Posted on 03/07/2011 7:23:40 PM PST by Dr. Eckleburg
WILLIAM LYNN FIRST HIGH-RANKING CHURCH OFFICIAL TO FACE CHILD ENDANGERMENT CHARGES; DOZENS ACCUSED OF ABUSE REMAIN IN ACTIVE MINISTRY
(CBS News) Phil Gaughan can't bring himself to talk about it in detail, but said when he was a teenager, he was sexually abused by a catholic priest, reports CBS News correspondent Elaine Quijano.
"It just can't happen to anybody else," Gaughan said. "Nobody should have deal with what I've dealt with for 15 years, the way that I felt and no child should ever have to go through this again."
After years of silence, Gaughan is publicly filing suit against top officials in the Philadelphia archdiocese, who he said failed to protect him from a predator priest. One of those named in his civil lawsuit is Monsignor William Lynn.
Lynn is already facing charges in a separate criminal case. For 12 years, Lynn was in charge of recommending work assignments for priests in the Philadelphia archdiocese. The district attorney believes Lynn knowingly recommended abusive priests be reassigned, without ever warning the parishes.
"They did in fact re-offend," said Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams. "They did in fact rape and sodomize other children."
Lynn has now become the first high-ranking U.S. church official ever to face criminal child endangerment charges for allegedly covering-up abuse. But prosecutors said there are other problems.
Allegations against Lynn resulted from a 124-page grand jury report that concludes, "Apparent abusers - dozens of them, we believe - remain on duty in the Archdiocese, today, with open access to new young prey."
For now, the archdiocese has suspended three priests, but according to the report, 34 others accused of abuse or inappropriate behavior with minors remain in active ministry.
The archdiocese has hired a former prosecutor to re-examine past cases.
"I will not turn my back on evidence of a cover up," said Gina Smith.
The archdiocese is not commenting on recent legal action, but church officials have vowed to do better.
"We have now taken action and we hope that our actions speak to our resolve," said Bishop Daniel Thomas with the Philadelphia Archdiocese.
That's little comfort to Gaughan, who hopes by coming forward he's giving children the protection he never had.
"They did in fact re-offend," said Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams. "They did in fact rape and sodomize other children."
Nothing changes.
Nothing change? What Y’all mean?
This would be LOL funny if it wasn't so disgraceful. 'Vowed to do better"?? It wouldn't take an awful lot to do "better".
The purification continues.
Why was it necessary to change the title of this article to all capitals?
I didn’t change anything. I always write the title of any article I post in capitals.
Interesting that this is your only comment.
lol. Purification through criminal assault charges being filed.
Not purification through the Roman Catholic church taking action against these pederasts.
Because if that were the case, 34 suspected pedophiles in this diocese would not "remain in active ministry" and still be working as shepherds to vulnerable flocks of children.
Shameful.
Speaks "volumes" about you. No surprise.
Removal of the shirtlifters and their clueless enablers like Lynn is a great step forward. Every one of them who's sent packing is a step towards healing and health.
Wonderful news and a pox on the lavender mafia.
1 Corinthians 5:1-13 1It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father’s wife. 2And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you.
3For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. 4When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.
6 Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
9I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 13God judges those outside. "Purge the evil person from among you."
Why can't the RCC take a "step forward" and get rid of these men themselves BEFORE they destroy children's lives?
Why does the RCC protect these pederast priests?
Why are 34 suspected pederast priests STILL pastoring their churches in this one diocese?
the purification should have happened when it first came to light, not only after civil authorities were involved.
It's pretty difficult to believe that the Catholic church is sincere about addressing the problem when it's gone on long enough to finally have civil authorities involved.
If they had taken the proper steps in the first place, it would have never had to get so far.
I don't think that congratulations are in order considering the slacking going on on the part of the church.
lol. Yeah. It "speaks" that I learned how to write headlines effectively and old habits die hard.
What a great example of just where Rome's real concern lies.
Or should I say...
WHAT A GREAT EXAMPLE OF JUST WHERE ROME'S REAL CONCERN LIES.
Strange priorities.
Focusing attention on the format of the title is just another red herring thrown out there because there is no defense for what is going on within the Catholic church.
I SHOULD HAVE PINGED YOU TO 13.
(I’m enjoying the caps.)
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