Mahony Dodging Deposition re current pedophile priest cases before retiring February 2011, plaintiffs request trial dates

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"Mr. Woods informed Mr. Manly that he had strict marching orders, and that he was unable to agree to allow any deposition of Cardinal Mahony to proceed."

Quote above is from a public document obtained by City of Angels Blog this afternoon, filed September 29, 2010, by plaintiff attorneys Manly & Stewart of Newport Beach (who did not send the document to CofA, page 1 scanned at left).

The "Joint Status Conference Statement" reveals some of the obstruction Catholic Church attorneys carry out fighting plaintiffs behind the scenes, while bishops and reverends assure parishioners and the media that the church is cooperating and operating in a new transparency, re the crimes of pedophile priests.

We are letting the document speak for itself, here are direct quotes, from the PDF document received just hours ago, copy typed by Kay Ebeling, who was once employed at a transcription company called "Raging Fingers."

Plaintiffs subpoenaed Cardinal Roger Mahony for deposition.

“We have been informed by counsel for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and Cardinal Mahony, Don Woods, Esq., that they will be filing a motion to quash the subpoenas and objecting to the notices.”

Plaintiffs and Defense attorneys met and conferred by phone with Woods, “Seeking to reach a resolution of the Cardinal Mahony deposition issue, to the benefit of all parties involved.”

Manly's office writes: “Mr. Woods informed Mr. Manly that he had strict marching orders, and that he was unable to agree to allow any deposition of Cardinal Mahony to proceed.”

See Exhibit C here:
“The deposition of Cardinal Mahony is crucial in the above noted cases, and because of his impending retirement, must be scheduled some time between now and early 2011."

On February 27, 2011, upon the Cardinal’s 75th birthday, Archbishop Jose Gomez is scheduled to succeed Mahony.

”As such it is imperative that Plaintiffs have the ability to depose Cardinal Mahony in their actions.”

John VG Doe was sexually abused by Father Fernando Lopez-Lopez, a Colombian priest working in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles by way of the Archdiocese of Rome, from 2003-2004. Cardinal Mahony was the archbishop of Los Angeles at the time, and thus directly responsible for reviewing priest Lopez-Lopez’ past and credentials, allowing his visit to the archdiocese to serve, and supervising his conduct.

Cardinal Mahony is also a party to the action.
Father Lopez-Lopez was charged with multiple criminal offenses for his sexual abuse of Plaintiff and another boy, and convicted in 2005. He has subsequently been deported from the country.

John MG Doe was sexually abused by Father Michael Baker of Los Angeles 1994-1997. Cardinal Mahony was archbishop of Los Angeles at the time.

John TH Doe was sexually abused by Father Michael Harris of the Diocese of Orange. Prior to being a priest of Orange, Father Harris was a priest of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. He received treatment while he was a priest of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. As such Plaintiff John TH Doe has the right to depose Cardinal Roger Mahony.

John D-C Doe was sexually abused by Monsignor Simon Falvey of the Diocese of Orange from 1985 to 1992. Prior to being a priest in Orange, Falvey was a priest of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

(Manly has two other cases. John TZ Doe, and John JS Doe, TZ happened in the Diocese of Stockton where Mahony was Bishop at the time. John J-S in Turlock and Lodi, both within the Diocese of Stockton. )

“These plaintiffs have the right to depose Cardinal Mahony regarding relevant matters and those reasonably calculated to lead to discovery.”

Re: John TH Doe: This matter has been proceeding for two years and eight months. Suggest a trial date of July 2011.

Re: John DC Doe: This matter has been proceeding for one year and four months. The matter has been released from temporary stay. Defendants have filed demurrers and motions to strike, and plaintiff filed a First Amended Complaint to remedy some of the defects noted by Defendants. Suggesting a trial date for Summer 2011.

The Case Re: John VG Doe has been released from temporary stay and “is past demurrer and motion to strike stage, now in discovery stage”. Requesting “the heretofore agreed to date of March 7, 2011.” This matter has been proceeding for one year and six months.

John MG Doe case has been proceeding for four months.

In all three cases, “Without a trial date set, Plaintiff’s counsel is unable to set a time line for discovery.”

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Posted by Kay Ebeling, Producer, City of Angels Blog on September 29, 2010.
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Don't forget the PayPal High $5 campaign, keeps the coffers at City of Angels full for coffee.

If you think your church is under attack, you're saying your religion is about pedophilia

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How is advocating for truth about pedophile priest sex crimes an attack on religion, or even on the Catholic Church? I'm one of the victims who is also a journalist, and I have covered these crimes at City of Angels Blog for four years: http://cityofangels8.blogspot.com

It's shocking that this much criminal activity against children was allowed to happen, and the real perpetrators, the bishops who kept these men in the priesthood, are still in office, in positions of esteem.

What does that have to do with religion or God or Christ?

If you think your church is under attack, you're saying your religion has something to do with pedophilia.

There are 10,969 pedophile priests identified so far in the U.S. by Bishop Accountability, 20-200 times more than any other profession. I know from experience that Catholic bishops are doing all they can to keep the truth about the extent of these crimes from getting into mainstream media.

It's felony sex crimes against children, not religion, that is at issue here. Please stop defending your spiritual concerns and realize that this issue needs to be turned over to federal law enforcement.

(Comment posted today at Spero Forum opinion piece by Bill Donohue, calling last weekend's CNN program a "hatchet job." )

The Wagon Circling Definitely Includes Bishop Accountability

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Perpetrator Priest Thomas Barry Horne of Bartlett, Illinois, was removed from the Bishop Accountability database around the same time as the circling of wagons referred to in previous post. My sister and I are both public with our charges against this priest, and have an attorney helping us communicate with the Chicago Archdiocese. No one has ever contacted City of Angels saying I have to stop accusing Father Horne-y in my blog.

But Bishop Accountability claims fear of a lawsuit is why they removed his name from their "Database of Accused Priests."

They removed Horne the same period of time Abuse Tracker stopped running City of Angels posts because we pointed out a very large elephant in the living room.

Watch your advocates.

As soon as Horne's name was removed from the database, I got a snarling email from the guy who runs Minnesota SNAP making sure I knew this extremely invalidating thing had happened.

Again. Watch your advocates.

Clergy Abuse Advocates mysteriously ignore work of City of Angels

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Last February, we posted that it's a conflict of interest for the head of the pedophile priest victims' advocacy group to have a brother who is a pedophile priest, and that it raises questions that this perpetrator secretly went into treatment at about the same time as this director stepped in as director.

Since then City of Angels has had the wagons circle against us. The reaction of groups that purport to be advocating for pedophile priest crime victims has been very telling, and it makes it real obvious that I said something this group of groups does not want anyone to say.

So of course I will not stop saying it. I also will not stop producing genuine journalism that breaks News, as in new information, about the pedophile epidemic in the Catholic Church.

The stories linked below ran at City of Angels in September and were ignored by Abuse Tracker, so were also not picked up on Bishop Accountability, a situation that has existed since the day I posted the Super Bowl 2010 post, my "kamikaze post" I called it, except I have too many readers who encouraged me to keep producing City of Angels, in spite of the "victims' advocacy groups" circling the wagons and shutting me out.

As far as I'm concerned, their reaction is very revealing, and definitely a part of the whole story.

These are posts ignored by victims advocates for pedophile priest victims in the past month: Remember, these are all original stories, with new information not published anywhere else:

Pedophile priest 1950s treatment plan revealed in Servants of the Paraclete brochure (Scanned Here)

and

Fr. Pete the Perp is Still a Priest, in spite of assurances Newark Archdiocese gave to his victims

and

Priests did nothing to stop abuse as they were abusers themselves, reads settled lawsuit of Jaime Romo, Ed.D. PLUS scanned workbook pages

and

Religious Douchebags, 9/11 Lunacy, Papal Hypocrisy, and Judgment Day: Links to Blogs of Note at City of Angels Today
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And this one re Roger Mahony settling with another victim on Sept. 15, these crimes from the 1990s, post not picked up at Abuse Tracker???

Settlement in 1990s Clergy Case re L.A. Archdiocese, Br. Modesto Leon, Camp Unity, Claretian Missionaries (Read Complaint Here)
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All the readers who relied on Abuse Tracker to find these posts think I'm not producing anymore. I have to go out and find readers one at a time, on my own. That's victims' advocacy in the pedophile priest crime victim world.

Doesn't anyone else find it mysterious that groups advocating for transparency in the Church continue to conduct their work behind closed doors and with whispering campaigns?

Is there any genuine reason for Abuse Tracker and SNAP to ignore work we do here at City of Angels? The only explanation I can think of is that some entity above them is running the show, the "movement," and dictating how information about pedophile priest crimes in the Catholic Church will get released.

Well, whoever is running that show, which always takes center stage when a media event occurs, such as last week's Papal visit to the UK, they are not running City of Angels Blog.
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POST NOTE: The pedophile priest who sexualized my sister and me, Father Thomas Barry Horne, also was removed from the Bishop Accountability database around February 2010, what a coincidence.

POST NOTE 2: The problem with Abuse Tracker got resolved for about a week. They ran 1 or 2 posts this summer, then Terry McKiernan mysteriously stopped posting CofA posts and stopped returning my emails.

City of Angels is still increasing in readership daily, but it's through no help from the nonprofits that put themselves in the news continuously as advocates for victims.

Papal crimes ignored, while his apology to clergy abuse victims still gets press

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Still posting comments on my breaks at work:

The Pope apology to victims is empty words as he ran the office that covered up pedophile priest crimes before he became Pope. As a journalist and one of the hundred thousand victims in the USA, I've written city of angels blog: http://cityofangels8.blogspot.com/ for four years, and I know firsthand that the Catholic Church does all it can to prevent the extent of these crimes from reaching mainstream media.

The bishops are controlling the release of information in numerous ways.

With Courts ordering release of documents by archdioceses, we now know there were 10,969 pedophile priests identified so far in the USA and still counting, 10 percent of Catholic priests were predators on children, 20-200 times higher than the general population. Those numbers are per bishop accountability. You will read the truth about the pedophile epidemic in the Catholic Church in blogs, not in corpoate media.

Posted at Pinay Scandal blog, awaiting moderation...

Another one then gotta get back to my job:

When will federal law enforcement step in?
The Church has lied continuously that it has changed its policy while it continues to cover up these crimes. I'm one of a hundred thousand victims of pedophile priests in the US today and also a journalist so have been writing about this crime spree at http://cityofangels8.blogspot.com for four years.
I know firsthand the Catholic Church is doing all it can to keep the extent of these crimes from reaching mainstream media. These new lawsuits with new charges prove the bishops have changed nothing at the hierarchy level, where these crimes were aided and abetted. We need a federal investigation and prosecution.

Posted at New Times Miami re Walter Coleman retired priest new charges from Connecticut, awaiting moderation...
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Feingold opponent spoke for Catholic Church against child sex crime victims in Wisconsin this year

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"It is hard to find people who will support the right of the Roman Catholic Church to move priests around in order to protect them and it from lawsuits over child sexual abuse. Unfortunately for Ron Johnson [running against Sen. Russ Feingold], he did just that earlier this year in front of the Wisconsin Legislature."

Johnson spoke for the Green Bay Diocese Finance Council in opposition of the Child Victims bill.

"Johnson’s testimony is unusual, but it could also be very damaging since within it he asks things like 'I think it's a valid question to ask if the employer of the perpetrator should also be severely damaged, possibly destroyed, in a legitimate desire for justice?'

"Actually, that only happens if the employer of the perpetrator is stupid enough to transfer the perpetrator away from the scene of the crime. That is collusion after the fact and in a normal setting of two humans engaging in this kind of behavior, the other person would be arrested. In this case, yes, the Church is getting hit because they transferred the priest instead of calling the cops.

(Continue reading at Lez Get Real 09/28/10 -by Bridgette P. LaVictoire.)

Where I posted this comment:

Love to see places like this where the Corporate Catholic Church's billion dollar lobbying machine backfires against itself. As a victim of Catholic priest sex crimes and a journalist, I've blogged about the pedophile epidemic in the Catholic Church for four years at City of Angels Blog http://cityofangels8.blogspot.com and so I know from experience, the Church goes all out to prevent the truth about the extent of these crimes from reaching mainstream media. But we plod on, keep writing the truth, and the truth will win out, no matter how much they use their Goliath strengh to try and stop us.

Recovered Memory Project expanding

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The project now has a blog for commentary on current events, legal cases, scientific research, and other developments related to the so-called “memory wars.” The first substantive entry is about the recent appellate decision upholding the conviction of Jesse Friedman. A number of research-based blog entries are in preparation. Also featured: blog posts on:

Harrison Pope’s phony repressed memory challenge
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Coming soon, The Rest of the Story about Paul Shanley

The Recovered Memory site also includes an RSS feed, so you can be sure you won’t miss any of the coming entries.

-ke

Pope Issued Summons to Appear April 4, 2011, in UK tribunal, as primary witness

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Includes Docket Number: "Tribunal into Crimes of Church and State Established June 15, 2010"

A Convening of a Forum of Justice under International and Common Law Cause No. ITCCS – 001 – 2011 UK, Docket 001
A PUBLIC SUMMONS
To: Joseph Ratzinger, aka “The Pope” and Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church
BE ADVISED
that you have been listed as a primary witness in an adjudication of a matter before this Court, which is a Tribunal of International and Indigenous Judges. Your presence is hereby requested on Monday, April 4, 2011 at 10:00 am, at a location to be disclosed, in the City of London, England. Said Tribunal is convened pursuant to international Law, indigenous tribal Law, the Rule of Natural Law and the Law of Nations. Your presence is required to participate in the examination of issues and questions regarding the following matters and charges: 1. Your responsibility and liability as head of the Roman Catholic Church for the crimes of genocide, murder, warfare, forced removal from traditional lands, slave labour, institutionalized racism, theft of resources, child trafficking and pedophilia, and other crimes against indigenous peoples and children, arising from the Indian Residential School system in Canada established and maintained by Roman Catholic Church and the government of Canada. 2. Your failure to reply or respond to a public Letter of Demand issued to you from the Friends and Relatives of the Disappeared dated February 4, 2008, asking that you identify the burial sites and cause of death of children who died in Indian Residential Schools in Canada established and run by your church. 3. Your promulgation and enforcement of a policy of concealing and denying violence and rape against children within your Church, and your practice of actively concealing, protecting and aiding and abetting child rapists and other criminals within your Church, and of thereby perpetrating an international obstruction of justice. You may desire to consult with your attorney in regards to this matter, or have an advocate attend the hearings with you.

You may submit written documents and materials, but be advised that they do not carry the same weight, or can substitute for or replace, your personal testimony.

BE ADVISED
that any failure by you to respond to this PUBLIC SUMMONS, or failure to attend this Tribunal, can be interpreted to mean that you do not dispute the charges made against you laid forth in this document and by witnesses and other material, and may result in a verdict against you made in absentia. Due to the Nation to Nation status of this issue, involving the original Nations of the North American continent as holders of Allodial Title, and its concern with matters concerning internationally recognized Crimes against Humanity, this Tribunal and its findings will be monitored by human rights specialists and representatives of governments, International agencies, indigenous Nations and the public media. This Tribunal will be open to the public and the media. Its officers will submit its findings in the form of a final comprehensive report to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the International Criminal Court, and other bodies. Duly Signed and Delivered this 18th Day of September, in the year 2010, in the City of London. (signed in the original) Royce White Calf, Elder Oglala Lakota Nation Acting Secretary, The International Tribunal into Crimes of Church and State American Section: c/o 1000 Walker St., Unit 223, Holly Hill, Florida USA 32117

ITCCS Communication 002 2011 UK, Docket 002

Read Belgium Report on Catholic priest abuse crimes in English, Thomas James Investigates

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"The statute of limitations applicable in Belgium relating to child sex abuse allegations means that none of the alleged crimes contained in the report can now be tried in a court of law.

"I have translated two long excerpts from these from the Adriaenssens report. I have included them here because I was shocked by them myself and because in reading these I felt that I gained a sense of the true horror of child sex abuse. It is in reading these accounts that I realised the importance of confronting the church with its past and its attempts to protect priests and hide their crimes.

"Another country, another investigation, another cover-up by the Catholic church. The Adriaenssens report, released the beginning of September has focused attention on child sex abuse in Belgian diocese from the 1960s to the 1990s. One hundred statements from people who had suffered child abuse at the hands of Catholic priests were published in the report and excerpts from these were subsequently republished in the major press outlets of the country. Intimate and detailed, these accounts give a heart-rendering insight into the reality and consequences of pedophilia and demand that the church be held accountability for its policy of silencing its victims and defending its priests, both in Belgium and further afield."

Read it in full at Thomas James Investigates Open Wounds of the Catholic Church on Word Press

It is organized pedophilia, not Catholic religion, that needs exposing

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I am perplexed as to how advocating for truth about pedophile priest sex crimes is an attack on religion or even the Catholic Church, as one of the victims who has covered this crime spree at City of Angels Blog for four years.

If you think your church is under attack, you're saying your religion has something to do with pedophilia.

Most of us are shocked that this much criminal activity against children was allowed to happen, and the real perpetrators, the bishops who kept these men in the priesthood, are still in office, in positions of esteem. What does that have to do with religion?

There are 10,969 pedophile priests identified so far by Bishop Accountability, 20-200 times more than in other professions. I know from experience the bishops are doing all they can to keep the truth about the extent of these crimes from getting into mainstream media.

It's felony sex crimes against children, not religion, that we seek to undo. (Reference Sylvia's Site about the Cornwall inquiry in Canada.)
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Pedophilia in Catholic Church is Crime Against Humanity that calls for international prosecution

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As Archdioceses are forced by Courts to turn over documents, new statistics show 10 percent of priests in the U.S. were pedophiles, 20-200 times higher than other professions. As a victim and journalist I write about these crimes at City of Angels Blog http://cityofangels8.blogspot.com/ and I know from experience that the Catholic Church is still doing all it can to cover up these felony sex crimes against children. The Bishops, Monsignors, and Cardinals are the guilty parties. YES the pedophile epidemic in the Catholic Church is a Crime Against Humanity that calls for international prosecution.

(Comment posted at Flash News World story about meeting last weekend in Italy where Salvatore Domolo declared the pedophile epidemic in the Catholic Church was a "crime against humanity.")

(Same comment also posted at Nuestropensar blog from Italy, reporting about the meeting last weekend.)

This blog gives you blow by blog details about the meeting (translated from Italian):

"Victims of pedophile priests, who for the first time come together on this day in Verona, in a press conference asked the community for international recognition of pedophile clergy as a "crime against humanity." They also want to recognize the existence of an "Pedophile organization dedicated to the crime" that was "represented by the Catholic Church." From Perbono Blog

Pedo-Priest Victim asks for help with Counseling, Scotland Catholic Church fails to respond

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“I had hoped that my many letters to the church would be answered, but we have been disappointed by their lack of response.” (Cameron Fyfe, attorney for victim in Scotland who was abused over a period of five years in the 1990s between the ages of eight and 13, and is now suing Archdiocese of St. Andrew and Edinburgh.)

The victim "was recently convicted of three break-ins at the chapel house where he says the rape happened – incidents he describes as a cry for help. He was sentenced to 100 hours community service at Livingston Sheriff Court and placed on probation for one year."

All he asked the Catholic Church to do was help with counseling.

In fact, plaintiffs asked the Church for counseling for months, and got no response. (Read More ) at "Pinocchio, My Name is Not Melampo" blog.

Commenting again

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Love low employment hours, more time for internet activism:
The Pope can make all the excuses he wants, there is no other result of all this but guilty of aiding and abetting child sex crimes. We have found 10,969 pedophile priests in the USA with living victims, and still counting, 20 percent of priests were pedophiles according to new statistics. Read City of Angels blog http://cityofangels8.blogspot.com/ for unedited unvetted coverage of these crimes, written by a journalist who is also one of the victims. (Posted at Fox News Blog today.)
***

AND

As Archdioceses are ordered by courts to release documents, new statistics are coming out. Now the number of pedophile priests who acted out in recent history is 10,969, as much as 20 times higher than in the general population. Believe me, the Catholic Church is doing all it can to keep the truth about these crimes from reaching the public, especially the parishioners. As one of the victims I've covered this crime spree at City of Angels Blog: http://cityofangels8.blogspot.com for four years, and for you to say that advocating for truth about these crimes is "a continuous attack to destroy the credibility of Religion in general" is saying your religion has something to do with pedophilia. Most of us are shocked that this much criminal activity against children was allowed to happen, and the real perpetrators, the bishops who kept these men in the priesthood, are still in office, in positions of esteem. What does that have to do with religion? It's felony sex crimes against children.

Posted at The Eponymous Flower Blog Monday evening.

Catholics deceived re pedophile priests, Church has cash advantage over plaintiffs, read emails to City of Angels

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"As the Pope speaks of healing and reconciliation, bishops do absolutely nothing to change their ways." - Mark Crawford, New Jersey

Running prayer requests in church bulletins for priests removed for pedophilia is "a calculated attempt by Bishops to keep uninformed Catholics deceived into thinking these are priests in good standing," reads one email. Another reader writes, "The Catholic Church has an advantage with its cash reserve over the plantiffs' attorneys." City of Angels Blog got these letters recently at cityofangelslady@yahoo.com :

(Re Paraclete Brochure Scanned Here from Jay Nelson in New Mexico)

In the first 9 years, they boast of helping "more than 500 priests- from 121 Archdioceses and Dioceses, 41 Orders and Congregations." This means that most of these church entities sent more than one priest for treatment and there is no indication if they are from the U.S. only or from where they come. (Servants of the Paraclete ran a rehab center for priests with "psycho sexual problems" in New Mexico.)

Most telling, however is the last page showing a priest returning to the world. Notice the Gospel caption: "Going therefore," at the top, and on bottom, "teach ye all nations."

If this is not a smoking gun of their intent to send their clients around the world, what is?

Ah, and the things these men of God have taught us...

Jay Nelson, Albuquerque
*****

(Ruth Moore in Boston emailed John Wojnowski re our post about his 12-Year Vatican Protest which is actually going on 13 years now, and sent this copy to CofA:)

John,
I am very touched by your crusade to bring the truth to all who are willing to listen. 12 years is such a long,long time to stand with your message. I am also very grateful for Kay Ebeling and her fortitude to continue to write about those who have been abused, the abusers and the prevailing injustice.

We here in Boston are coming up on 9 years of our stand in front of the Cathedral in Boston. I was so saddened that you stand alone - wish we could be there with you!!

You are a hero in my books and stand for the many, many survivors who can not speak out or who have passed on without speaking their truths.

With deepest respect and admiration,
Ruth Moore and the STTOP gang
Moore also sent the photo shown here of a recent Sunday in Boston in front of the cathedral, reproduced below with less pixels.
*****

(Re Father Pete the Perp is Still a Priest where Peter Cheplic of For Pete's Sake, was found listed in church bulletin as "Reverend":)

Dear Kay: This is NOT an isolated case but I believe an attempt by New Jersey bishops to “legitimize” those priests who have been removed as “priests in good standing,” It is yet another attempt to deceive the faithful in the guise of prayers.

If the bishop wants to direct his priests to pray for other priests in public so be it. But this should never include clergy who were removed from public ministry. They can ask prayer for their souls in private.

The Catholic Church has found a new way to revictimize the people betrayed by these same priests. As the Pope speaks of healing and reconciliation, bishops do absolutely nothing to change their ways, the pedophiles continue to be protected, and the victims are still abused.

Here is the e-mail I sent Joe Capozzi.

Joe, several weeks ago I was attending a mass in honor of my nephew, who died a few years ago at the age of 21, (on the anniversary of his death) along with my entire extended family. I no longer attend church but the entire family attended and I did so out of the desire to support my family, but I sat in the back and they knew why.

That said, at the end of the mass the priest asked parishioners to pray for three priests, one of the men he named was a cleric forced to retire due to past credible allegations of sexual abuse of 2 young girls. After the mass I approached the priest to inquire about the priest to which I was referring and asked why he asked all to pray for him.

I said, gee Father I know Father John Giordano, is he sick, where has he been? He replied the bishop has directed all priests of the diocese to pray for and request prayers for other priests by parishioners’ at each mass and today it was Father Giordano’s turn as well as the other 2 he mentioned. He said they are given the names to be prayed for.

I too was outraged. The bishops are quietly trying to send a message that these men are priests in good standing and they are not! This occurred in the diocese of Metuchen and I know Cheplic is a Newark priest, without a doubt. I see this as a calculated attempt by Bishops to allow the uninformed catholic to be deceived into thinking these are priests in good standing.

If they are not allowed to present themselves as priests, then why are they being directed by bishops to refer to these men as “Father”? Why are the faithful being asked to pray for them PUBLICLY? These bishops will stoop to any level to deceive the church going catholic. Just know that you are not alone and it appears this is just another “PR” stunt by the bishops to misrepresent the truth.

I now see they are even printing these prayer requests in the weekly bulletin.

It is a new scam being perpetrated on catholics again in the guise of requesting prayers.

Regards, Mark Crawford
Director, New Jersey SNAP

*****
(From Philadelphia Re: Mahony Justice re Pedophile Priests: Outspend Plaintiffs as Only the Catholic Church Can, Arthur Baselice writes:)

The Catholic "church" is similar to a large corporation, only the church is tax free and the church has a river of money to spend.

The morons that continue to support the church in the hopes of everlasting life are the problem, stop donating.

The Catholic "church" has an advantage with its cash reserve over the plantiffs' attorneys who take cases on a contingency fee.

The Catholic "church" speaks with forked tongue. They promise transparency and accountability and then use every legal technicality to subvert the truth !!!

When will the faithful learn that they are supporting a "criminal organization"?

How come the Dalai Lama doesn't have "SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY" or THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY?

The U.S. is enabling the pedophile priest perps by this privilege it must be revoked !!!!

(Baselice works in law enforcement in Pennsylvania.)
*****

FEATURED QUOTE: "The only difference between the Mafia and the Catholic Church is the Mafia had people policing them. And nobody’s policing the Catholic Church" - per Rita Prince, Las Vegas SNAP, September 2010

***
Posted by Kay Ebeling, Producer, City of Angels Blog, not just in Los Angeles
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Send High Fives to us in $5 increments through PayPal donate buttons on the left
**********

POST NOTE:
These comments were posted by me around the internet last weekend:

BeliefNet asked the CNN Producer of What the Pope Knew:

JWK: Were the victims eager to talk with you?
TUCHMAN: Not eager.

I posted this comment just now:

There are aboout a hundred thousand victims of Pedophile priests alive in the U.S. today, and a lot of us want to talk. Why didn't CNN look for us? Read City of Angels Blog http://cityofangels8.blogspot.com/ for coverage of these crimes by a journalist who is also a victim- and who wants to see more of this story in mainstream about how far ranging these crimes were. Every archdiocese in the USA had pedophiles for decades. (Posted at Beliefnet the interview part 2 re last weekend's CNN program.)

ALSO POSTED at "What the Pope Knew" at Popes and Papacy blog, another Ebeling comment:

There are at least a hundred thousand victims of pedophile priests living as damaged adults in the USA today, yet CNN says they could not find victims to interview? New statistics are rising as documents are ordered released by Courts in the USA and Europe. Bishop Accountablity now says ten percent - 10% - of priests were pedophiles on average in American dioceses. The number of pedophile priests found so far in the USA is 10,969 and counting also per BA. I cover these crimes and find one reader at a time, get no support from the church or "advocacy groups" posting at http://cityofangels8.blogspot.com/ as a victim of these crimes who is also a journalist. I reported on the new statistics, a case from 1999 settled in L.A., a brochure from a pedophile priest treatment center in the 1950s, and NONE of this information makes it to mainstream media.

Another comment:

Actually, mainstream media has barely touched the subject of pedophile priests in the Catholic Church. New statistics show 10 percent of Catholic priests were pedophiles 20 times higher than regular population. There are 10,969 priests ID'd as pedophiles in the USA so far and still counting, both stastistics per Bishop Accountability. As a victim of this crime I blog about it at http://cityofangels8.blogspot.com/ City of Angels Blog. I know from experience, the church is lying to parishioners and doing all it can to keep these crimes still a secret.

Even last night's report on CNN was just a rehashing of what has already been reported. My blog publishes new facts on the crimes every week, and victims groups as well as the church and media leave out details that show the extent of these crimes, still today. ( Posted at Protect the Pope dot com. ) (awaiting moderation as of last 7:20 PM)

AND

CNN still does not say anything in What the Pope Knew that has not already been reported, just repeats it for a new audience. I post news that is reported nowhere else on the pedophile epidemic, 3-4 times a week, at http://cityofangels8.blogspot.com/ by a victim of this crime who is also a journalist, me. I KNOW the Church still does all it can to keep these crimes secret, to this day. I post documents and facts, cover court hearings, and the work is weirdly ignored by mainstream media AND advocacy groups as well as the church. Bloggers are the ones who are really pushing this news out. CNN could do so much more. (Posted at Atheist Media Blog Saturday night)

*****
TODAY'S CARTOON:
Cartoon Found on Arrest the Pope on his Next Visit to the US (On Facebook)
***
Blogged by Kay Ebeling, City of Angels Blog, Producer

Posted re No Victims Wanted to Talk to CNN...?

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BeliefNet asked the CNN Producer of What the Pope Knew:

JWK: Were the victims eager to talk with you?
TUCHMAN: Not eager.

Not eager??? Here is more:

T: As you saw in the documentary, there were some 200 deaf boys who were molested as children. One of the deaf men just decided to file a suit. It was painful for him. He was anonymous when he filed the suit. He was ashamed. Here's a grown man who had never been able to hear. He could barely speak. His life had been hell. And, all of a sudden, he feels like he is doing something to his life that is extremely valuable. He's filing suit because he's found out about these documents too and he realized nothing was done when it could have been done.

I posted this comment just now:

There are aboout a hundred thousand victims of Pedophile priests and a lot of us want to talk. Why didn't CNN look for us? Read City of Angels Blog http://cityofangels8.blogspot.com/ for coverage of these crimes by a journalist who is also a victim- and who wants to see more of this story in mainstream about how far ranging these crimes were. Every archdiocese in the USA had pedophiles for decades.

Read the interview part 2 at beliefnet

ALSO POSTED at What the Pope Knew at Popes and Papacy blog, another Ebeling comment:

There are at least a hundred thousand victims of pedophile priests living as damaged adults in the USA today, yet CNN says they could not find victims to interview? New statistics are rising as documents are ordered released by Courts in the USA and Europe. Bishop Accountablity now says ten percent - 10% - of priests were pedophiles on average in American dioceses. The number of pedophile priests found so far in the USA is 10,969 and counting also per BA. I cover these crimes and find one reader at a time, get no support from the church or "advocacy groups" posting at http://cityofangels8.blogspot.com as a victim of these crimes who is also a journalist. I reported on the new statistics, a case from 1999 settled in L.A., a brochure from a pedophile priest treatment center in the 1950s, and NONE of this information makes it to mainstream media.

Religious Douchebags, 9/11 Lunacy, Papal Hypocrisy, and Judgment Day: Links to Blogs of Note at City of Angels Today

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Around the world, bloggers and advocates push the debate to new ground so that mainstream news will dig deeper in covering the pedophile epidemic in the Catholic Church such as CNN tonight in "What the Pope Knew."

One recent blog asks, "Is the Pope sorry for the abuse or just sorry they got caught?" and another states, "Pope Benedict has the obligation to shepherd credible mandates that all priest-abusers and bishops who abetted their crimes face disclosure and punishment." A quote that got little repetition from the UK last week: "The pope’s meetings with survivors are built on the foundation of keeping survivors off guard. These staged events are for the benefit of the Pope and not survivors," from NSAC. And favorite blog found this month not just for the name but for in-depth coverage of clergy sex crimes: Religious Douchebags by "Joe Smith."

You will find links to blogs such as Shakesville, Vatican Lobby, Philadelphia Freedom Blog, Religious Douchebags and others who have covered pedophile priest sex crimes in recent weeks, in today's post at City of Angels Blog.

From Vatican Lobby: "Benedict has the obligation to shepherd not just guidelines but credible mandates that all priest-abusers and bishops who abetted their crimes face disclosure and punishment." Read More at NYT Holds Pope Responsible posted at Vatican Lobby last July

(There's been a lot of pre-show publicity for tonight's CNN program, "What the Pope Knew" best coverage has been at beliefnet. Part one of their series on the CNN show quoted here:)

"Back then the local bishops could have made decisions on their own -- and should have decisions on their own to get these priests away from kids. And it was known that they could do that -- but if they knew that why were they sending desperate letters to Cardinal Ratzinger asking for it and doing it repeatedly? Even the bishops didn't know that! So, that's what's disturbing. "The argument is things were different back then. But, you know what? Children are children and they were being molested and nothing was being done about their molesters. The police weren't told, the public wasn't being told and the bishops in the United States were getting no adequate response from Cardinal Ratzinger." ( Read entire story at BeliefNet )

Blogger Mary Shaw in Philadelphia writes about the upcoming cable news report:

"According to CNN, the pontiff expressed his "deep sorrow" for the scandal. But is he really sorry for the abuse, or is he just sorry they got caught? Talk is cheap, you see. So let's once again take a look at his actions, which I've documented before, because this nonsense is nothing new. This pope has a long history of covering up the problem. Apparently, protecting the Church's reputation is more important than protecting its children...(Continue Reading: More Papal Hypocrisy on Clergy Sex Abuse at Philadelphia Freedom Blog

Religious Douchebags Blog keeps an ever-watchful eye on clergy sex abuse issues around the world, Catholic and other, Found at Religious Douchebags, posting recently: "Pope Benedict XVI spent the past few days in the UK. While there, he met with five former victims of sex abuse by priests.

Religious Douchebags has run these recent posts: Rev. Alejandro Flores Pleads Guilty - Pastor Daniel Vasquez Arrested For Molesting 30 Bo... - Pastor Timothy Parker Charged For Molestation - Pastor Malcolm Hoare On Trial For Molestation - Pastor Robert Riddle Pleads No Contest - Pastor Jennifer Michelle Brennan Convicted - Fugitive Priest May Be Extradited - Christine O'Donnell On Evolution with a name like "Religious Douchebags" you know it will tell the truth about pedophile priest crimes.

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In a post at Shakesville about Eddie Long of Atlanta:

"Over and over again, we've heard about priests and protestant ministers who coerce victims into "sexual relationships" by positing that it is God's will and using their holy book to facilitate and justify rape. This is one of many reasons I am desperately opposed to substituting faith-based initiatives for a federally mandated and funded social safety net. Yeah, sixty-seven layers of bureaucracy is a pain in the ass, but it also provides a level of oversight and accountability that going to your local neighborhood rectory doesn't. And yeah, institutional offices and overworked employees can be cold and clinical, but they also don't ply vulnerable people with coercive fairy tales..." Continue Reading Just Like Jesus Would Do at Shakesville Blog.

Cartoon of the Week:

MORE BLOGS OF NOTE:

"So to those predator priests who think they can run away with the crime. Better think twice. You don’t live in a dark-aged society where you can still hide behind stone walls. You are now living in an technologically advanced society. Your days are numbered! (00100101001) But this is the consequence you brought to yourselves. For destroying public trust, for abusing your powers, you have created yourselves a malevolent God (the Terminator). Sure, you can always continue to preach about doomsday and the coming of Christ… Well, judgment day is coming alright, and it’s coming to haunt hypocrites. (From Blog: Anthony Y's Blog: Predator Priests, watch out! Judgment Day is Coming August 15, 2010.)

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Not a Blog but re Post 9/11 Insanity in USA:

There was also a Catholic Church destroyed in Twin Towers 9/11 and never rebuilt
A Greek Orthodox Church was "at foot of Twin Towers"

While Americans let "The News" convince us a Muslim Center two blocks from the 9/11 attack site is controversy, we rarely hear about the Greek Orthodox Church that was actually destroyed in the World Trade Center attack:
Amid Furor on Islamic Center, Pleas for Orthodox Church Nearby In New York Times Times, by Paul Vitello ‎Aug 24, 2010‎
ALSO: REPORTED HERE:
The furor over plans to build an Islamic center two blocks from ground zero had already been joined by several politicians. ...
Greek orthodox archdiocese demands church be rebuilt near 9/11 site
Sify - ‎Aug 24, 2010‎
While most Americans are protesting against the building of a Muslim community center and mosque near Ground Zero, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese is using...
Supporters: Church ignored in NYC mosque furor
The Associated Press - Deepti Hajela - ‎Aug 24, 2010‎
NEW YORK — Supporters of a Greek Orthodox church destroyed on Sept. 11 say officials willing to speak out about a planned community center and mosque near ...

QUOTE OF NOTE: Mike Coode in the UK last week speaking for NSAC (National Survivor Advocacy Coalition):

"The pope’s meetings with survivors are built on the foundation of keeping survivors off guard. In these staged events a survivor is in the presence of the pope, a major world figure, for a very few minutes in a controlled atmosphere designed to intimidate not elucidate.

"These staged events are for the benefit of the Pope not the survivors. (NSAC’s envoy, Michael Coode, is in the UK this week to search for Catholics willing to commit to the cause of justice." Per the NSAC press release Sept. 15, 2010.

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Inadvertently left out of our recent post about Re Jaime Romo's Workbook with quotes from his lawsuit:

Dr. Romo told City of Angels: "Healing the Sexually Abused Heart brings useful knowledge and experience to the aid of those suffering in the aftermath of abuse. This workbook treats the whole person by bringing the best of theory and practice to bear. Every chapter includes exercises to help readers recognize how their hearts and minds work together" Read more at Jaime's website:

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WHAT IS KEN UP TO NOW?

Ken the Welder in San Diego Reports re picture above, “Roman Catholic University of San Diego does not like Molested Catholics on Campus, more to come.” He elaborated later: "A genuine child protection policy demands no less than a minimum joining age of 16 years.”
When City of Angels questioned Ken for more details about the picture he said, "A genuine child protection policy demands no less than a minimum joining age of 16 years. Educating for rape. A traditional Catholic education excuses the rape of children by clergy and the religious."

JUST FOR A LAUGH (from last summer):

Is the Pope Gay?

Gibson's dad calls Pope gay?
Toronto Sun
By WENN.COM Mel Gibson's father has hit headlines after reportedly blasting the Catholic Church and declaring Pope Benedict XVI a "homosexual" on a US radio ...
Slandering the Catholic Church: Where Left and Right Meet
About - News & Issues (blog) - I suppose it was inevitable: Every time Mel Gibson shoots his mouth off, every newspaper, radio, and television reporter starts jockeying for position, ...

Mel Gibson's Father on the Pope Being Gay: Original Story from January 2010 ShowBiz411.com - Roger Friedman - I was amused to see a story make the rounds yesterday about Mel Gibson's crazy father, Hutton Gibson. Someone “discovered” his audio tape from last January ...
Mel Gibson's Father Says the Pope 'Gay' and the Vatican's Full of 'Queers' SheWired - by SheWired Editors Article Date: 08/09/2010 In a classic case of the apple doesn't fall from the tree Mel Gibson's father told listeners of a ...
Mel Gibson's Dad Hutton Gibson Calls Pope Benedict A "Homosexual, Anti-Pope" - Post Chronicle - Jack Ryan- Mel Gibson's Dad has done an interview taking shots at the Catholic Church and pope. Hutton Gibson, 91, went on the political Cesspool Radio ...

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Next post will include Guest Commentaries from City of Angels readers, sent by email: cityofangelslady@yahoo.com to Kay Ebeling, Producer, City of Angels Blog.

MORE STUFF:
Sign the Petition Stop Missions of Charity and also on Facebook, where dedicated activist Hemley Gonzalez is determined to get out the truth about Mother Theresa and abuse/ neglect of patients in her hospitals.

-ke
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Stifled from all sides but one, the truth

Believe me, the Catholic Church is doing everything it can to stifle these stories.

Fr. Pete the Perp is Still a Priest, in spite of assurances Newark Archdiocese gave to his victims

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Monsignor Peter Cheplic was “retired from active ministry” after four men reported he’d acted out with them as a pedophile when they were children. The Newark Archdiocese assured Cheplic’s victims that Cheplic would “no longer present himself publicly as a priest,” in a letter that went out with their settlements (scanned left, click to enlarge and read).

Cheplic’s most vocal victim, Joe Capozzi, went on to write and perform in For Pete’s Sake, a one-act play about the strange relationship he had as a young boy with the priest. The play gets enthusiastic response from audiences around New York, and Cheplic’s victims were moving forward.

Then Capozzi was surprised to find, under “Prayer for Priests & Vocations” last week, the name “Rev. Msgr. Peter A. Cheplic” right up there at the top in the right hand corner of the bulletin of St. Raphael’s Parish in Livingston, New Jersey.



"A request for prayer for a priest that was credibly accused of sexual abuse by four men?” asks Capozzi. (The Church Bulletin does not mention Cheplic's crimes....) The actor/ playwright fired off a letter to the Archdiocese of Newark, and cc’d a lot of people:

“I was informed that in the bulletin of September 5, 2010, there is a request for prayers for priests of the Archdiocese of Newark," writes Capozzi. “This particular bulletin requested prayers for “Rev. Msgr. Peter A. Cheplic.

“I was also informed by the Archdiocese of Newark's attorney (Charles Carella) through my attorney that the church holds no responsibility for Cheplic's name appearing in the bulletin. Only if Cheplic himself requested to have his name put in the bulletin asking for prayers for priests could he be held liable.

"I was informed by the Archdiocese of Newark that he can no longer function as a priest and could not be referred to by these titles since he was credibly accused and a settlement was made on the behalf of me and two other men he sexually abused."

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At least start calling him Mr. not Reverend Cheplic.
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Joey's email to Newark Archdiocese, continued:

"I request that a printed public retraction be made through the Archdiocese of Newark and St. Raphael's Parish stating that Peter Cheplic should not be addressed in this manner as confirmed by the Archdiocese of Newark in the letter dated March 20, 2006.

“I also would appreciate a written explanation as to why Peter Cheplic was referred to in this manner,” continues Capozzi’s email.

“It is truly disturbing that the Archdiocese of Newark has truly learned NOTHING from their mistakes. I feel that I have been lied to and the terms of our settlement agreement have been broken. If this is a mistake then say that and print a public retraction in your bulletins."

Gee, Joey, you think they will?

Of course the attorney for the Catholic Church also qualified his words when he wrote the letter for the Archdiocese of Newark to the crime victims about Cheplic’s status:

“I provide this information as a courtesy and not in any way as part (or a condition) of the settlement of the above-referenced claims.” (CofA emphasis)

The Church through their attorneys did tell Capozzi:

“As part of the agreement, Mgr. Cheplic will not exercise his priestly ministry in a public way, nor will he represent the Church in any public way. He will not wear clerical dress in the Archdiocese or in any other diocese. He also will not present himself publicly as a priest.”

But there’s the old words out the side of the mouth you can expect from a corporate attorney double speaking for his client. The information in the letter to Capozzi and two plaintiffs was a “courtesy” not any kind of commitment or part of their legal settlement.

Why anyone expects Catholic Church hierarchy to do in private what they say in public after the past two decades of felony sex crimes against children uncovered, I don't understand.

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'I feel that I have been lied to and the terms of our settlement agreement have been broken. If this is a mistake then say that and print a public retraction in your bulletins.'
******************

Joey emailed:

“Again the Archdiocese holds no responsibility for Cheplic’s actions or even its church's. It is only the responsibility of the credibly accused priest.”

I'm wondering why priests removed from ministry because they sexually perpetrated on children are still held in high regard in these parishes? Of course the parishioners rarely get the whole story.

JOE CAPOZZI: They are using the many loopholes that the church and their lawyers put into these settlement agreements. This is truly disturbing. So who is responsible for putting the names in a church bulletin? Who is responsible for seeing that a priest who was credibly accused by four men of sexual abuse is no longer allowed to present himself as a priest?” Capozzi asks.

"It is amazing there is no one to take responsibility," he continues. "That's why it’s necessary to keep speaking up. That list of priests in the church bulletin shows that Cheplic is clearly still recognized by the Archdiocese of Newark as a Monsignor in the Catholic Church.

"So what was my settlement for?

"What does the letter stating that Cheplic cannot present himself as clergy mean? Cheplic lost his qualification to use such titles, so I thought. Who is responsible for what's printed in a church bulletin? If Cheplic is sick, then retract what was printed and ask for prayers for Mr. Peter Cheplic."

*******************
'I request that a printed public retraction be made through the Archdiocese of Newark and St. Raphael's Parish.'
*********************

Capozzi continued:

"It is a very helpless feeling but I was actually expecting a moment like this, because I knew it would come. I knew the Catholic Church did not take this seriously. I knew it."

Reference:

Previously at City of Angels on For Pete's Sake:

Friday, October 09, 2009 New one act play shows passion of going public about crimes of pedophile priest (includes excerpts from the script).

AND

Monday, May 3, 2010 Pedo-priest victim One-Act play reading Wednesday night (re one of many readings around New York.)

Posted by Kay Ebeling, City of Angels Blog producer, September 23, 2010.
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Priests did nothing to stop abuse as they were abusers themselves, reads settled lawsuit of Jaime Romo, Ed.D. PLUS scanned workbook pages

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"The only thing unacceptable about molesting children was being caught by someone who might complain," reads a document filed in the lawsuit of Jaime Romo and 15 other plaintiffs, which settled in 2007 against the Archdiocese of Los Angeles et al. Among defendants in Case #BC307934 are St. John's Seminary and Our Lady Queen of Angels Junior Seminary. Now a San Diego educator, Dr. Romo has produced a therapeutic workbook for clergy sex abuse victims, and we have scanned in 9 of his 168-page Healing the Sexually Abused Heart below in this post at City of Angels Blog. Romo was in seminary from 1981 to 1984. His perpetrator, Leland Boyer, "was pastor of my parish when I was 12, at Divine Savior and then later at St. Bede’s."

On a recent document diving trip to L.A. Superior Court, City of Angels copy typed documents from BC307934. "It was a bundle of cases that was filed together under a big umbrella," Romo explained. "At the time the plaintiff attorneys were using strategies to expose the crimes."

Here are direct quotes from Complaint filed by plaintiff attorneys Kiesel, Boucher & Larson LLP in Los Angeles in 2003. When Romo's case settled in the global settlement in 2006-7, close to a thousand plaintiffs in Southern California received a form of justice from the Catholic Church in that one state (Case #JCCP4286 compiles all 510 cases from Los Angeles). There are likely more than a hundred thousand victims of pedophile priests still alive in the United States today.

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DIRECT QUOTES:
Case #BC307934
Los Angeles Superior Court
Filed Dec. 2003

Child molester priests congregated in three arms of Archdiocesan religious education: Administrators, faculty at the junior seminary, and members of the Vocations Commission acted as recruiters for Junior and Major Seminaries. In these capacities child molester priests had increased opportunities to seek out additional victims who they then steered into the seminary.

Once they were preyed upon and, for too many, inculcated into a perverse lifestyle, the only thing unacceptable about molesting children was being caught by someone that might complain.

There can be little doubt that this systematic molestation of children at the seminaries, grade schools and parishes, was known within the community of priests. Fellow priests did nothing to prevent the continuation of abuse because they themselves were molesting, or they feared reprisal from the high ranking priests who were child molesters.

All of these [Catholic priests] were perpetrators associated with Our Lady Queen of Angels Junior Seminary:

Leland Boyer
Joseph Sharpe
G. Patrick Ziemann
Gerald Fessard
Edward Dober
Richard Martini
John Farris
John Dougherty
Stephen Hernandez
Fidencio Silva
Patrick Roemer

(Links to documents on these priests are in the Bishop Accountability Database under their last names.)

For much if not all of this time the Defendant Doe Archdiocese and the Vatican have been aware of priests' sexual improprieties with young boys.

Well placed priests including Bishops Juan Arzube and G. Patrick Ziemann used their prominence in the archdiocese administration to cover up for other priests.

************
(These are direct quotes from Case #BC307934, L.A. Superior Court.)
************

In his capacity as Auxiliary Bishop, Arzube exercised extraordinary influence in promoting other pedophiles within the priesthood and in aiding cover-ups and transfers of molesting priests. One such molester that Arzube had a direct hand in promotion of was Joseph Pina, who for many years served at St. Alphonsus parish in Los Angeles

These [listed] priests and likely many others occupied positions such as Auxiliary Bishops, Vicar for Clergy, Vicars General, deans and teachers at local seminaries and recruiters for seminaries.

The elevation of child molesters to these positions helps explain why so many child molesting priests were protected by the Defendant Doe Archdiocese, how so many child molesters became priests, and how so many seminarians and priests became child molesters.

The sexual abuse of plaintiffs by the perpetrators arose from, was incidental to, and was in the course and scope of the Perpetrators employed with defendant archdiocese. Defendant Doe Schools, parishes and orders and does 16 to 1000.

Each of these Defendants ratified or approved of that sexual contact.

************
(These are direct quotes from Case #BC307934, L.A. Superior Court.)
************

At all times Defendants knew that priests in their employ had a history of committing sexual assaults against children and that any child at, among other locations, Defendant Does 2-16 schools and parishes, and hospitals, were at risk to be sexually assaulted by the Perpetrators.

The Los Angeles Archdiocese knew or should have known children were at risk to be sexually assaulted.

Priests involved in education such as Leland Boyer and Gerald Fessard utilized their positions of authority to gain access to victims and then to funnel the children they molested into seminaries and the priesthood.

*****
END OF DIRECT QUOTES
From Case #BC307934
*****
From L.A. Times 2006:

"One of the 11 cases involves the late Msgr. Leland Boyer, whose publicly released file summary revealed that three allegations of child molestation had been lodged against him. One of his alleged victims, Jaime Romo, said archdiocesan officials had assured him in 2002 that he was Boyer's only accuser. Romo, in an interview, said he was enraged when he saw that Boyer's file summary included two other allegations of sexual misconduct, in 1981 and 1995. [See the File Summary for Boyer.] " See LA Times 4.20.06 -Jean Guccione and William Lobdell, Los Angeles Times; April 20, 2006

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Romo puts his combined trauma and skills to work, for example, the workbook he published this year, pages scanned with permission here:

Read more at the website of Jaime Romo
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"There are a couple weird letters between Boyer and and Roger Mahony in Boyer's file [found in Discovery]," Romo told City of Angels. "One of them, from Mahony to Boyer, sounds like they're both kind of like flirty saying, 'Sorry I haven’t written to you.' You can imagine Mahony dictating it to someone. The letter is on formal archdiocese letterhead and yet Mahony was so personal with Boyer, he was like, 'So sorry when I heard about Trudy.'"

Romo holds an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of San Diego.

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Posted by Kay Ebeling, City of Angels Blog producer

Another Eerie Thing

For a glimmer of how rape by a pedophile priest affected this person, read Another Eerie Thing found as I pack, from Austin c. 1975 at City of Angels 2.

City of Angels is going on the road.

12-Year Vatican Protest at Embassy in DC: My Story by John Wojnowski

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Guest Author at City of Angels Today:

In 1958, in Italy, at the age of 15, I was sexually assaulted by a Catholic priest. The trauma was so extreme that the memory of the event was repressed for 39 years. Irreparably damaged, I lived a stunted, sad, insecure life to the age of 54 when, in 1997, a Catholic Church sexual abuse scandal in Texas, was the spark that jump-started the memory.

On the 4th of August, 1997, I contacted the Catholic Church and was offered counseling. Analyzing the facts it became evident that this molestation was the crucial episode that altered negatively the course of my life and caused much suffering to me and to my family.

On August 26th, 1997 I wrote my first letter to the Catholic Church ending with: "I welcome any interrogation by Church officials and experts because I am confident that my claim will only be strengthened."

A Bishop replied asking for more details.

I wrote my second letter with all the information I remembered.

A month went by... no answer.

I wrote my third letter.

More months went by... no answer.

I was being ignored because evidently I had no legal recourse and the hierarchy "KNEW" that SHAME would keep me from going beyond writing letters.

But I could not give up.

The misery of a life of insecurity, my family's suffering, the wasted potential of a stolen life cried for reparation.

I could not give up.

In 1998, I was not ready to go public about molestation or sexual abuse and at that point it was not really necessary: I made a large sign with a four feet tall question-mark and a small caption: "Bishop Lori, do you recognize this question-mark?" and stood in front of the Vatican embassy.

Quite promptly the bishop finally answered that unfortunately the “priest allegedly involved” died ten years earlier, so I had no case but the good bishop would pray for me and the Church would pay for the therapy.

Not quite enough for a cripple's wasted life and a lifetime of sorrow.

The only recourse to obtain Justice was at the "Court of Public Opinion".

In April 1998, a lone, shy, insecure, stuttering, anonymous old man appeared in front of the Vatican embassy in Washington holding a big sign:

MY LIFE WAS RUINED BY A CATHOLIC PEDOPHILE PRIEST

The breathtaking stupidity of the Catholic Church response makes me reluctant to use the term "evil" but the ferocity, ignorance, vulgarity, cowardice, infantilism, hypocrisy and malevolence experienced by this victim for the last twelve years are evidence of pathologies that plague this degenerate and disgraced institution.

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The Last 12 Years
***********

A sad old man, holding this big sign, often crying....(I was moved to tears when, from passing cars there were shows of support). The beginning was quite difficult, as I received all kinds of threats, insults and obscene gestures.

Daily, from passing cars people would yell:

LOSER!

....It was not easy.

One day a priest stopped by. He mentioned that he was not associated with the nunciature, but with the Washington Diocese. I told him my story. He asked many questions, also about the responses of people driving-by.

I also commented that I would be a LOSER if I would give up my fight.

Next day, all week, all month, all year.

A MIRACLE

The yelling of "LOSER!" stopped: the same people would honk twice, and when I looked they would give me the finger.

A "COWARD HIDING BEHIND A SIGN" I was called by a young Catholic who kept repeating his first and last name and how proud he was to be a Catholic and suggested to get a bucket to collect donations.

1) "Statute of Limitations"

2) "It may have been MY FAULT"

3) "To protest will be bad for me. I will be crushed by RIDICULE & SHAME.

4) "U.S. laws are too harsh on child molesters. Will or should change.(!!!!!!!)

These four questionable, suspect, threatening and ignorant arguments were given to me by a young anonymous priest that, one evening, after dark, emerged from the Vatican Embassy.

(The Nunciature appears to be a quite secretive or privacy conscious office. The only name disclosed is the identity of the Nuncio.)

I never graduated from the 8th grade but I detected some weakness in these arguments. I wrote a new letter to the Nunciature listing the four arguments and begging for an explanation.

No response.

After some detective work (pure luck!) I found that the young priest was a 39 years old MONSIGNOR, Doctor of Canon Law and the "First Secretary" of the embassy, that is #2 after the Nuncio.

The young monsignor knew what he was talking about when he mentioned me being crushed by ridicule and shame. A reporter for a local paper, claiming to be a supporter, interviewed me. I did not give my name with the explanation that I did not want my mother, a very religious old lady, to find out. One day, from a car, a man, dressed as a Muslim(!), yelled: "The article is in the paper!"

I found the paper,... I saw the article....SURPRISE ATTACK!....I WAS EXPOSED!!!.....THE SHOCK!!!.....THE TRAUMA!... Nobody can imagine how awful, devastating, crushing, it was when I saw my name JOHN WOJNOWSKI, in big letters in the headline and again and again and again in the text.

It was supposed to look like an "objective piece of journalism".

It was a custom-made cruel attack on a fragile victim that made a joke of the tragedy of my life. There was also one, to me very offensive, BIG LIE. Possibly it was expected that I commit suicide.

Were the "Holy Men" expecting me to have a heart attack?

Were they expecting me to give-up?

The stupidity!

The arrogance!

The evil!

It took me few days to recover and now, 12 years later, I am actually glad: It was a literal declaration of war, and, this is truly delicious, there was left a big handprint: a VATICAN'S OFFICIAL STATEMENT.

Notice the humor behind "Holy War": it reminds one of the humor of the signs that decorated the gates of Germany's extermination camps. -jw


BACKGROUND:
Oct 30, 1998, News Story:

Holy War: Vatican Embassy protester John Wojnowski seeks daily ... Holy War Vatican Embassy protester John Wojnowski seeks daily affirmation, and a few supportive honks

John Wojnowski is in Wikipedia:

John Wojnowski - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Holy War: Vatican Embassy protester John Wojnowski seeks daily affirmation – and a few supportive honks – on the Massachusetts Avenue sidewalk."

John's website:

VaticanHidesPedophiles.com
Hello, my name is John Wojnowski and this is my website: .....

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Posted at City of Angels Blog by Kay Ebeling Sept. 20, 2010.

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VID: Distract from buggering boys, say Hitler was an Atheist,

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In this video, Richard Dawkins on the Pope bypassing truth last weekend in UK, "How dare Ratzinger claim atheism had anything to do with their horrific deeds."