Shop owner brought concerns to police (San Jose Jesuits abuse mentally disabled)

San Jose Mercury News ^ | 3/25/02 | Rodney Foo

[Longshanks]

The spiral of events leading to public allegations of sexual abuse against four Los Gatos Jesuits began two years ago, when a local dress shop owner heard one of the alleged victims complaining about a retired Jesuit brother while talking about his own sexuality.

[Longshanks]

We never left the Church.

Well then now is the time to "regularize" your standing since channels are open and modernists are in retreat.

[Palladin]

These Jesuits are despicable. What could be lower than preying upon innocent retarded people who have the mentality and naivete of children? Absolutely despicable!

Vesuvius, you are right about this being the tip of the iceberg. Perhaps someday soon, the "remnant" will reclaim the Church.

I could never understand why Cardinal Lefebvre was excommunicated while men like Teddy Kennedy were not. Now many things are becoming clear.

"The people who lived in darkness have seen a great light".

I have confidence that the Church, after a severe pruning, will see a New Spring, such as the one that occurred in the time of Cardinal Newman. In the meantime, we must keep busy exposing and rooting out the evil ones.

[Palladin]

Amen!

[redhead]

...and, AAAA-MEN!

[Askel5]

I don't know if I'll ever be able to see another priest or Jesuit without at least mentally wondering whether they might be a homosexual predator.

Excellent ... the discrediting of nearly 50,000 priests at the hands of a few is working!

[Humidston]

I am curious.... I've heard some say this problem is a result of homosexual priests, while others speak of allowing priests to marry - as if they're "straight."

Does anyone here actually know whether the majority of these troubled men are homosexual or hetrosexual?

[nickcarraway]

I live in Los Gatos and I didn't know there were any Jesuits left, to speak of. The Novitiate is basically a winery now, I thought there were only some very elderly ones there. I walk/run up on the mountain there and I never see anyone other than winery employees. Some of you may be interested to know this is where Jerry Brown, former governor of Caifornia and current mayor of Oakland was a novice. Yes, Jerry Brown was at one time a novice.

Smolich is the one who has exiled Father Fessio and others.

[Pining_4_TX]

Yes, sadly, these problems are widespread, but what makes this scandal so vile is the way the higher-ups in the Catholic Church aided and abetted these predators. It makes me sick when I see some bishop in his "holy suit" on TV going on about what a tragedy this is and how much the Church cares about the victims. Puke! They only care now that everyone knows about it. For years they bullied and silenced the victims and knowingly put these men in situations where they knew it would happen again. The bishops and anyone else who looked the other way while children and others were being horribly abused, ought to be publicly horse-whipped. These men are as vile as the perpetrators.

[Chemnitz]

No the cover-up artists are far worse than the predators, far...far worse.

[CIApilot]

I live in the area where this flap is happening. It has been a huge, above-the-fold story in the (left-wing) San Jose Mercury for 3 days running.

The hypocrisy of Smolich is appalling. When asked how he plans to keep things like this from happening in the future, he said 'I won't tolerate it.' One sentence later, the reporter named FOUR REGISTERED SEX OFFENDERS, plus the two priests in this article, who are still members of this local Jesuit society.

Nothing will change until the Catholic Church gets a grip and defrocks all these people!

[Longshanks]

Smolich is the one who has exiled Father Fessio and others.

I think I know of a good Jesuit to replace Smolich.

[Aliska]

Sir, the (putting in nicer terms) problem priests are cradle Catholics. Most of them were born Catholic. Most of them were raised Catholic. They didn't invade the church. They didn't infiltrate the church.

[RichInOC]

I agree. These are bad guys. I absolutely didn't mean to imply otherwise. I meant my post as a very mildly humorous comment on the fact that, aside from this horrible episode, some members of the order seem to be prone to theological and political foolishness.

[Palladin]

It makes me sick when I see some bishop in his "holy suit" on TV going on about what a tragedy this is and how much the Church cares about the victims. Puke!

I wanted to throw up yesterday, when my Bishop, in his "holy suit" (LOL) got up in the pulpit and declaimed that the "current attacks on the Church can be compared to the attack on the World Trade Center". In other words, he and his fellow bishops are innocent victims, like those who died on September 11. Can you believe the nerve of this man? He has just been exposed as protecting an order of priests in this Diocese (Scranton, PA), who made a habit of inviting boys from St. Gregory's Prep over for "Vocations Weekends". On these weekends, the booze flowed among the priests and their underage guests. The boys were then invited to sleep in the beds of their hosts. The Bishop -- James Timlin-- excused this behavior on the grounds that "there were not enough separate accommodations for the boys". This is one Bishop that deserves to be hung by his b*lls!

[Pining_4_TX]

I honestly don't understand how anyone, let alone someone claimging to believe in Christ, can participate in covering up and excusing such monstrous evil. According to an article in Time Magazine, at least 2 of the boys who were molested later committed suicide. The men in the Catholic hierarchy who aided and abetted the molesters have blood on their hands.

[Palladin]

Two suicides--that we know of. How many more were there? How many lives ruined? How many alcoholics, drug addicts, mentally ill from this abuse?

These are sins that cry out to Heaven for vengeance.

[Aliska]

Isn't St. Gregory's associated with the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter? If so, I'm at a loss for words.

[Palladin]

Yes, I am sorry to say. The scandal in the Diocese of Scranton can be traced to the ultra-conservatives of this order. Unfortunately, sin can find its way into any order where discipline is lacking.