You'll make facts of this crisis instantly accessible ... to everyone who needs them:- Law enforcement officials. Survivors. Priests. Scholars and researchers. Journalists. Parish council members. Legislators. And bishops themselves.
By helping preserve a comprehensive public record, you will help ensure that this crisis will not happen again. Please make your tax-deductible gift to BishopAccountability.org today.
If you have already responded to a letter from me asking for your support, thank you very much for your help, and apologies for this email request. Thanks and best wishes for a wonderful New Year.
-- Paul Baier, BishopAccountability.org, Inc., email: staff@bishop-accountability.org staff@bishop- accountability.org , phone: 781 910 5467, web: www.bishopaccountability.org [Emphasis added]
[COMMENT: Well, this looks like an attempt to document EVERYTHING about the failure by one Church. What about the other religious organisations who have done the same thing, and hidden, transferred, "bent" the truth, etc.? COMMENT ENDS.] [Dec 16, 04]
Abuse Chronology: http://www.multiline.com.au/~johnm/ethics/ethcont107.htm
For good teachings to be heeded, a big clean-up is needed.
#### Clergy Sex Abuse Tracker, www.ncrnews.org/abuse, Fri December 17, 2004 edition follows:-
• Court clerk pleads guilty to sex charge [? 2000s Garcia] - Religion not named. Girl
The Daily Journal, www.ukiahdaily journal.com/ Stories/0,1413, 91~3089~2604 306,00.html , ~ Dec 17, 2004
CALIFORNIA: In an unusually swift resolution to a potentially charged case, Daniel Aram Garcia, 47, a county Superior Court clerk and pastor at a Redwood Valley church, pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of lewd and lascivious conduct with a minor of 14 or 15 years old.
The maximum penalty is three years in prison.
Held previously on a $500,000 bond, Garcia was released on his own recognizance and will go home to his wife in Willits until his sentencing Jan. 27.
Outraged comments are already circulating through the legal establishment in Ukiah that Garcia's position as a court clerk resulted in a lenient deal for him. Sources who have heard about the investigation allege that Garcia's admissions alone could have put him behind bars for many years.
Since Garcia's arrest Tuesday, his attorney, Jan Cole-Wilson, told the court she met in intensive talks with the District Attorney's Office and an agreement was reached to allow Garcia to plead to the one count and the DA would drop two other counts against Garcia. Those were oral copulation with a child under 16 and sexual penetration with a foreign object with a child under 16. Either of those would have raised the penalty to up to eight years in prison. A charge of continuous sexual abuse of a child was never filed by the DA although recommended by police. That charge comes with a maximum 16 years in prison.
DA Norm Vroman, appearing in court for the people, said the second and third counts were dropped, but, under a procedure known as a "Harvey waiver," they would be considered by the judge during sentencing.[...]
He said since Garcia's arrest, he had gotten several calls from mothers of teenage daughters in the area who worried whether Garcia had had any inappropriate contact with their children, but Vroman said he is convinced Garcia's sexual abuse case was a "one-victim situation."# [Posted by Kathy Shaw at 04:50 PM]
• Albany pastor convicted of sexually abusing his daughter [? 2000s Sullivan] - Liberty Christian Center. Girl.
KATU, www.katu.com/ stories/73514. html , December 17, 2004
ALBANY, Ore. - A jury has found a 36-year-old Albany pastor guilty of two counts of first-degree sexual abuse on his daughter.
Jurors deliberated for a day-and-a-half in the trial of Timothy Sean Sullivan, pastor of the Liberty Christian Center.
The victim, now 12, is Sullivan's daughter from an earlier relationship.
Sullivan's wife, in-laws, and supporters from his church were with Sullivan throughout his six-day trial.
Upon the reading of the verdict, Sullivan removed his glasses, slumped in his chair, and wept. Behind him in the benches, so did his family.
• Archbishop urged acknowledgment of priest's sex-abuse guilt [Green] - RCC.
Catholic World News, www.cwnews.com/ news/viewstory. cfm?recnum= 34106 , Dec 17, 2004
HOBART (Tas) Australia (CWNews.com) - An Australia archbishop has urged the Catholic faithful to recognize the guilt of an influential priest who entered a guilty plea on charges of sexual abuse, although the cleric has avoided a prison sentence.
Archbishop Adrian Doyle of Hobart, Tasmania, remarked: "Everyone, including all Catholics in this archdiocese, must accept that Philip Green committed the offenses which he acknowledge in court." Msgr. Green received a 3-month suspended sentence after pleading guilty to indecent conduct charges.
The charges against Msgr. Green had precipitated a heated debate, with some loyal Catholics insisting that the priest was innocent, while others became highly critical of the archbishop's failure to take earlier action against the accused cleric. Archbishop Doyle has rejected public demands for his resignation.#
• Attorneys Back In Court In NorCal Priest Sex Abuse Case - RCC. 150 cases.
KTVU, POSTED 12:36 pm PST December 17, 2004
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Attorneys in a mega-case involving more than 150 lawsuits alleging sexual abuse by priests throughout Northern California are back in court today to resolve a host of pretrial procedural issues.
Alameda County Superior Court Judge Ronald Sabraw, who is overseeing the cases, wants to refine and narrow the issues in the cases before the first of them go to trial next March.
The alleged sex abuse victims are suing Roman Catholic Church officials under a bill passed in the state Legislature in 2002 which lifted the statute of limitations, for one year only, on lawsuits filed against churches, schools and other institutions where employees allegedly molested children.
That bill allowed victims of abuse dating back many years, even as far back as the 1930s, to file suit during a one-year window in 2003.
One of the issues being discussed today is a request by defense lawyers for church officials that Sabraw narrow a previous ruling by a special court master that church officials give to the alleged victims' attorneys documents from the perpetrator priests' personnel files.
• Albany pastor convicted of sex abuse [? 2000s Sullivan] - Liberty Christian Center. Girl.
KGW, Associated Press, 09:06 AM PST on Friday, December 17, 2004
ALBANY, Ore. -- A jury has found a 36-year-old Albany pastor guilty of two counts of first-degree sexual abuse of a minor.
Jurors deliberated for a day-and-a-half in the trial of Timothy Sean Sullivan, pastor of the Liberty Christian Center.
The victim, now 12, is related to Sullivan.
Sullivan's wife, in-laws, and supporters from his church were with Sullivan throughout his six-day trial.
Upon the reading of the verdict, Sullivan removed his glasses, slumped in his chair, and wept. Behind him in the benches, so did his family. He maintained his innocence throughout the trial and took the stand in his own defense.
• Child rapist implicates six co-accused [1970s-2000s Silvino] - ? RCC. Boys.
The Australian, www.theaustralian. news.com.au/common/ story_page/0,5744, 11720238% 255E2703,00.html , AFP, December 18, 2004
LISBON, PORTUGAL: The chief accused in a high-profile trial of seven people charged in Portugal with sexual abuse of minors from a state-run institution has admitted his guilt on the witness stand and confirmed the charges against his co-defendants.
"I, along with the other defendants, am guilty of what is listed in the indictment," said Carlos Silvino, 48, a former driver at Casa Pia, a 224-year-old network of 10 homes and schools that care for about 4000 children.
Silvino, nicknamed "Bibi", told the court how he, a former Casa Pia inmate, had been raped "virtually every evening" from the age of four to 13, particularly by "two teachers, two educators, five older students and a priest".
Most of the abuse was alleged on boys aged between 12 and 16.
A 62-year-old woman is also among the seven accused. She is has been charged with providing her home as a venue for some of the crimes.
The case has shattered public trust in the authorities, especially after reports that children had been complaining of the abuse since the mid-1970s, but no action was taken.
Silvino, who is charged with 634 offences, including 598 counts of sexual abuse of minors, is also accused of procuring children for wealthy child molesters for more than 20 years.
"I took some boys to these homes. I have dates and addresses where they went to make movies, attend parties or sex orgies," he said.[...]
The trial, which also involves a former television star and a retired ambassador, began under tight security at a Lisbon courthouse on November 25.
Silvino arrived at the court yesterday in a windowless van wearing a bullet-proof vest and escorted by armed members of an elite police protection corps.
His testimony is seen as vital in the case against several of the other accused, including television personality Carlos Cruz and former ambassador to South Africa Jorge Ritto.
Silvino was first questioned by police in 1975 when he was 19 after he was caught raping a 10-year-old boy at the institution. Two years later he began working at Casa Pia, where he remained as a staff member until 2002.
Lawyers have said they expect the trial to last at least until mid-2005. More than 700 witnesses are expected to be called, including several under 16. The trial resumes on Monday.# [Bolding added]
• Archdiocese Not Releasing Names Of Priests Being Investigated - RCC.
Fox 19, www.fox19.com/ Global/story. asp?S=2698818 , ~ Dec 17, 2004
CINCINNATI (OH): The Cincinnati Archdiocese says they are not sure how many, if any, more priests have been accused of sexually abusing children. The group called Survivors Network of Those Abused By Priests, or SNAP, believes the archdiocese should release the names of priests who are currently being investigated.
The victims also got word this week that a $3,000,000 settlement fund will not be paid out this year but instead early next year.
SNAP's Christy Miller says, "Our biggest concern in all of this is that there are other child molesters out there currently serving in ministry and that they could possible still be abusing children."
• Kerry priest defrocked by Pope over alleged sex assault [Kerry name withheld; Ferns - Doyle, Collins]
Ireland Online, 11:17:58, Dec/17/2004 -
IRELAND: The diocese of Kerry has confirmed that one of its priests has been defrocked by Pope John Paul II.
The diocese refused to provide any further details, but the Vatican is believed to have taken the decision in August.
The priest in question hasn't been in active ministry for 10 years, but he worked in several parishes in Kerry during the 1980s.
At one time, he was the subject of a garda investigation into an alleged sexual assault, but the DPP decided not to prosecute.
Yesterday, the diocese of Ferns also confirmed that two of its priests - believed to be James Doyle and Donal Collins - had been removed from the priesthood by the Pope in light of their convictions for child sex abuse.
• Priest gets probation in assault [? 2004 Pereppadan] - RCC.
The Boston Globe, By David Abel, Globe Staff, December 17, 2004
BRIGHTON (MA): A 36-year-old Roman Catholic priest from India has admitted to improperly touching the chest of a 16-year-old girl while living and working at Our Lady of the Presentation Parish in Brighton, officials said yesterday.
As part of a plea agreement, Varghese Pereppadan admitted last week to charges of indecent assault and battery, said David Procopio, a spokesman for the Suffolk district attorney's office.
Pereppadan was sentenced to one year of probation, in which he cannot have contact with the victim or be in the presence of minors without supervision, Procopio said. If he returns home, the Archdiocese of Boston has agreed to notify his parish in India of the sentence.
If he does not violate the agreement, the charges will be dropped after a year, Procopio said.
"We determined that it was in her best interest to have this case resolved," Procopio said. "Certainly, it's a serious accusation. But he had no prior record, and this was a single incident, not a pattern of improper conduct." [Bolding added]
• Priest gets year in jail in 1988 child abuse [1988, 1991 Stein (Norbertine)] - RCC. DNA demanded. Boy.
Green Bay News-Chronicle, www.gogreenbay.com/page.html?article=129078 , By Ray Barrington, ~ Dec 17, 2004
WISCONSIN: A former Norbertine priest who entered a no-contest plea in August for fondling a 14-year-old boy in 1988 received one year in the Brown County Jail rather than the maximum 10 years in prison.
Judge Sue Bischel sentenced James Stein to 10 years in prison, but stayed the sentence, giving him 10 years probation.
She said, however, that she could not let him go without some incarceration because of a sexual assault conviction in an incident involving a college student in 1991 and two other similar incidents with other minors that were dropped as part of a plea bargain. She sentenced him to a year in the county jail, with good behavior and Huber Law privileges.
Along with the probation, Stein will be required to continue counseling, pay court costs, and provide a DNA sample for possible future use.
• Clergymen face court over sex abuse allegations [1950s-80s RCC Marist, "chaplain," Seventh Day Adventist] - Boys
ABC (Australia), www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200412/s1268039.htm , ~ Dec 17, 2004
AUSTRALIA: Three Victorian men with links to various churches will soon be summonsed to appear before court in Adelaide for alleged sex offences against children.
Members of the South Australian Police Paedophile Taskforce visited Victoria this week and reported three men for sex offences that allegedly occurred between the 1950s and the 1980s.
The taskforce's Detective Superintendent Grant Steven says it is important to investigate allegations of sexual abuse against children, regardless of the time frame.
"These matters aren't closed off and it's simply a matter of time in many of these cases before we're able to take action," he said.
In the latest development, a 71-year-old former Marist Brother teacher in country South Australia has been reported for an alleged offence against a 12-year-old in 1958.
A 72-year-old former Chaplain in the Adelaide Hills was also reported for an alleged offence against another 12-year-old boy between 1975 and 1976.
A 55-year-old former leader with the Seventh Day Adventist Church was reported for offences including rape against three boys in the 1980s.
• Sex abuse lawsuit closing in on deal [1960s Thoennes] - RCC. Boy.
St. Cloud Times, http://miva.sctimes. com/miva/cgi-bin/ miva?CMN/Local/read. mv+20041217 043708+4+ , By David Unze, dunze@stcloudtimes.com , 17 December, 2004
MINNESOTA: A Stearns County judge is scheduled to hear arguments today that likely will settle a clergy sex-abuse lawsuit against St. Cloud Diocese and a former priest.
Attorneys have agreed to what's known as a "hi-low" settlement of the claims made by Wayne Eller against a former diocesan priest.
Two settlement amounts have been agreed on, and Judge Elizabeth Hayden's ruling on today's arguments will determine which settlement is triggered, said Jeffrey Anderson, the attorney representing Eller.
Eller has accused James Thoennes of molesting him in the mid-1960s at a Sauk Centre home where Thoennes' parents lived. Lawyers for the diocese, Thoennes and Bishop John Kinney are arguing that Eller's claims should be dismissed because they were filed years after the statute of limitations had expired.
That rule provides a time frame in which to file sexual-abuse lawsuits after the abuse occurred or was recalled.[...]
Eller was a student at St. Anthony's Church in St. Cloud when the abuse by Thoennes occurred, he said in his lawsuit.
The diocese removed Thoennes from his last assignment -- at St. Mary's Villa Nursing Home in Pierz -- in 1993, when an allegation surfaced that he inappropriately touched a resident there.
Kinney sent Thoennes a letter in June 2002 informing Thoennes that he had been removed from priestly ministry.#
• Pope dismisses 2 priests in Ireland for sex abuses [Doyle, Collins] - RCC. Boys.
Billings Gazette, www.billingsgazette.com/index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2004/12/17/build/world/75-abuse-priest.inc , Associated Press, Dec 17, 2004
DUBLIN, Ireland - Pope John Paul II has defrocked two priests convicted of sexually abusing children in Ireland, an unprecedented move in this predominantly Catholic nation, church officials confirmed Thursday.
"The diocese confirms that two priests, previously convicted of child sexual abuse, have been dismissed from the clerical state," said the Rev. John Carroll, spokesman for Ireland's southeast Ferns Diocese, which has been hard hit by sex abuse scandals.
The church declined to identify either man, but only two priests from the Ferns diocese have been convicted of such abuse: James Doyle and Donal Collins.
Collins received a four-year sentence in 1998 for abusing several boys; Doyle received a one-year suspended sentence in 1990 for abusing one boy. The church rarely defrocks priests, even those found guilty of crimes, and the decision was the first time the Vatican has dismissed a priest in Ireland over sexual abuse.
In this case, Ferns Bishop Eamonn Walsh sent a file to the Vatican requesting the two men's dismissal, a request granted last month by the pope in what Carroll called "a supreme decision" that cannot be appealed.
• Lawsuit against priest rejected [1973-74 McGlynn] - RCC. Girl.
The Kansas City Star, www.kansascity. com/mld/kansas city/news/104 35171.htm , By KEVIN MURPHY, ~ Dec 17, 2004
MISSOURI: Reversing a recent decision, a Jackson County judge Thursday dismissed a lawsuit that alleges sexual abuse by a now-retired Kansas City priest.
Circuit Judge John R. O'Malley ruled that the statute of limitations has expired on Teresa White's claim that the Rev. Francis McGlynn sexually abused her in 1973 and 1974, when she was 17.
White alleged in a lawsuit filed 14 months ago that McGlynn abused her while she was taking courses from him at an Independence church to prepare for marriage. McGlynn denied the charges.
Three weeks ago, O'Malley denied a motion by the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph to dismiss the suit. Attorneys for the diocese argued that White was required to file the suit within the five-year statute of limitations after she turned 21.
• Ferns child sex abuse report delayed until March - RCC.
Online.ie , 08:00:07+00, Dec-17-2004
IRELAND: The inquiry into clerical child sex abuse in the diocese of Ferns has reportedly been forced to delay its report into the matter until next March.
Reports this morning said the document was expected to have been presented to Health Minister Mary Harney before Christmas.
However, due to difficulties in locating witnesses and to some further investigations being conducted, the inquiry has been forced to delay the report until March at the earliest.
• Victim's mother wants accused clergy named [Stein] - RCC. Boy.
Green Bay Press-Gazette, www.greenbay pressgazette. com/news/archive/ local_19075 406.shtml , By Andy Nelesen, anelesen@greenbaypressgazette.com , ~ Dec 17, 2004
WISCONSIN: Moments after a Brown County judge sentenced the Rev. James Stein to 10 years probation and a year in jail for molesting her then-14-year-old son, Alice Hodek asked that Bishop David Zubik provide information about priests accused of sexual misconduct.
However, her demand differed from a request made after the preliminary hearing of another priest Dec. 2. Rather than release the names to the public, Hodek asked that Zubik release the clergy names to Catholic school officials and lay church leaders.
"Most of these individuals are now mandatory reporters of child sexual abuse under state law," Hodek said. "They have a right to this information and will act responsibly with it."
In response to the earlier call for names, Zubik issued a written statement defending his decision.
"Any member of the clergy who has a credible allegation of sexual abuse of a minor against him has been permanently removed from ministry," Zubik wrote. "It's equally important to protect the rights of those who are falsely accused or those who have died and are not able to come to their own defense.
• Taskforce charges church officials [1982-86 SDA; 1958 Marist] - Seventh Day Adventist; RCC. Boys.
NEWS.com.au ; www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,11718324%5E421,00.html , December 17, 2004
AUSTRALIA: South Australia's Pedophile Task Force has charged three former church officials with sex offences, some dating back more than 40 years.
Taskforce detectives travelled to Victoria this week to charge the men, police said today.
A 71-year-old former Marist Brother and teacher in country SA was charged with one count of indecent assault alleged to have occurred in 1958 against a 12-year-old boy.
A 55-year-old former church leader with the Seventh Day Adventists was charged with one count of rape, 13 counts of indecent assault and three counts of gratifying prurient interest.
The offences were alleged to have occurred between 1982 and 1986 against three boys in various country locations in SA.
• Church 'should apply to sack all priests found guilty of abuse' - RCC. 25 priests convicted so far.
Irish Independent, www.unison.ie/ irish_independent/ stories.php3?ca= 9&si=1307673 &issue_id=11839 , Last Updated 15:21 GMT Friday, 17 December, 2004,
IRELAND: The Irish Catholic hierarchy should apply to the Pope to have all of the 25 diocesan priests so far convicted of child sexual abuse dismissed from the clerical state, a victim support group leader said yesterday.
Mr Colm O'Gorman, head of the support group One in Four, reacting to the news, reported in yesterday's Irish Independent, that the Pope has 'sacked' two priests of the Ferns diocese following a request to do so from the acting Bishop of Ferns, Dr Eamonn Walsh.
Mr O'Gorman, who was a victim of the Ferns priest, the late Fr Sean Fortune, described the dismissal of the two priests as "an appropriate response that should be welcomed, although it comes 14 years after the sentencing of one of the priests".
He said: "I think where a priest has been convicted he should never again be [in the possession of] the authority he used as a way of abusing children in the past. This will mean laicisation in practice." [Posted by Kathy Shaw at 05:18 AM]
////////// End of Clergy Sex Abuse Tracker www.ncrnews.org/abuse , Fri December 17, 2004
Abuse Chronology: http://www.multiline.com.au/~johnm/ethics/ethcont107.htm
For good teachings to be heeded, a big clean-up is needed.
• Virtus training system to prevent child sex abuse; 'A situation that's been with us for centuries'. - RCC.
The Tidings (the weekly newspaper of the Los Angeles RC Archdiocese, est. 1895), "Awakening the community to sexual abuse awareness," www.the- tidings.com/ 2004/1217/ virtus.htm , By Paula Doyle, Friday, December 17, 2004
LOS ANGELES (California) USA: St. Robert Bellarmine School principal June Rosena has a passion to protect children. Besides her 37-year career as a Catholic educator, Rosena has had a 20-year private practice as a licensed marriage and family therapist where she counsels people in crisis, including child victims and adult survivors of sexual abuse.
She can easily speak for four hours straight about the devastating effects of child abuse, and she has riveted audiences as a Virtus child protection facilitator. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles implemented the Virtus training program in response to the national clergy sexual abuse crisis.
"I find it so rewarding to give the Virtus talks," said Rosena, who holds a Ph.D in psychology. "Thank God for this long overdue awakening for a situation that's been with us for centuries."
The statistics are staggering: one in four women and one in eight men experience sexual abuse during their lifetime. The perpetrators include parents, siblings, relatives, friends, teachers, coaches, clergy, religious and strangers --- in short, they can be anyone who has access to children.
Rosena estimates that she has spoken to 800 people at six different schools in the San Fernando Valley, including St. Francis Xavier in Burbank, Our Lady of the Holy Rosary in Sun Valley, St. Genevieve in Panorama City, St. Elizabeth in Van Nuys, St. Patrick in North Hollywood and St. Robert Bellarmine (school and parish) in Burbank.
"I try to reach people's souls," said Rosena. In her presentations, she shares stories that she has heard first-hand from sexual abuse clients and students she has encountered over her long career in education. So far, she's not had to repeat any stories in eight different talks.
In 20 years of counseling, she has had a minimum of two dozen clients with a history of childhood sexual abuse. "I've never had a client that's been abused by priests," noted Rosena.
When she gives the Virtus training, she sees many people crying in the audience. "There are a lot of surviving adult victims of child abuse," said Rosena. "I try to give them a feeling of empowerment --- they can be champions for the next generation."
What to watch for
According to Rosena, perpetrators will groom a community, in many cases acting like child advocates. Adults should be suspicious of anyone who wants to be alone with a child, Rosena emphasized. As recommended in the Virtus training, people responsible for children's safety should identify secluded areas on their facility and keep them locked when not in use.
"Perpetrators think rules don't apply to them," warned Rosena. Consequently, adults must monitor who has access to children at all times.
Signs of child abuse include sudden personality changes, self-destructive activity such as "cutting" or suicidal behavior, a loss of interest in school and/or a drop in grades, obsessive body washing or a lapse in personal hygiene and an increase in paranoia.
As stated in the Virtus training materials, one or more signs of abuse does not mean that a child is being sexually abused, but may mean the child is experiencing some kind of problem. If a child demonstrates any one of the signs, say experts, a trusted adult should talk with the child about activities, friends and time away from home. Any suspicions of child abuse should be communicated to someone in authority such as a police officer or a member of child protective services.
"The Virtus training provides valuable information for anyone, especially parents," said Rosena. For more information on reporting incidents of child abuse, call the Los Angeles Department of Children's Services, (213) 351-5602, or the national child abuse hotline, (800) 540-4000.
[COMMENT: 4th last par.: "Consequently, adults must monitor who has access to children at all times." Yeah, rather -- "Married laypeople must monitor at all times clerics who have access to children." COMMENT ENDS.] [Dec 17, 04]
#### Clergy Sex Abuse Tracker, www.ncrnews.org/abuse, Sat December 18, 2004 edition follows:-
• Priest sentenced to prison on fundamentalists' false charges [1997 + Das] -- RCC.
AsiaNews (an RCC internet publication), www.asianews. it/view.php? l=en&art=2138 , by Nirmala Carvalho, 17 December, 2004
MUMBAI, INDIA: (AsiaNews) - Fr Christo Das, a priest who has devoted his life to Tribals in the Diocese of Dumka in Jharkhand, a central Indian state governed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was sentenced to three years in prison on false charges brought against him by Hindu fundamentalists, this according to Mgr Julius Marandi, Bishop of the same diocese.
Fr Christo Das, Vice-Principal of St Joseph's School at Guhiyajori in Dumka district, was sentenced on December 13 to three years in prison on sodomy charges dating back to 1997.
Dumka Court judge G N Pandey gave Fr Das a month to appeal to a higher court.
Speaking to AsiaNews, Bishop Marandi said after hearing the decision: "We are shocked and saddened by the court's decision. We were expecting justice and a favourable court order. We will appeal to the district court and hope we will get justice there".
He added that people are holding vigils and praying "for justice to be done" in the diocese's convents and parishes.
The Bishop explained that Fr Das is a dedicated priest who has devoted his life to help Tribals. What better evidence of this than the fact that the entire Tribal population of Dumka Diocese is supporting him.
Unfortunately, "there are one or two Tribals who have been manipulated by the fundamentalists to press charges," he said. "Raising the issue of sexual misconduct is proof enough that their intent was to discredit the priest. Father Das himself is convinced that the charges are designed to stop his work on behalf of Tribals," he explained.
On September 2, 1997, Father Das was stripped and paraded naked after charges were levelled against him for allegedly sodomising a 14-year-old tribal boy attending his school.
Church officials are convinced that fundamentalist groups opposed to the Church and its work are behind the accusations. But they also acted with the consent of government authorities and local law enforcement officials who were present at Father Das's public humiliation.
Numerous rallies have taken place to protest against Father Das's arrest and the false charges.
Diocesan sources say that "this is all a conspiracy".
According to a Jesuit priest who spoke on condition of anonymity, the judge was compelled to come down against the priest because the area is high-risk. "Just the day before he rendered his decision, he had to move his family off to an undisclosed location".
Jharkhand is rich in iron-ore and Tribals are exploited as casual or unskilled labourers.
The Church has been engaged in educating them about their rights under the law but its mission in favour of social justice irks Hindu fundamentalists who would prefer to have a more compliant Tribal population to better exploit ad intimidate them.
Church officials are convinced that fundamentalist groups opposed to the Church and its work are behind the accusations. But they also acted with the consent of government authorities and local law enforcement officials who were present at Father Das's public humiliation.
Numerous rallies have taken place to protest against Father Das's arrest and the false charges.
Diocesan sources say that "this is all a conspiracy".
According to a Jesuit priest who spoke on condition of anonymity, the judge was compelled to come down against the priest because the area is high-risk. "Just the day before he rendered his decision, he had to move his family off to an undisclosed location".
Jharkhand is rich in iron-ore and Tribals are exploited as casual or unskilled labourers.
The Church has been engaged in educating them about their rights under the law but its mission in favour of social justice irks Hindu fundamentalists who would prefer to have a more compliant Tribal population to better exploit ad intimidate them.# [Posted by Kathy Shaw at 07:42 AM]
[COMMENT: Message sent to AsiaNews via internet webpage, 8.35 am WST Dec 19, 2004: Our prayers go out for Fr Christo Das, sent to prison for allegedly sinning against a boy, and God. I fully appreciate that the charges might be false. However, there is much temptation. Do your readers get to read about such news as might be found on http://www.multiline.com.au/~johnm/ethics/ethcont107.htm or on the National Catholic Reporter's webpage http://www.ncrnews.org/abuse ? Our Church is fighting the Divine command to "be fruitful and multiply" if she insists on unmarried men going to hot climates to spread the Gospel. Buon Natale! [Wording edited 21 Dec 04] COMMENT ENDS.]
• Catholic priest gets probation for improperly touching girl in Brighton [? 2004 Pereppadan] - RCC.
Allston-Brighton Tab, By Casey Lyons/ Correspondent, Friday, December 17, 2004
BRIGHTON (MA): A Catholic priest who improperly touched a 16-year-old girl earlier this summer admitted to sufficient facts and acknowledged the complaint against him during criminal proceedings on Monday.
Father Varghese Pereppadan, 36, was sentenced to a one-year probationary period in a deal between the victim, the victim's family and the district attorney's office.
Pereppadan admitted to the court that he touched the chest of the victim, whom he knew, over her clothes. The incident took place on July 28 inside Our Lady of the Presentation Church in Oak Square, Brighton.
The priest, who is visiting from India, apologized to his accuser last week and accepted a one-year probationary period. During the next year, Pereppadan will be barred from seeing the victim and will have no unsupervised contact with minors. [Bolding added]
• North Valley Priest Receiving Treatment [? 2000s Lastiri] - RCC.
ABC 30, http://abclocal. go.com/kfsn/ news/121804_nw_ lastiri.html
MERCED (CA): A letter from the Diocese, obtained by Action News, says Father Jean Michael Lastiri is currently receiving treatment at Saint Luke's Institute in Maryland after being removed from Saint Patrick's Catholic Church in Merced.
He was disciplined after being charged with using the internet to solicit male relationships.
Action News has learned the church bulletin this weekend will contain a message from Bishop John Steinbock, noting his financial officer is looking at checks [cheques] issued to Father Lastiri, which may have been used improperly.
• Priest admits child porn charges [? 2000s Walsh] - RCC. Making pornographic images.
BBC News, http://news.bbc. co.uk/2/hi/uk_ news/england/ oxfordshire/ 4105219.stm , ~ Dec 18, 2004
BRITAIN: A 50-year-old Roman Catholic priest has pleaded guilty to 19 charges relating to child pornography.
Father Alexander Bede Walsh, who served in Banbury, Oxfordshire, until earlier this year, admitted charges of making indecent images of children.
The charges relate to offences in March this year, after which Father Walsh resigned from his post at St John the Evangelist Church in Banbury.
• Charge against priest dropped although case still under review [? 2000s Garcia] - RCC.
KOLD, www.kold.com/Global/story.asp?S=2709250 Associated Press, December 18, 2004
TUCSON, Ariz. A charge against a Tucson priest accused of failing to report possible abuse has been dropped.
However, the Pima County Attorney's Office says the case remains under review.
Prosecutors say the Reverend Raul Valencia Garcia still could be charged with violating state law on reporting suspected child sexual abuse -- a possible felony.
Until recently, Valencia Garcia was an associate pastor at St. Monica's Catholic Church.
He's now working at St. Jude's Catholic Church in San Luis.
Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson spokesman Fred Allison had no comment on the dropped charge.
• Jury indicts priest [? 2000s Fernandes] - RCC. Disseminating.
Herald News, by Daniel Fowler, Dec/18/2004
NEW BEDFORD (MA) -- Father Stephen A. Fernandes was indicted by a grand jury this week on two counts of possession of child pornography and one count of disseminating obscene material to minors, said Joseph DeMedeiros, a spokesman for the Bristol County District Attorney's Office.
DeMedeiros said the embattled pastor of Our Lady of Fatima Parish will be arraigned in Superior Court at a later date.
Fernandes, a former pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Fall River, was originally arraigned in District Court in early November when he pleaded not guilty to a single count of possession of child pornography.
Bringing a case before the grand jury is standard procedure for cases involving serious charges because one can receive a maximum sentence of only 2.5 years in District Court.
• Polish priest offered plea [2002 Kramek] - RCC. Girl.
New Britain Herald, By JULIE A. VARUGHESE, Dec/18/2004
NEW BRITAIN (CT) -- The visiting Polish priest who was arrested two years ago for allegedly sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl will appear Dec. 21 in New Britain Superior Court to accept or reject a plea bargain offered by the state.
Father Roman Kramek, 42, of Sacred Heart Church, 158 Broad St., was arrested Dec. 24, 2002 for allegedly having non-consensual sex with a girl while her grandmother was in the kitchen of an apartment.
The details of the plea bargain could not be obtained from the State's Attorney's Office Friday afternoon after Kramek appeared in court that day.
According to court records, Kramek came over to the girl's apartment, and was let in by her grandmother. When the girl arrived home in the afternoon of Dec. 18, he sat on the living room couch with her and allegedly asked her about a previous sexual assault she experienced. He then allegedly touched her inappropiately.
• Archdiocese reaches settlement over abuse [McGreal, 1970s Jaeger] - RCC. 15 complainants. $US1.8m settlement follows other payouts. Minors.
Seattle Times, http://seattle times.nwsource. com/html/local news/2002123 516_dige18m.html , ~ Dec 18, 2004
SEATTLE (WA): Mediation talks this week between the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle and 15 people with claims of abuse by priests resulted in a $1.8 million settlement.
The archdiocese reached a definitive settlement with 12 people, including two parents of a man who said he'd been molested, and is close to a settlement with a 13th person, said archdiocese attorney Michael Patterson.
Twelve of the claims involved past molestation by the Rev. James McGreal, generally considered the archdiocese's most notorious offender.
Civil suits against McGreal, who is barred from ministry and living in a supervised church facility in Missouri, have resulted in multimillion-dollar settlements.
The other claim involved past molestation by the Rev. David Jaeger, who admitted in court proceedings years ago to inappropriately touching about 10 minors at a Catholic youth camp in the 1970s.
Jaeger is currently on administrative leave, and a decision on whether he should remain in ministry is being reviewed by the Vatican.#
• Senior gets three years for abuse [Decades ago, Moran] - Church-run schools. Indigenous boys.
Edmonton Sun, www.canoe.ca/ NewsStand/ EdmontonSun/ News/2004/12/18/ 788249-sun.html , CP, Dec 18, 2004
NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C., CANADA -- An elderly man convicted of abusing native children in Mission and Kamloops has been given three years in prison.
Gerald Moran, 75, was convicted of abusing the children at native residential schools decades ago.
Moran was charged after an RCMP investigation looked at physical and sexual abuse in 14 church-run schools across the province.
Moran, sentenced in B.C. Supreme Court in New Westminster, was a boys' supervisor in schools in Kamloops and Mission.
The charges resulted from work done by the RCMP Native Indian Residential Schools Task Force, created in December 1994 to investigate complaints of historic physical and sexual abuse at the church-run residential schools around the province.
• Man sentenced to 9 months for molesting teen [2002-03 Howells] - Congregational. Boy.
The Express-Times, By RUDY MILLER, Saturday, December 18, 2004
EASTON (PA) -- A Sunday school teacher was sent to prison Friday for endangering the welfare of a 15-year-old boy.
Donald Howells, 42, of Wilson Borough, was sentenced to nine months to two years in prison by Northampton County Judge Stephen G. Baratta.
Howells was convicted of the misdemeanor charge during a jury trial that ended Oct. 15. He was acquitted of multiple felonies, including 20 counts each of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, indecent assault and statutory sexual assault and a single count of corruption of minors.
The boy testified during the trial that Howells, a former youth leader and Sunday school teacher at the First Evangelical Congregational Church on North 10th Street in Easton, molested him more than 50 times between August 2002 and July 2003.
Howells testified he did not molest the boy. His attorney, Steven Goldman, said the boy is emotionally unstable and made up the story to win his mother's approval. She testified she disapproved of the way Howells treated her son.
• Police chief and the notorious pedophile [~ 1980s Ellmore] - Anglican. Girl.
Sydney Morning Herald, www.smh.com. au/news/National/ Police-chief- and- the-notorious- pedophile/2004/12/18/ 1103312780727.html ; By John Kidman, The Sun-Herald, December 19, 2004
AUSTRALIA: Police Commissioner Ken Moroney was once involved in a failed investigation into an Anglican priest who later became one of the state's most notorious pedophiles.
The revelation comes just a week after calls by NSW's top officer for a national summit on the growing menace of child abuse.
The case, which revolved around a complaint of indecent assault of an eight-year-old girl, occurred more than 20 years ago when Mr Moroney was a sergeant at West Wyalong.
Documents obtained by The Sun-Herald indicate police were reluctant to proceed because of the delicacy of placing such a young witness before a court without corroborative evidence.
The law finally caught up with the accused, Robert Ellmore, who is serving an 11-year jail term. His conviction in February 2002 caused a furore when it was learnt senior Anglicans knew of the allegations years earlier.
[COMMENT: See how much disgrace to religion the cowardice and stupidity of the Anglican bishops has led to. This man might lose his job through trying to shield religion. COMMENT ENDS.]
• Pastor convicted of molesting daughter [? 2000s Sullivan] - Liberty Christian Center. Girl.
OregonLive.com The Associated Press, 1:02 a.m. PT, Dec/18/2004,
ALBANY, Ore. (AP) - A Linn County jury convicted a minister, Timothy Sean Sullivan, on two counts of sexual abuse involving his 12-year-old daughter.
Jurors deliberated a day and a half before convicting Sullivan, 36, the pastor of Liberty Christian Center, on Thursday. The daughter, now 12, is from a previous relationship.
Sullivan's wife, in-laws, and supporters from his church were with Sullivan throughout his six-day trial.
After the verdict Sullivan removed his glasses, slumped in his chair, and wept. Behind him in the benches, so did his family.
Before being handcuffed, he had time to talk quietly to his family, who embraced him across the bar. He handed over his jacket, tie, watch and wedding ring to his family.
Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 10. Judge John McCormick raised his bail from $100,000 to $200,000.
• Catholic bishops urged not to cut back on audits - RCC.
Toledo Blade, http://toledo blade.com/apps/ pbcs.dll/article? AID=/20041218/ NEWS10/412180320 , by David Yonke, BLADE RELIGION EDITOR, Saturday, December 18, 2004
UNITED STATES: Two national organizations that have closely monitored the nation's clerical sexual abuse crisis are asking U.S. Roman Catholic bishops to reverse their decision to cut back on the number of on-site audits that investigate dioceses' compliance with child-protection procedures.
Voice of the Faithful, a Catholic lay group, and Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests [SNAP], a victims' advocacy group, have asked the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to rescind their decision to scale back on the annual audits mandated by U.S. bishops in 2002.
The new procedures, adopted in November, end the requirement for outside auditors to visit dioceses if they were found to be in full compliance with the new safeguards in 2003 and 2004. Instead, such dioceses would fill out questionnaires on compliance.
A spokesman for the USCCB said the revision is intended to make the process more efficient, not to undermine the bishops' reforms.
In 2003, 90 percent of U.S. dioceses were found in full compliance with the safeguards adopted by U.S. bishops in Dallas in 2002. Final nationwide tallies for 2004 have not been reported, but the Toledo diocese was found to be in full compliance both years.
• $1.8 million church abuse settlement [1960s +]- RCC. $US1.8m to 12 complainants.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, http://seattlepi. nwsource.com/local/ 204356_settle18.html , ~ Dec 18, 2004
SEATTLE (WA): The Archdiocese of Seattle said yesterday that it had reached a settlement of $1.8 million with 12 people who had been sexually abused as children by two priests.
The abuse dates to the 1960s, according to a statement that the archdiocese issued last night. It did not name the priests involved.
The settlement was reached through mediation talks, the archdiocese said.
A spokesman for the archdiocese could not be reached for comment last night.
Archbishop Alexander Brunett apologized to the victims in the statement.
• Zubik won't name alleged abusers [1988 Stein] - RCC. Boy.
Green Bay Press-Gazette, www.greenbay pressgazette. com/news/arch ive/local_190 84632.shtml , By Andy Nelesen, anelesen@greenbaypressgazette.com , ~ Dec 18, 2004
GREEN BAY (WI): In the face of another round of pressure to release names of clergy accused of sexual misconduct, Bishop David Zubik continues to hold fast in his stance to keep the names secret.
However, he maintains the church is taking steps to hold clergy accountable.
"We have taken and are taking seriously the matter of preventing the sexual abuse of children by clergy," Zubik said in a release issued late Thursday.
"This is evident in the immediate removal from ministry anyone who commits such a heinous act," Zubik said. "It is evident in our consistent procedure of turning over all allegations to civil authorities, who have the power and authority to investigate, determine credibility and prosecute.
"It is evident in our notification to worshipping communities and the media when a priest has been removed."
Zubik's statement was prompted by the sentencing of the Rev. James Stein on Thursday in Brown County Circuit Court. Stein received 10 years' probation and a year in jail for molesting a boy in 1988.
• Criminal case against ex-priest is pending [Dominguez] - RCC. 6 boys.
The Press-Enterprise, By MICHAEL FISHER, 01:23 AM PST on Saturday, December 18, 2004
CALIFORNIA: Prosecutors are considering whether to file charges against a former Inland priest accused in civil litigation of sexually abusing six teenage boys, Riverside County sheriff's officials said.
Over the past several months, detectives in Perris have been investigating molestation accusations targeting Jesus A. Dominguez, Riverside County sheriff's Lt. Peter Herrera said. Their findings were forwarded to the Riverside County district attorney's office for review earlier this month, he said.
"We worked a case that is currently at the DA's office, and they will decide whether or not to prosecute the case," said Herrera, who did not have any specifics on the accusations.
Prosecutors said they could not confirm nor deny whether they were reviewing the case.
Dominguez, 55, could not be located for comment.
The Rev. Howard Lincoln, spokesman for the Diocese of San Bernardino, said the diocese is unaware of any criminal investigation of Dominguez, who spent more than a decade in the diocese.
• Catholic Church told to give personnel files to plaintiffs by Dec. 28 - RCC.
The Daily Review, www.dailyreview online.com/Stories/ 0,1413,88~10973~ 2605962, 00.html , By Glenn Chapman, STAFF WRITER, ~ Dec 18, 2004
OAKLAND (CA)-- Catholic church officials have until three days after Christmas to turn over personnel files of priests accused of sexual abuse to attorneys, an Oakland judge ordered Friday.
If there are portions of records that defense lawyers believe shouldn't be revealed, they must specify the pages and the legal reasoning by Dec. 21, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Ronald Sabraw told a courtroom packed with attorneys involved in the approximately 160 civil suits combined under the title "Clergy III."
Those challenges should go beyond concerns about privileged relationships, such as attorney-client or doctor-patient, which will be addressed in an itemized log to be filed with the court, Sabraw said.
• Cardinal admits he provoked anger in abuse row - RCC.
Irish Independent, www.unison.ie/ irish_independent/ stories.php3?ca= 9&si=1308053 &issue_id=11844 , ~ Dec 18, 2004
IRELAND: The former Archbishop of Dublin, Cardinal Desmond Connell, has acknowledged that his retirement helped the Church in Ireland because he had become the main "lightning rod" for public anger over the clerical sex abuse issue.
The cardinal said he regretted more was not done to help the victims of abuse, but stated that not all convicted abusers should be removed from the priesthood because this might not always be the best way to protect children.
Cardinal Connell was giving his first interview since his retirement in April after 16 years at the helm of the country's biggest diocese.
His time in office coincided with the eruption of public outrage over clerical sex abuse cases and the response of Church leaders to those cases.
He stressed that he did not retire because of the scandals, saying he had reached the age of retirement in any case, but he acknowledged: "My retirement was helpful. Rightly or wrongly, I became nationally the object of anger." [Bolding added.] [Posted by Kathy Shaw at 06:47 AM]
[COMMENT: After centuries of protecting criminal clergy, the cardinal now expects the Faithful to believe him when he says not to remove offenders from the clergy because this "might not always be the best way to protect children". Perhaps he ought to read Jesus's opinion on seducers, in the millstone statement, Matthew 18:6, Mark 9:42, and Luke 17:2. Then browse through the parables, and see if the Good Shepherd spent time looking for a sinful SHEPHERD, FISHERMAN, or REAPER. COMMENT ENDS.]
////////// End of Clergy Sex Abuse Tracker www.ncrnews.org/abuse , Sat December 18, 2004
Abuse Chronology: http://www.multiline.com.au/~johnm/ethics/ethcont107.htm
For good teachings to be heeded, a big clean-up is needed.
• South Australia starts inquiry into children in State care. - "Orphanages" and fostering again under spotlight.
Barry Coldrey, www.BarryColdrey.com , e-mail of December 18, 2004
ADELAIDE (SA) Australia: There is another Inquiry into Children in State Care. This has commenced in South Australia and some of you on this list will know more about the Inquiry than I do.
The Inquiry, led by Mr Justice Mullighan, will explore all the controversial issues concerned with the fate of children, including child migrants, who found their way into South Australian state care from around the 1940s onwards.
Their phone number for enquiries and comments is: 1800 258 668
Their address to which you each might care to send submissions, books, published articles - relevant to the Inquiry - is Children in State Care Inquiry, G.P.O. Box 858, Adelaide, SA, 5001 Australia. [Dec 18, 04]
#### Clergy Sex Abuse Tracker, www.ncrnews.org/abuse, Sun December 19, 2004 edition follows:-
• Perjury charges urged against Mahony [? 1980s O'Grady, 1998, 2004 Mahony] - RCC.
The Record (USA), www.recordnet. com/articlelink/ 121804/news/art icles/121804- gn-14.php , By Jeffrey M. Barker, (The Associated Press contributed to this report), Published Saturday, December 18, 2004
STOCKTON (CA) -- A group of people sexually victimized by Catholic priests asked the San Joaquin County district attorney this week to consider perjury charges against Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahony.
Mahony was bishop of Stockton from 1980-85. Late last month, he gave a deposition to attorneys preparing to go to trial in molestation lawsuits against Northern California dioceses.
The group, Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, or SNAP, wrote in a letter to District Attorney John Phillips that Mahony's comments during the deposition contradicted testimony he gave here during a 1998 civil trial against the Rev. Oliver O'Grady.
O'Grady was found guilty here in 1993 of four counts of lewd and lascivious acts against minors -- crimes he committed while under Mahony's supervision.
Assistant District Attorney Jim Willett said Friday his office had not received the letter from SNAP and could not comment on the allegations.
A transcript of Mahony's recent deposition became available last week. In it, Mahony discusses two Mexican priests under his supervision who were accused of sexually molesting children. He said he immediately dismissed both of the priests.
But he said the O'Grady case was different because he did not have the proof that he had in the other two cases. # [Posted by Kathy Shaw at 12:59 PM] [Bolding added]
• Struggling to keep the faith - RCC. 8 parishes have 24-hr vigils to save churches.
USNews, www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/041227/usnews/27church.htm , By Bret Schulte, ~ Dec 19, 2004
UNITED STATES: Nearly three years after a series of staggering revelations of sexual abuse by its clergy, the Roman Catholic Church is still working its way through the fallout, with equal amounts of pain and hope. In Boston, where the story first broke, the archdiocese faces financial ruin. More than 80 churches are slated to be closed as church authorities fight a $10 million annual deficit, brought on by dying parishes and a 50 percent decline in donations since 2002.
Yet for all their anger, area Catholics seem to be clinging even more tenaciously to their faith, with many parishioners fighting to have the closings reversed. That would include people like Ian Driscoll of St. Anselm in Sudbury, one of eight parishes staging 24-hour protest vigils. Ian is 12.
After school, he goes home to eat, do his homework, and practice the trumpet. Then he goes to the church, where he sleeps every night, usually accompanied by his mother. He made plans to skip a Boy Scout trip last weekend so he could spend the night at the church as part of a celebration marking the vigil's 100th day. "When you have something, you don't care about it as much," he says. "But once you're going to lose it, you like it more."
A lot of American Catholics are reacting like Ian. In Boston, an $85 million settlement with more than 500 victims exacerbated an existing crisis for an overextended archdiocese in need of an overhaul. A mountain of pending lawsuits has forced three dioceses to declare bankruptcy this year, and in Los Angeles, a record settlement may be in the offing. As a result of the sex scandal, the American Catholic Church is no longer governed solely by all-powerful bishops. Sex-abuse victims, police investigators, attorneys, prosecutors, and insurance companies have forced a new openness in the church and unbolted the door to lay Catholics clamoring to get involved.
Reform. For a church that thinks in centuries rather than years, all the change has come as a bolt of lightning. While the scandal was still producing headlines, U.S. bishops convened in Dallas in June 2002 to create codes of church conduct and enacted a "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People" that includes a controversial "zero tolerance" policy for priests who commit sexual abuse. Bishops understood that "the priority of the church now is to restore trust and heal hurt," says Bishop Gerald Kicanas of Tucson.
After some initial skepticism, Pope John Paul II endorsed the policy. The charter also opened up the church to lay supervision by creating a national review board of prominent Catholics to oversee reforms and an Office of Child and Youth Protection to implement the new "safe environment" program for children. At the local level, review boards are being created while pastoral and finance councils, stocked in large part by lay people, are being rejuvenated. "The Catholic Church is going to be the safest place for children in the country sometime soon," says the Rev. Thomas Reese, editor of the Jesuit magazine America.
• Theatre defends actions over play - Sikhs revolt against free speech.
BBC News, http://news.bbc. co.uk/2/hi/uk_ news/england/ west_midlands/ 4109315.stm , 17:32 GMT, Sunday, December 19, 2004
BRITAIN: theatre at the centre of a major demonstration says it did all it could to prevent any outbreak of trouble.
Hundred of Sikhs protested outside the Birmingham Repertory Theatre against a play - Behzti (Dishonour) - depicting sex abuse and murder in a temple.
In a statement, theatre said short of "blatant censorship" and cancelling the production, it could not have done more to appease the Sikh community.
Five police officers were hurt during struggles at theatre on Saturday. ...
Mohan Singh, a local Sikh community leader, said: "When they're doing a play about a Sikh priest raping somebody inside a gurdwara, would any religion take it?"
[COMMENT: Isn't it strange that the Christian community, which has been bearing the pain of repeated newsitems about rapes and child abuse by Christian clergy (and supposedly Christian laypeople, too) , and hearing of plays exposing organised Christianity's disgraces in Ireland and the USA, somehow manages not to have riots outside theatres? Or are some groups in modern British society living such separate lives that they don't know what the indigenous people are suffering? COMMENT ENDS.]
• Theatre attacks Sikh play protest. [This version sighted 10.02am Dec 20, 2004] Fiction about rape and murder in temple.
BBC News, http://news.bbc. co.uk/2/hi/uk_ news/england/ west_midlands/ 4109315.stm , Last Updated: 17:32 GMT, Sunday, 19 December, 2004
ENGLAND: A Birmingham theatre has condemned a violent demonstration against a play which has angered the Sikh community.
Several police officers were hurt and two people were arrested during the protest against Behzti - a play about sex abuse and murder in a Sikh temple.
Hundreds of Sikhs gathered outside Birmingham Repertory Theatre and a few tried to storm their way in, forcing Saturday's show to be halted.
Managers said they deplored "the illegal actions of some protesters".
 |
theatre has taken the lead in consulting with community members about the play over the last few months
Birmingham Rep
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Behzti (Dishonour), written by Sikh playwright Gurpreet Bhatti, has a scheduled run at theatre until the end of December and explores issues of sexual abuse, manipulation and relationships inside a Gurdwara, a Sikh place of worship.
theatre says it is a work of fiction and makes no comment about Sikhism as a faith or its followers in general.
It said short of "blatant censorship" and cancelling the production, it could not have done more to appease the Sikh community.
"theatre has taken the lead in consulting with community members about the play over the last few months and, as a result, several changes were made to the show before it went into production," a spokeswoman added.
"theatre also invited the Sikh community to write a statement expressing its views on the play and this has both been given to every audience member and also read out in the auditorium before each performance."
Sikh community leader Mohan Singh (centre) says feelings are running high
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The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Birmingham, Vincent Nichols, said the play was offensive to people of all faiths.
"The right to freedom of expression has corresponding duties to the common good.
"Such a deliberate, even if fictional, violation of the sacred place of the Sikh religion demeans the sacred places of every religion."
theatre said more than 800 people had to be evacuated, security guards were attacked and thousands of pounds' worth of damage was caused.
A foyer door was destroyed, windows were broken in a restaurant and demonstrators smashed equipment backstage.
A spokeswoman added: "95% of the people evacuated were families and children who had come to see our Christmas show The Witches or to attend Christmas parties in our hospitality suites."
'Respect public'
Supt Russell Smith, from West Midlands Police, said: "Our stance is to enable people to make a peaceful protest.
"But they have to respect the public and they have to respect the people who want to actually attend."
The MP for Perry Barr, Birmingham, Khalid Mahmood, said: "This whole thing is very unfortunate, particularly in a place like Birmingham, where we've enjoyed a huge amount of religious and racial integration."
[COMMENT: The integration myth continues. Talks will be held to ask an organised group of people to behave peacably in the Queen's domains!!! Or is that too much to expect, in this Brave New World? COMMENT ENDS.] [Emphasis added.] [19 December, 2004]
• Sex-abuse priest gets 93 years in jail [Bompani] - RCC. 15 boys.
Ninemsnm,