Catholic church official face criminal charges

CBSNEWS.COM ^ | March 7, 2011 | Elaine Quijano

[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.

[D-fendr]

“Things are going better than than I expected. This cyberspace era has given a real boost to our endeavors.

Screwtape in the Cyberage. Well done and on target.

[Lorica]

Yes, this has been working out much better than I thought it would in the beginning.”

Well done! How true, how true.

[Triple]

Really? - I see these actions as exposing and (hopefully) expelling the demons from the catholic church.

Would you rather these pederasts and their enablers continue to operate in the church?

If there is any demonization of the catholic church it is done by satan himself, and the evil that performs these vile acts on children.

[D-fendr]

Rule/Guideline Question:

What is the criteria or threshold for locking a thread with the reason: “flamewar”?

thanks..

[Quix]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

I was thinking after I posted that.

I don’t recall a single Proddy thread getting near that close to such a stunt.

We have posted maybe 5-15% the number of provocative threads that the RC’s tend to post—but not quite the hot-poker level, imho.

[Lorica]

I was thinking after I posted that.

No, you really helped me a great deal to put just the right words in play which would describe yet another thread which purports to tell Catholics what they already know about a truly horrendous and satanic situation... and then joke about it.

Yes, this thread truly is "a fairly transparent attempt to poke a hot poker in the heart and eyes of the other side as its primary goal."

[Running On Empty]

Thank you.

[presently no screen name]

You post alot of info on past activities and what is proper action for a nOOb. And a bias view of the facts, also.

[Running On Empty]

Thank you.

[Running On Empty]

Thanks, D-f

[Celtic Cross]

Here is something I have a beef with; the idea that a person who has recently joined has no right to an opinion. Its truly ridiculous and founded on nothing more than some senior members's egos and their wish to appear superior.

[WPaCon]

Yes, very true.

[WPaCon]

I think you can update your list of anti-Catholics on your homepage.

Your missing some good ones :)

[Quix]

PRAISE THE LORD.

BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD.

[presently no screen name]

Here is something I have a beef with; that a person who has recently joined has no right to an opinion.

Being beefed up about something that is non existent is nothing new for catholics. NOT being beefed up about something that DOES exist IS the problem for catholics. No where was it said - he has no right to an opinion. READ.

[Celtic Cross]

No, you didn’t state it explicitely, but your meaning is quite clear.

[presently no screen name]

No, you didn’t state it explicitely, but your meaning is quite clear.

First of all I didn't state it nor imply it. I have no problem speaking what I mean.

Secondly, mind reading is AGAINST the rules. Is that going to be a daily event? Is going against the rules considered 'works for salvation'?

[presently no screen name]

which purports to tell Catholics what they already know about a truly horrendous and satanic situation... and then joke about it.

The only joke I see is focusing on the intentions of the originator of the thread, Dr E. When the ones who MADE the news were the priests and official, the one who exposed it was the DA and the one who reported it was CBSNEWS.

Yes, this thread truly is "a fairly transparent attempt to poke a hot poker in the heart and eyes of the other side as its primary goal."

That's called head in the sand - that it's an 'attempt to poke a hot poker in the heart and eyes of the other side.....as it's primary goal'. It certainly shows the victimhood mentality from catholics once again. That's what is transparent here.

HERE, let the REAL victim speak what it is all about...."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."

[Celtic Cross]

"It certainly shows the victimhood mentality from catholics once again"

So, you just got finished telling me that 'mind-reading' is against the rules, and in the next breath you are reading the minds of every single Catholic on earth.

[lastchance]

You misunderstood me. I meant that they were not out to get the Church. That they’re report was based on fact and not on any personal vendetta or by anti Catholicism. I did not mean that the findings of the report were not scathing. They were. I was defending the Grand Jury.