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May 28, 2004
Activists
try to meet with bishop
Abuse victim advocates try to meet with bishop
WORCESTER- Two area advocates for victims of
clergy sexual abuse yesterday unsuccessfully attempted to meet
with Bishop Robert J. McManus to discuss a new program called
"restorative justice" that they believe might help the healing
of both victims and abusers.
Mary T. Jean of Leominster, director of the Worcester Voice, and
Daniel Dick of Worcester, victim advocate for Voice of the
Faithful, went to the chancery to meet with the bishop but were
told no meeting was scheduled. Mrs. Jean said they were told by
the Rev. Rocco Piccolomini, the bishop's secretary, that Bishop
McManus was "not available to us."
Mrs. Jean and David A. Lewcon, who is active
in some area victim advocacy groups, will appear at 6 p.m. today
on Bill Coleman's "Talk of the Town" radio program on WORC-AM
(1310) that will also be available on audio stream through the
WORC Web site. They will discuss a variety of issues involving
not only their attempts to meet with the bishop but their
efforts to bring healing to victims in the Worcester Diocese.
May 25, 2004
Letter highlights new schism
Damnation jolts man 'cooperating with
evil'
Our new bishop joins the Diocese of Worcester when churches are
closing and attendance is dropping, so it only makes sense that
he comes out of the box with a stinging rebuke to gays, civil
rights advocates and one of the most respected public servants
in this city.
City Clerk David J. Rushford said he was "shaken" by the
language in a pastoral letter by Bishop Robert J. McManus and
published in last week's Catholic Free Press, in which the
bishop disputes Mr. Rushford's public remarks that allowing gays
to marry is consistent with church teachings on inclusiveness.
Much of the bishop's "pastoral note of clarification" is
boilerplate Catholic gay-bashing disguised as religion, with the
bishop calling same-sex unions a "clear and serious violation of
the law of God" and a contradiction to "the moral wisdom of
natural human reason" and yadda yadda yadda. But it's his last
paragraph that underscores the ever-growing disconnect between
pew and pulpit.
Worcester bishop shocks gays with `evil' statement
The new leader of the Catholic Diocese of
Worcester stunned gay rights supporters by writing in a church
newsletter that Catholics, especially public officials, pushing
to legalize same-sex marriage are ``in cooperation with evil.''
``Oh, my God. Wow,'' gasped Marianne Duddy-Burke of Boston
Dignity, a group of gay Catholics. ``It's an appalling statement
on so many levels. It disregards a civil servant's duty to the
entire community.''
David Lewcon to join in on "Talk of the Town" on
Friday night May 28, 2004
David Lewcon is a pioneer leader of SNAP - the Survivors
Network of Those Abuse by Priests. It is the largest network of
clergy abuse victims in the country.
He is also originator and builder of the 12-foot Cross of
Shame and Deceit which names people who are abusers, shufflers
of perpetrators of abuse or those who hinder resolving the
clergy abuse victim.
Mr. Lewcon will join Mary T. Jean, director of the Worcester
Voice, on Bill Coleman’s “Talk of the Town” radio show at 6 p.m.
Friday, May 28, on WORC (1310 AM).
Mr. Lewcon settled his case with the Worcester Diocese about
4 years ago and prevailed against his alleged abuser, Father
Thomas Teczar, in an almost 3-week-long civil trial back in
2002. He was the first of about 12 additional victims to come
forward with allegations of sexual abuse against Father Teczar.
This priest currently faces criminal charges in Texas where he
was sent in the late 1980s or early 1990s after treatment at the
House of Affirmation. He was sent to Texas because the threat of
his indiscretions with minors became too numerous in Worcester
County.
This joint collaboration is the first of many new projects
that our organizations, which are dedicated to ending the
failures of our Bishops and the sexual abuse of minors.
May 24, 2004
"Talk of the Town" Am radio talk show to address clergy abuse
crisis in Worcester.
Mary T. Jean, director of the Worcester Voice, will be live
on “Talk of the Town’’ with Bill Coleman at 6 p.m. Friday, May
28 on WORC (1310 AM) radio. Worcester Voice is an advocacy
organization that supports victims of clergy abuse.
We pray that he follows the lead of Archbishop Sean O'Malley
and replaces the diocesan
lawyers, removes the insurance company from the equation
and offers fair and adequate settlement to the victims.
Reparative justice for victims of injustice is official
Catholic teaching for the faithful and is discussed in the
Catechism of the Catholic Church, which has full approval and
was signed by Pope John Paul II.
Mrs. Jean, who is perhaps the leading authority on the clergy
abuse crisis in Worcester County, will explain some of the
long-term systematic approaches that officials from within the
Chancery of the Catholic Diocese of Worcester have
undertaken
for years to bury sexual abuse of children and teenagers by some
of its priests and church employees.
Sadly we must remind ourselves, that not one case was ever presented to law enforcement agencies
by the Catholic diocese. We have documentation that illustrates
that on at least one occasion
Auxiliary Bishop George E. Rueger
supplied information to the Diocese of Fort Worth, Texas, that
implied there was no danger if they were to take into that
diocese the Rev. Thomas Teczar of the Diocese of Worcester.
Documents show that the lawyer for the Worcester Diocese
demanded that Father Teczar not only be removed immediately from
Worcester County but that he be immediately incardinated into
the Texas diocese. The reason was because law enforcement in
Worcester County was concerned about Father Teczar’s alleged
sexual abuse of teenage boys in the Worcester Diocese.
To avoid legal problems in Worcester, Father Teczar was sent
off to Texas where he now awaits criminal charges in Texas and
is subject to a civil suit in Fort Worth regarding allegations
of sexual abuse of minors when he went there to avoid further
legal problems in Worcester.
Only recently Father Jean-Paul Gagnon was arraigned in
Uxbridge District Court on a charge of indecent assault and
battery on a person over 14. Father Gagnon was actively
supported in the court room by ladies carrying rosary beads. The
priest carried a Bible into the court room. Did he do this to
imply an association with the church which would make him seem
to be above the law? This attempt at judicial control was also
applied in the early 1980s when Father Robert Kelley was
sentenced in his original rape trial where he was sentenced and
later served six years in jail.
“Talk of the Town’’ with Bill Coleman, who once studied to be
a Catholic priest and is now a well-regarded community activist
in Worcester because of the work he does on behalf of poor
people, is a regular program designed to talk about current
issues in Central Massachusetts.
Find out what is happening. If you have something to say - be
my guest. Call 1-508-791-1310 or #1310 on your Verizon wireless
phone. Mr. Coleman has also given Mrs. Jean the opportunity to
bring an invited guest who will be presented on Friday night.
May 21, 2004
Clergy Victim request meeting with new Bishop
Mr. Skip Shea, alleged clergy abuse victim has made an attempt to meet with
Worcester Bishop Robert McManus. Mr. Shea was featured in a Worcester
telegram photo standing outside the installation of Bishop McManus on Friday
May 14, 2003. No clergy abuse victims or advocates were invited to
attend. Thursday, Mr. Shea went personally to the chancery on
Elm Street and hand delivered a letter to Bishop McManus.
May 18, 2004
Former
Millville pastor is arraigned
UXBRIDGE- The
Rev. Jean-Paul Gagnon, former pastor of St. Augustine parish
in Millville, was arraigned yesterday in District Court on one
charge of indecent assault and battery on a person over 14.
Rev. Gagnon pleaded not guilty and Judge Austin T. Philbin
continued his case until June 30, releasing him on personal
recognizance.
According to District Attorney John J. Conte, the alleged
incident occurred Oct. 11, 2002, in Sutton. The victim, who is
an adult, has not been named, but the district attorney said
he was active in St. Augustine parish. The incident on which
the charge is based occurred while Rev. Gagnon was assigned to
that parish.
The allegation was investigated by state police attached to
Mr. Conte's office and they brought the charge.
Rev. Gagnon has been placed on administrative leave by the
Diocese of Worcester and cannot serve as a priest.
A number of people from the parish, some praying with rosary
beads, packed the courtroom for the arraignment. Some said
they were there to support the priest while others were there
as interested observers from the parish.
Rev. Gagnon was represented by Edward P. Ryan Jr. of
Fitchburg. Mr. Ryan is also representing Rev. Gagnon in a
civil suit pending in Worcester Superior Court alleging he
sexually abused Timothy P. Staney, formerly of Worcester and
now a Florida resident, when Mr. Staney was a minor.
Priest pleads not guilty to
sex assault
May 17, 2004
The Rev. Jean-Paul Gagnon faces charges today.
The Rev. Jean-Paul Gagnon was arraigned today in Uxbridge
District Court on indecent assault and battery charges. His case
was continued to June 30 and he was released in personal
recognizance.
A call to Bishop
McManus to start the healing.
The Worcester Voice, an advocacy
organization to support victims of clergy sexual abuse in the
Worcester Diocese, has joined with other active community
members to heed Bishop Robert J. McManus’ call for all to join
together to bring about healing and reconciliation.
The Bishop acknowledged the hurt the
scandal in the Catholic church has caused its faithful, whether
victim or non-victim, and asked all to join him in healing the
wounds.
The bishop said during his
installation ceremony at Cathedral of St. Paul in Worcester that
people have been hurt by a betrayal of trust by some clergy and
religious leaders.
He also called for a “new
evangelization” where laity, clergy and bishops will work to
bring alienated Catholics back to the full practice of their
faith.
The Worcester Voice endorses Bishop
McManus’ call and wants to become part of the “solution’’ and
not the problem. Worcester Voice was formed about two years ago
when full impact of the clergy abuse scandal started being felt
in the Worcester Diocese. They have continually pressed for
openness by the diocese and for disclosing the full impact of
clergy sexual abuse in the diocese.
The group includes Mr. David
O’Brien, professor at College of the Holy Cross, Carmen Durso,
Esq., a plaintiff attorney, Mr. Daniel Dick, victim support
coordinator for VOTF, Mr. Ed Cronin, member of the Diocesan
Pastoral Council, Mr. David Lewcon, clergy abuse survivor, and
Mrs. Mary T. Jean, clergy abuse advocate.
They have asked Bishop McManus to
meet with them to discuss ways in which the healing can begin.
May 17, 2004 link to
complete letter.
May 15, 2004
1,000 gather in
St. Paul's Cathedral ceremony
WORCESTER-
Bishop Robert J. McManus
was installed yesterday as fifth bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of
Worcester in a ceremony filled with the time-honored rituals of the Church
of Rome and witnessed by hundreds of the faithful.
Installation
ceremony picketed by clergy sex abuse protesters
McManus to help heal
abused
May 14, 2004
Worcester Bishop Robert McManus welcomes only well wishers,
but fails to acknowledge clergy abuse victims only feet away.
Under beautiful skies and warm sunshine Bishop Robert J.
McManus, the fifth bishop of Worcester, was installed.
Mr. Richard Chesner, clergy abuse parental survivor who's son while an altar boy at Our Lady of Czestochowa
alleges to have been sexually abused by the Rev. John Szantyr,
was forced to use his vocal cords as means of communication
after receiving a citation from the Worcester Police Department
for using his bullhorn to express his dismay with the actions
from with in the Worcester diocese towards their handing of
clergy abusive priests.
Mr. Chesner's voice clearly projected the pain and anguish
felt by those victimized and again re-victimized by a judicial
system that failed to act and bishops who as of yet have failed
to find the courage to end the nightmare.
Upon arrival to St Paul's Cathedral, Bishop designate
McManus, having been driven to the front of cathedral, came
joyfully over to the only people to show up and publicly welcome
his arrival.
One clergy abuse victim, Skip Shea who held a sign "will you
listen" was not greeted by Bishop McManus though he stood only
feet away from the young child who had been holding a sign
stating "welcoming Bishop McManus" to the diocese.
 The
"cross of shame" lists all those who have been known to abuse
children from within the Worcester diocese. Additionally,
District Attorney John Conte, who having been in elected office
for twenty-four years, tops the cross for allowing and denying
clergy sexual abuse for years judicially.
THE CROSS OF SHAME TO BE DISPLAYED AT TODAY'S INSTALLATION
Today at St Paul's Cathedral both the Providence RI and
Worcester Dioceses "Cross of Shame" will be displayed at the
installation of Bishop Robert J. McManus.
Arrival will be at 1PM all those planning on attending are urged
to park in the garage immediately located past the Cathedral.
The Cathedral is on
the corner of High and Chatham Street right off of Main Street
in downtown Worcester.
May 13, 2004
Catholic bishops, panel at odds over future audits
MORRIS PLAINS, N.J.-
A key panel of lay
Roman Catholics is angrily accusing American bishops of
backsliding on a central plank of their reform program aimed at
stopping clergy sexual abuse.
"There can be no more foot-dragging by the hierarchy," Anne
Burke, interim chairwoman of the review board, said Tuesday
night at an appearance in northern New Jersey. The first leader
of the board, former Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating, quit last year
after he also accused some bishops of being obstructionists.
May 12, 2004
Victims to ignore
installation, take their message to airwaves
WORCESTER-
Area victims
of clergy sexual abuse have decided not to demonstrate at the
installation of Bishop Robert J. McManus Friday, but they will
air a series of informational spots beginning today on WCTR-TV,
Channel 3.
Area victims decided they did not want to be "baited to stand
out front of the cathedral with our signs and crosses. The best
way to recognize the installation of this new bishop is to
ignore him," said David L. Lewcon, who helped produce the spots.
May 11, 2004
Catholics hope new bishop confronts area's issues
WORCESTER- The Diocese of Worcester faces
many challenges in the early years of the 21st century, and area
Catholics say that with a new bishop about to be installed, it
is time to make some changes.
Philip Lawler of Lancaster, who operates a subscription Web
site, Catholic World News, said the key test of Bishop McManus'
leadership "will center on his willingness to confront those
challenges directly.
"Business as usual will not work. It fact, it hasn't been
working for years. Everyone knows that, and not many people
admit it," he said.
"Cooperation and shared responsibility are not options but
requirements as our diocese finally faces the fact of shrinking
human and material resources at a time when its social
ministries and public voice is more important than ever," said
David O'Brien, a professor at the College of the Holy Cross.
May 11, 2004
Diocese is told to give lawyer data on priests
WORCESTER- Judge Jeffrey A. Locke has
ordered the Diocese of Worcester and its lawyers to turn over
information on all Roman Catholic priests accused of sexual
abuse during the years 1970 to 1985.
The judge said that lawyer Daniel J. Shea "demonstrated the
relevance" of the information he requested and is entitled to
know how each case was handled.
On the other hand, Judge Locke said there were "significant
privacy issues" about priests not associated with this
particular lawsuit and suggested the "likelihood that
ecclesiastical issues, ordinarily outside the scope of
appropriate inquiry by the state, may be intertwined with
matters of personnel supervision and assignment."
May 8, 2004
Donation spurs
ethics complaint
Conte's gift to church questioned
WORCESTER- Mary T. Jean of the Worcester
Voice said she has filed a complaint with the state Ethics
Commission against District Attorney John J. Conte after he gave
a $500 contribution from campaign funds to the Bishop's Fund of
the Diocese of Worcester.
Mr. Conte took strong exception to Mrs.
Jean's complaint and said he has been giving to the Bishop's
Fund for more than 35 years. (he has been
in office 27 years)
"The goals of this charity are consistent with the mission of
the district attorney's office to improve the quality of life
for all of our citizens," he said.
Voice note: Mr. Conte
and Bishop Daniel P. Reilly have the same mission? Bishop
Reilly in 2002 was still
disseminating false
information
on the sexual abuse history of Priest, and
leaving identified abusers in pastoral assignment. Most
notable Rev. Gerald Walsh Massachusetts State Police Chaplin,
remained in service four years after the initial sexual abuse
report. Only when the victim obtained a letter was Rev Walsh
removed.
He
told the Herald that Rev. Walsh admitted to the abuse in a
letter he signed last Friday. Mr. Bedard said Rev. Walsh showed
him a sexually explicit picture, gave him alcoholic beverages to
drink and touched his genitals on more than one occasion while
they were involved in what he called ``friendly wrestling.''
Raymond L. Delisle, spokesman for the diocese, said Mr.
Bedard made an allegation in 1998 that was investigated by the
diocese. Rev. Walsh ``vehemently denied'' the allegation at that
time, he said. ``It became a he said versus he said situation,''
Mr. Delisle said. The diocese did not have enough information to
warrant removing Rev. Walsh at that time, he said.
This letter was faxed
without the victims permission directly to the chancery and not
held by DA Conte for criminal investigation of the Worcester
dioceses.
Complaint issued to Massachusetts
State Ethic Commission for campaign fund donations to Worcester
dioceses Bishop fund.
Dear Sir,
Please be advised I wish to make a
complaint with the Board of Ethics in reference to campaign fund
donations distributed to the Roman Catholic Church, Diocese of
Worcester by Middle District Attorney John J. Conte.
It is our belief that under Massachusetts general law charter
268A section 23 (3) no elected official should act in a manner
which would cause a reasonable person, having knowledge of the
relevant circumstances, to conclude that any person can
improperly influence or unduly enjoy his favor in the
performance of his official duties, or that he is likely to act
or fail to act as a result of kinship, rank, position or undue
influence of any party or person.
District Attorney Conte is the only district attorney in
Massachusetts to donate campaign funds directly to the Catholic
Church.
see complete complaint on link provided.
site
May 7, 2004
A letter from Rev. Donald C.
Ouellette
Superior Court Judge Peter Agnes on
Feb. 24 ordered Ouellette to write a letter explaining where the
stolen money went prior to the priest's sentencing Wednesday.
May 5, 2004
While serving as Pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish in
Fitchburg, I wrote checks to myself. These checks were all from
Immaculate Conception Parish accounts. The total sum was
$252,000.00.
All the checks were payable to me and were cashed by me. I
gave this money to Daniel St. Francis of Whitinsville as
directed by him.
I apologize to the parishioners of Immaculate Conception
Parish whose trust in me I have destroyed. I apologize to the
Bishop, diocesan community, the public at large and to all
others whose lives have been affected.
I have taken out a life insurance policy for two hundred
fifty thousand dollars ($250,000.00) to repay the monies.
Sincerely,
Rev. Donald C. Ouellette
May 6, 2004
5 years for priest in theft
Fitchburg pastor looted $250,000
Worcester- A priest who stole more than $250,000 from a
Fitchburg church was sentenced to five years in jail yesterday
by a judge who said he doubted the former pastor's explanation
of what he did with the money.
Through his lawyer, Michael P. McEvilly, Rev.
Ouellete told the court yesterday he gave all of the money to an
acquaintance, Daniel St. Francis of Whitinsville. Mr. McEvilly
said Rev. Ouellette told him Mr. St. Francis, a former altar boy
at St. Patrick's Church in Whitinsville, where the priest was
once assigned, contacted him at various times and told him he
needed money for outstanding medical bills, child-support
obligations, rent payments, school loans, tax liens and legal
fees.
Mr. McEvilly said Rev. Ouellette told him he gave Mr. St.
Francis the money with the understanding that Mr. St. Francis
intended to pay it back. According to Rev. Ouellette, Mr. St.
Francis indicated at different times that he would be able to
repay the money either through a $300,000 inheritance or a court
settlement in a like amount.
May 5, 2004
Reverend Donald Ouellette to serve five years in jail
Reverend Donald Ouellette, former pastor of the Church the
Immaculate Conception in Fitchburg, was sentenced today by
Superior Court Judge Peter Agnes.
He received three two-and-a-half-year sentences and must serve
five years. The rest of the sentence was suspended but he must
served 10 years probation upon release from prison.
Judge Agnes, who requested that Father Ouellette record how he
spent the missing $250,000, appeared unsatisfied with Father
Ouellette's declaration that he had given the money to a person
identified as Daniel St. Francis of Whitinsville. Family and
friends of Father Ouellette attended the sentencing hearing to
support him.
Father Ouellette was charged several months ago with stealing
$250,000 from the parish funds at Immaculate Conception.
May 4, 2004
DA's donations to diocese angers advocates of sex abuse victims
Associated Press Writer
Springfield-Mass
Worcester County District Attorney John Conte, who is
investigating allegations of clergy sexual abuse within the
Worcester Diocese, donated $500 to the church last month from
his campaign fund.
"It's a definite conflict of interest as far as I'm concerned,"
said Bryan Smith, coordinator of the Worcester area chapter of
the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. "Conte says
he's trying to do a fair investigation, but he's obviously way
too comfortable with the diocese."
"There is an appearance that he's taking sides, and that's a
problem," said Pam Wilmot, executive director of Common Cause
Massachusetts
Herald-Tribune newspaper and SNN Channel 6 © Sarasota
Herald-Tribune. Florida
District Attorney John J. Conte again gives campaign money to
the Catholic church.
District Attorney John Conte, who only recently declared the
Diocese of Worcester was a mere witness to the world-wide clergy
sexual abuse scandal, has given a donation to the Bishop’s Fund
from his campaign donations.
Which way will the district attorney have it? Will he
continue to give his campaign money to the Catholic church at a
time when he should be investigating their role in covering up
the molestation and rape of children and teenagers? Or will he
do the right thing and investigate the Diocese’s role in the
scandal? Other district attorneys in the United States have
convened grand juries to investigate the church and they have
concluded the church was more than a mere witness. Their
conclusion is the church was an active participant.
Mr. Conte’s campaign committee on May 3, 2004 electronically
posted his CPF D 105 106 (expenditures) for the period of April
1 to April 30, 2004. His beginning balance was listed as
$140,337.56 with an ending balance of $158,307.80. District
Attorney Conte once again provided a
check for $500 to the Bishop’s
Fund. His campaign committee listed it as being for the
Bishop’s Fund, 49 Elm St., Worcester, MA.
site
Clergy
abuse scandal turns to rackets law
Bennett should accept an offer from the federal prosecutor's
office in Springfield to assist in the investigation,
particularly because the county prosecutor's office did not
exactly distinguish itself in handling the investigation of
Lavigne.
Now is a good time to ask: How did the legal system allow
this to go on for so long?
See complete article on link
May 2, 2004
Diocesan lawyer is denied access to personal computer
information
Wednesday, April 28th tracking informing displayed, Griffin
and Goulka law office had visited WorcesterVoice.com web site within hour of
Worcester superior court hearing conclusion.
Attorney Joanne Goulka, a lawyer who represents the Diocese
of Worcester in various lawsuits alleging clergy sexual abuse,
in an unprecedented and stunning move attempted unsuccessfully
last week to get the names, addresses, links and cookies of
everyone who had clicked on to a web site at
www.timstaney.net.
.....
The judge denied lawyer Goulka’s request and said she could
not have the personal information of those who had looked at Tim
Staney’s site. Ms. Goulka told the judge she was concerned that
potential jurors had read the report on Mr. Staney’s site. The
judge said any trial in this case was further down the road and
he did not see where this would be a factor...
Judge Locke, presiding justice over all civil cases in
relation to suits pending against the Roman Catholic Diocese of
Worcester, took little time to recognize as he stated "serious
first amendment considerations as to the right of access" on
requests 2 ,3, and 4. Ms Goulka was clearly informed that these
actions were denied by the court.
See complete article on link
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