as your second paragraph goes, I did state that it is the responsibility of government to prosecute these freaks.

[satchmodog9]

I wonder.