RCF Press Release -- CATHOLIC WATCHDOG GROUP TO CONDUCT MEETING OF ALBANY CATHOLICS

Roman Catholic Faithful Website ^ | Feb 18, 2004 | Roman Catholic Faithful, Inc

[m4629]

Press Release

Contact: Stephen G. Brady Phone: (217) 632-5920

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 1 PM EDT, February 18, 2004

CATHOLIC WATCHDOG GROUP TO CONDUCT MEETING OF ALBANY CATHOLICS

An international group of faithful Roman Catholics has scheduled a public meeting in Albany to discuss its ongoing investigation of the Albany Catholic Diocese.

Stephen G. Brady, president of the Roman Catholic Faithful, Inc. (RCF) issued a statement on Wednesday that he will arrive in Albany from RCF’s headquarters in Petersburg, Illinois, on Saturday evening, February 21. The meeting will take place at 6:00 p.m. Sunday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Albany City Center, State & Lodge Streets, 10 Eyck Plaza, Albany, NY 12207.

In 2001, Mr. Brady was entrusted by the recently-deceased Fr. John Minkler with a confidential 1995 report of corruption in the Albany diocese that Fr. Minkler had prepared for then-New York Cardinal O’Connor. Fr. Minkler had been seeking RCF’s assistance to help bring about reformative changes in the Albany diocese. RCF was contacted by Fr. Minkler the day before his body was discovered in his Watervliet home.

Joining Mr. Brady at the meeting will be Paul Likoudis, news editor of The Wanderer, a weekly Catholic newspaper. For over 15 years, Mr. Likoudis has probed the link between the homosexual revolutionists who came to power in the early 1960s and the moral downfall of the Roman Catholic Church. Fr. Minkler had been informing Mr. Likoudis about problems in the Albany diocese for the last 13 years. Mr. Likoudis spoke with Fr. Minkler shortly after Father’s Friday meeting with chancery officials, just two days before his body was found.

RCF is a not-for-profit lay organization, with many religious members, dedicated to promoting orthodox Catholic teaching and fighting heterodoxy and corruption within the Catholic hierarchy.

[m4629]

Send all your questions and concerns to Steve Brady in advance.

[m4629]

Ping for Press Release

[GirlShortstop]

In 2001, Mr. Brady was entrusted by the recently-deceased Fr. John Minkler with a confidential 1995 report of corruption in the Albany diocese that Fr. Minkler had prepared for then-New York Cardinal O?Connor.

bump   Thanks m4629.   FReegards.

[Antoninus]

NYer, we expect you to be there as a representative of the Free Republic Catholic Caucus. (I'm only half kidding!)

[Antoninus]

Is it possible Brady and Likoudis really have the goods on Hubbard? They've been after him for years. The bombs could start falling this weekend.

If Hubbard falls, we've won a tremendous victory in cleaning up the Church in America. I pray that some good may come from the tragic death of Fr. Minkler. May God Almighty rest his soul.

If it turns out he was killed, he could conceivably be considered a martyr.

[Antoninus]

Yet more from Stephen Brady...

Controversy surrounds priest's death
2/18/2004 5:32 PM
By: Erin O'Hearn

Stephen Brady, founder of The Roman Catholic Faithful, based in Illinois, said he received a voice message from Rev. John Minkler the weekend Minkler was found dead in his Watervliet home.

Brady said, "He left a message, not frantic necessarily, but very serious asking me for help with Hubbard. He didn't go into any detail, but it was clear there was a problem and he wanted our help and assistance."

Brady, who said his group is dedicated to fighting abuses by the church, told Capital News 9 that Minkler first contacted him a few years after he had written a letter to Cardinal Eagan in 1995 expressing concern over sexual misconduct by Bishop Howard Hubbard and other area priests. Brady said Minkler was frustrated when the Cardinal told him no disciplinary action would be taken against Bishop Hubbard.

"His biggest concern, he was fearful that Hubbard may find out he was gathering information regarding corruption or nonsense going on within the diocese," said Brady.

Paul Likoudis, from central New York, who is a writer for a Catholic conservative newspaper said he spoke with Minkler just before his death about signing the statement.

He said, "He signed it with mental reservations and then had a great deal of regret after doing so."

The diocese is sticking by their statement, "At no time did anyone associated with the Albany Diocese seek to pressure Father Minkler to meet with Diocesan officials or to deny the letter or to sign a statement denying the letter."

But Brady said, "There's no doubt in my mind, considering the chain of events, Hubbard has to hold some responsibility for Minkler's death. I don't mean he killed him, but by stress, by threats, by demanding he sign the retraction."

The cause of Minkler's death has not been determined yet. The autopsy will take a few weeks. Both Brady and Likoudis will be in Albany this weekend holding a conference on the accusations surrounding Bishop Hubbard.

[m4629]

Is it possible Brady and Likoudis really have the goods on Hubbard? They've been after him for years. The bombs could start falling this weekend.

Yes, I know they definitely have a few things going, but how much, I don't know. They may also take this opportunity to release all the info in that "henry letter". Make sure you have your questions sent to them first tho.

Fr. Minkler's "suicide note" would be extremely damaging to Hubbard if he mentioned anything like in that "henry letter". Either way, there will be so much heaton Hubbard that Hell may seem like a cool place.

More people may come forward still. We'll see.

I concur. NYer is hereby drafted for duty at Sunday's meeting on behalf of Freep. :-)

[m4629]

If it turns out he was killed, he could conceivably be considered a martyr.

I don't believe Fr. Minkler was killed.

Even tho Minkler signed the retraction affidavit, but, if his "suicide note" says something like "Hubbard forced me to sign the denial affidavit. I am the original author of the "henry letter" and attest to all its contents to be true", then Hubbard is toast.

[NYer]

NYer, we expect you to be there as a representative of the Free Republic Catholic Caucus. (I'm only half kidding!)

With or without a 'purple ribbon'? Lol! I am very tempted to make myself several ribbons of different colors and wear all of them on the lapel of my coat. This way I've covered all bases. Wait!! I'll just make one 'rainbow' ribbon ... now that's 'sweet' (just kidding).

Well, thanks for the invite and I am VERY tempted to attend, if for no other reason than to check out who's who in the Albany diocese. Do you suppose they will have a sign up table for those who wish to volunteer as informants?

Okay folks, post your questions here! What do you want to have Stephen Brady or Paul Likoudis answer?

[m4629]

OK, questions coming as they come up so please check back periodically between now and Sunday.

1. Since Aretakis said he did not ever speak with Fr. Minkler, then where did he get the "henry letter"? Did either Steve Brady or Paul Lidoukis give it to Aretakis?

2. Since Brady said Minkler was disappointed Cardinal O'Connor was not going to act on the "henry", that would mean Minkler at least got a reply from O'Connor. Does Brady also have that "reply letter"?

[Antoninus]

Questions, questions:

Did Fr. Minkler supply either Brady or Likoudis with any other information about the situation in Albany besides the "Henry" letter?

If so, will they release that information?

[Antoninus]

Questions for Likoudis:

Did Fr. Minkler seem distraught to the point of suicide when he spoke to him last Saturday?

Did Fr. Minkler mention any specific threats used by Bishop Hubbard or officials in the chancery to coerce him to sign the affidavit?

[Antoninus]

1. Since Aretakis said he did not ever speak with Fr. Minkler, then where did he get the "henry letter"? Did either Steve Brady or Paul Lidoukis give it to Aretakis?

That occurred to me, too. Then I thought maybe it was someone from NYC. After all, no copy of the "Henry" letter was ever found there...

[Antoninus]

Sinky you seem to have lost interest in this topic. What gives?

[m4629]

I would not be surprised Fr. Minkler gave copies of the "henry letter" to a few confidants for insurance.

I am also very curious as to how much his sister knows.

Bear in mind Brady and Likoudis have to tread carefully so they don't get sue themselves for defamation, so they will only release solid stuff and can't come back to bite them, which means they probably still has bunch of stuff under the table that can't be divulged yet.

I am also curious as to their reaaction to Mary White Wash doing the gig for Hubbard.

[sinkspur]

Workin'.

[Desdemona]

I am also very curious as to how much his sister knows.

Remember, she found the body and can't talk until the police investigation is finished. There are details she knows, that very few people do. IF, and I will say if, Fr. Minkler was murdered, those details need to be kept secret in case someone lets something slip. That's SOP for police investigations. Eventually, it will all come out.

[m4629]

You are right.

But, from the looks of things, I don't think Fr. Minkler was murdered. For one thing, the murderer wouldn't leave any kind of a "suicide note" that's detrimental to Hubbard, since the media has vaguely mentioned content of the note is unfavorable to him.

Also, since Brady and Lidoukis are holding the meeting on Sunday, you would think that would not happen if Fr Minkler was murdered, since the cops will definitely want to talk to them 2 and don't want them to go public with whatever they got.

This open meeting could really shake things up.

[Desdemona]

You don't think a murderer would leave a suicide note? Hang out with court beat reporters sometime. The stories you hear would curl your hair. You'd be surprised.

I'm waiting for this one to pan out.

[m4629]

What I am saying is, since the media already knows something about that note (from leakage) which is unfavorable to Hubbard, it logically wouldn't come from a murderer right?

If a murderer was to leave a note, he wouldn't pin it on Hubbard would he?