My personal experience aside, once again pedophilia has touched close to home. Some of you may know that I'm Catholic, and that my Bishop, Wilton Gregory, is the head of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops that came up with the ZERO TOLERANCE policy for abuse. Bishop Gregory, Bishop of the Diocese of Belleville, Illinois, was recently in the Vatican urging support for the policy, for which the Vatican has expressed concerns about the rights of the priests being violated. Bishop Gregory said that he still intends to apply the policy while working with Rome to address their concerns. How serious is Bishop Gregory? The VERY first thing he did when he got back from Rome was to dismiss the priest at my home Parish. The accusation is recent, but dates back 32 years. Zero tolerance is in effect, and Bishop Gregory intends to enforce it. I know the accused priest well, I'm shocked and hurt, I hope it's not true, but at the same time appreciate that Bishop Gregory is being a man of his word. As I follow this case I'll keep you updated.
A Child Molestation Case
by Yerusalyim 34 Replies latest watchtower child-abuse
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Witch Child
wow. I am impressed by the bishop.
Bright Blessings on him, and on you!
~Witch
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Amazing
Thanks Yeru: The Catholic Church is at least headed in the right direction. Though I agree with the premise of zero tolerance, I understand why the Pope also wants to have some protection for priests from being falsly accused ... this is a serious challenge, but the Catholic Church can and will likely end up doing the right thing. Also, check your email. Thanks. - Jim
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Yerusalyim
Attached is the article referencing this from the Belleville News Democrat
http://www.aberdeennews.com/mld/newsdemocrat/4338139.htm
Posted on Tue, Oct. 22, 2002 Pastor is removed for alleged abuse
Review board finds evidence credible
By George Pawlaczyk
[email protected]BELLEVILLE -- The Rev. William F. Rensing, pastor of a parish in Sparta, is the latest Belleville Diocese priest to be officially accused of sexual abuse of a minor and removed from active ministry.
On Monday, Bishop Wilton Gregory of Belleville announced the ``administrative'' removal of Rensing, 72, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Church. The so-called ``stage one'' removal means that while Rensing will not be allowed to say Mass or perform other priestly duties, he will still get paid.
The church in Sparta does not operate a school.
Rensing becomes the second Belleville Diocese priest to be removed in just over a month following the Rev. Daniel L. Friedman's removal on Sept. 20. Friedman, 56, stepped down after being informed by Gregory that he would be removed in connection with allegations of sexual abuse of boys at the church run Camp Ondessonk in the 1980s.
The Rev. Monsignor James Margason, vicar general of the diocese, said the removal of Rensing was recommended by the Diocesan Fitness Review Board, which has been investigating a claim made by an unnamed man who alleged that Rensing sexually abused him in 1970 when he was a minor. Rensing was removed on Saturday.
The criminal statute of limitations expired long ago for suspected sex crimes in that category. But the charter adopted in Dallas in June at a conference of American bishops headed by Gregory requires a priest to be removed for any sex crime involving a minor that is considered proven by any diocesan review board.
In this particular case, Margason said Rensing is suspected of having abused a man three decades ago in Fairview Heights.
In July, the man called the diocese sex abuse hot line. The caller stated that not only had he been abused by Rensing, but was himself under investigation for child abuse by the state Department of Children and Family Services.
Because diocesan officials were concerned that the man might criminally incriminate himself while telling his story about abuse by a priest, the investigation lagged for months.
Eventually, the dioceses provided the man with free legal counsel by a lawyer who volunteered his services.
Margason said that the review board's vote was, ``... based on what they believe is enough information available to them to say that the allegation seems credible.''
David Clohessy, director of the St. Louis-based Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, criticized the diocese for taking as long as it did to remove Rensing. The call from the man was made to the hot line sometime in July, although church officials have not been able to provide a precise date.
``I really feel for his victim or victims. Especially the person who had the courage to make this disclosure,'' said Clohessy.
``It must have been very painful for this person to watch the weeks and weeks drag on while Rensing stayed in his parish. I desperately hope and pray that during those months, no one else was hurt by Rensing,'' Clohessy said.
Margason said, ``I can't say he (Rensing) was never in contact with children, but there is no school at that parish.''
Rensing could not be reached for comment. But in August, when contacted by a Belleville News-Democrat reporter and asked whether he was under investigation by the diocese for child abuse, he said, ``There is no reason why I would be.''
Margason said that the ``stage two'' investigation by the review board is now under way and is expected to take several months. If the board decides at the end of this probe that Rensing did indeed sexually abuse a minor, his permanent removal from the priesthood will be sought by Gregory. Only Pope John Paul II has the power to completely remove a priest from the priesthood.
If the board decides Rensing is innocent of the charges, he will be restored to ministry.
A priest for more than 30 years, Rensing lived for several years with the Rev. Jerome Ratermann of Sparta, who was among 12 priests and one deacon removed since 1993 for alleged sexual abuse mostly involving minors.
Ratermann, 71, who denies wrongdoing, has appealed his case to Rome.
Edited by - Yerusalyim on 22 October 2002 12:52:42
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SixofNine
Why do you suppose the church let the problem get so out of hand, Yeru? I mean, if the church has any connection to god and such?
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Yerusalyim
Six,
Easy answer to a silly question: There are no criminal charges involved otherwise this would have went to the police, who would ALSO have taken time to investigate. While the abuse allegedly took place in 1970, it wasn't reported until July. The review board looked at it, and had concerns for the accusers own legal rights since he is also in some legal trouble concerning abuse on his part. I don't think anyone is suggesting removing anyone just because an allegation is made, there has to be some type of investigation. Since the law can't take up this case, the review board did. It did the right thing.
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bluesapphire
Yeru, a priest at our parish has been accused as well. Nobody believes it though. If it's true I feel sorry for the victim. But what if it's not true? This priest is wonderful and caring. It would be a huge loss for the parish. But how does one know the truth? Personally, I would rather er on the side of being cautious and protecting the children. And I believe that an innocent priest should feel the same. BUT ... Just like the consequences of abusing a child are serious and severe, there should be penalties for anyone who falsely accuses someone of this serious crime. And I'm talking serious penalties. Without those, there will be no end to this trying to sort out the true accusations from the false ones.
Obviously since society is different now than 20-30 years ago, victims need to report abuse asap. And education is definitely the answer. I know if anyone even so much as made one of my girls feel "wierd" they would TELL ME. That's because we have open communication about sexual topics. Whereas I did not have that with my own mom. Times are changing. And that itself will help the Catholic Church and all organizations who are willing to progress.
Six, you can't hold human beings responsible for the world views of their own time. This is the real world where there are saints and sinners in all religions.
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MegaDude
Good question, Six. As always.
The reason the Catholic Church has let the problem get out of hand is the same reason The Watchtower has let it get out of hand. It's all about maintaining the organization at their members' expense. The leadership of the Catholic Church has long been shuffling pedophile priests to different churches instead of terminating them. There has been a coordinated effort to keep the phedophile prieists' problems secret from the new parish they are assigned to.
The data and studies on pedophiles has long been available to the Pope and his Cardinals and Bishops if they gave one single good god damn about it. But they don't. Fine. Let the world class action lawsuits begin and bleed the denomination dry. Yeru can donate his new raise to the Vatican which will surely need it as they begin hemmorhaging their financial blood. The Catholic Church has always been like the Watchtower, they push aside the very principles they were founded on to protect their precious organization.
Let them perish in a hail of lawsuits.
Edited by - megadude on 22 October 2002 14:5:9
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SixofNine
Thank you, mega. It would still be nice to have a catholic address it and not sidestep the issue.
Six, you can't hold human beings responsible for the world views of their own time. This is the real world where there are saints and sinners in all religions.
True blue, (ya big ole fat girl ) I'm fascinated with the followers acceptance that god plays a role in their church. Guess we can afford the GB the same leeway?
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bluesapphire
The gripe I have about the GB is that they know they are lying and they continue to destroy lives and families. They also refuse to progress with the times. We do not see that within the Catholic Church. Families and lives are not destroyed by becoming Catholic and no one loses their lives to a doctrine that is bogus like the blood doctrine.
Other than that, I personally don't care what people believe. I don't believe people have to be any religion at all if they dont' want to and for the most part I am culturally Catholic and believe in the fundamentals only. Not by any means religious or fanatic.
Who ya calling fat girl anyway??? Don't you know not to say that to a lady who is six months prego!!! Now I'm gonna go to my room and cry cuz I'm fat. Bwaaaaaaa