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BREAKING: Church uncovers [NEW!!!] file on Shanley NAMBLA activity
Boston Herald ^ | 4-25-2002 | Maggie Mulvihill and Robin Washington

Posted on 04/25/2002 9:18:29 AM PDT by Notwithstanding

Church uncovers file on Shanley NAMBLA activity

by Maggie Mulvihill and Robin Washington
Thursday, April 25, 2002

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In the latest example of the Boston archdiocese's chaotic record-keeping on problem priests, church officials acknowledged yesterday their discovery of new records detailing allegations of the Rev. Paul R. Shanley's involvement in NAMBLA - the North American Man-Boy Love Association.<!ENDSUMM!>

The documents, part of a larger group a judge earlier this month ordered turned over to Roderick MacLeish, a lawyer representing several alleged victims of Shanley, were located late last week by an unnamed archdiocesean staff member, the Rev. Christopher Coyne, said an archdiocesan spokesman.

``It's terribly embarrassing at this late date to come out and say this,'' Coyne said in addressing reporters on the lawn of the Brighton Chancery.

``No one knew that the files were around,'' Coyne said. ``It wasn't just one letter that was overlooked. It's another bad thing. It makes us look like we are not being honest. It's just awful.''

The Shanley file released to date - more than 800 pages of secret records - detailed the priest's long history of alleged sexual misconduct, and, on some pages, his admissions of the actions.

But more damning were numerous documents revealing that Bernard Cardinal Law, his predecessor, Humberto Cardinal Medeiros, and other archdiocesean officials were aware of Shanley's behavior as far back as 1967, but continued to assign him to posts that put him in direct contact with children.

Coyne appeared visibly angry as he revealed the discovery of the documents, saying there is no question now that there had been numerous written complaints made in past years to chancery officials about Shanley's behavior.

MacLeish, who will receive the papers today, said he was furious with the discovery.

``If they're NAMBLA materials, as they say they are, then it's absolutely appalling. I can't believe it,'' he said, adding that he intends to investigate how the documents were missed.

``We are taking the deposition of (the church officials) involved in this document retrieval. The truth will have to come out,'' he said.

In the initial document release three weeks ago, records showed that Shanley spoke in favor of sex between men and boys at a December 1978 Boston convention that led to the founding of the intergenerational sex advocacy organization.

But a Shanley supporter who organized the meeting and later co-founded NAMBLA insists that it has been mischaracterized, and that many different points of view on the subject were presented.

``It certainly was not some kind of a man-boy group,'' said the man, who goes by the pseudonym of Socrates.

``There were social workers, psychiatrists, ministers and even law enforcement personnel. At that time, these issues could be discussed in an objective forum. You can't do that now.''

More germane to the accusations of MacLeish's clients is Socrates' contention that it would have been totally out of character for Shanley to have had violent sex with a 6-year-old.

In his suit and in a criminal complaint to Newton police, Gregory Ford, 24, claims that Shanley yanked him out of CCD classes and repeatedly fondled and raped him as a child in the rectory of Newton's St. Jean's Parish for six years beginning in 1984. ``I don't believe it, based on what I know of him,'' Socrates said, insisting that the priest would never have had sex with a pre-pubescent boy. ``I don't believe he ever did anything by force.''

MacLeish vehemently disputed that, saying, ``They say he wasn't violent. That's absolute total nonsense.''

``I have a forcible rape case against Paul Shanley from 1990 involving a 13-year-old. This notion that you're either interested in pedophilia or ephebophilia (sex with teens) is absolute nonsense,'' MacLeish charged.

MacLeish also said Ford and a second alleged victim, Paul Busa, who attended the classes with Ford but hasn't seen him in years, could not have collaborated to fabricate their allegations.

``NAMBLA has as much credibility on this as Ken Lay does on suggestions to reform Enron,'' MacLeish said.



TOPICS: Breaking News; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News; Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: Massachusetts
KEYWORDS: cardinallaw; catholic; homosexual; homosexualagenda; nambla; scandal
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To: zarf
God is within. Choose your mythology, but don't judge the efficacy of my moral compass.

1. How do you know for certain that what I believe is mythology?
2. Your command to me not to judge the efficacy of your moral compass is itself a moral judgment (presumably of my unfitness to judge your moral compass) and thus self-contradictory. Your command not to judge is itself a self-refuting command not to judge.

Cordially,

101 posted on 04/25/2002 11:17:19 AM PDT by Diamond
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To: Grampa Dave
I fear we are only seeing the tip of this scandal iceberg. Fully suspect that a major reason for the cover-up is that much of the church hierarchy practice the same lifestyle and are afraid of getting caught (outed) themselves.
102 posted on 04/25/2002 11:21:53 AM PDT by BJR
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Comment #103 Removed by Moderator

To: FormerLib
I stand corrected!
104 posted on 04/25/2002 11:22:11 AM PDT by EdReform
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To: SBeck
You could always start your own (call it Zarfism). Then you'd have a claim to declare yourself tax exempt. :-)

Now THAT was funny. Mr. Zarf, yu gotta admit thats funny. Zarfism! hoot!

105 posted on 04/25/2002 11:24:10 AM PDT by reflecting
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To: smith288
One would need a concience and a soul in order to feel remorse. Child rapists have neither.

They literally destroy the life of the child...and in some cases, that child grows up to become a predator himself. In my opinion...if you can repeatedly commit this crime...God has already crossed your name off.

106 posted on 04/25/2002 11:26:04 AM PDT by JessicaDragonet
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To: zarf
"I hope he burns in hell for eternity with the rest of these preditorial bastards"

Do daoists believe in Hell?

107 posted on 04/25/2002 11:29:24 AM PDT by iranger
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To: Diamond
I've never judged you. Your mythology and the human ediface built around that (Christian -Western) mythology claims to be the arbitor of what is right and wrong....I reacted to that....although i agree my reaction, by default, is hypocritical.
108 posted on 04/25/2002 11:29:30 AM PDT by zarf
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To: iranger
no, definitely not!!! BUT i have to relate my feelings in earthly moral terms somehow!!
109 posted on 04/25/2002 11:31:06 AM PDT by zarf
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To: reflecting
i do like the tax exempt idea!!! :)

Any ideas for a logo?

110 posted on 04/25/2002 11:32:10 AM PDT by zarf
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To: zarf
"To claim there is demeans those who live moral lives."

Who's "morals" are you judging by? The hindu, buddhist, or daoist?

111 posted on 04/25/2002 11:32:23 AM PDT by iranger
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To: boston_liberty
Do you ... or anyone else here who may have experience with the hierarchy of the Church ... know if the Pope would do this (remove a Cardinal)? What about reassigning them to posts away from the public?
112 posted on 04/25/2002 11:32:56 AM PDT by Gophack
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To: Diamond
How do you know the symbols of your faith are not mythology?
113 posted on 04/25/2002 11:33:28 AM PDT by zarf
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To: zarf
i do like the tax exempt idea!!!
I'm afraid you would only be non-profit :-)
114 posted on 04/25/2002 11:33:37 AM PDT by heyheyhey
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To: JessicaDragonet
if you repeat your crime such as the one you described...you arent repenting... God isnt changing ones life as the person isnt trying.... God crosses your name off when you reject him no matter what religious affilitation or position you are in. An unrepentant sinner is as good as toast in Gods book.
115 posted on 04/25/2002 11:34:01 AM PDT by smith288
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To: iranger
judeo-Christian
116 posted on 04/25/2002 11:35:05 AM PDT by zarf
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To: boston_liberty
>>it's up to his Parishoners<<

Actually, it isn't.

117 posted on 04/25/2002 11:35:24 AM PDT by Jim Noble
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To: zarf
"judeo-Christian"

I thought you wanted no part of Jesus?

118 posted on 04/25/2002 11:36:58 AM PDT by iranger
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To: zarf
Maybe in time I will come back to it, but I'm tired of the intolerant, condescending attitude associated with Christianity.

More Zarfisms Lmao......boy for being tired of Christians, you sure like to seek them out.

119 posted on 04/25/2002 11:37:02 AM PDT by rbmillerjr
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To: Gophack
>>How CAN a Cardinal be removed?<<

The Medicis used poison.

120 posted on 04/25/2002 11:37:55 AM PDT by Jim Noble
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