Adventures in Irish Radio (Or how I became a talking head, almost…)

On Thanksgiving evening, full of turkey and stuffing, I sat down at my computer and found an email from a producer of a news show on NewsTalk-Ireland’s National Independent Talk Broadcaster.  They wanted to talk to me! I found the invitation intriguing for a number of reasons. First I am just a survivor blogging on the ongoing idiocy from the Catholic Hierarchy in dealing with the sexual abuse scandal that has rocked the church. Secondly, I have never been a talking head, so this invitation was somewhat unexpected and a little intimidating. Finally, the vast majority of Americans trace their roots from other continents. I am of Irish decent. Don’t let my surname fool you, I come from a line of Kelly’s and O’Connell’s. It was pretty amazing to get emails and phone calls from Ireland that culminated in an appearance on the radio waves in Dublin.

Earlier in the week the “Murphy Report” had been released and the media in Ireland, as well as internationally, was buzzing about information contained in the report. The report focuses on the priests who abused children, the bishops that protected them and the failure of civil authorities to investigate and prosecute pedophiles.   The Gardai (the Irish National Police) take a beating in the report because, over and over again, they deferred to the church to deal with the problem of priests who committed these crimes. The report is horrific, but not all that surprising. After reading the document I am convinced that you could take the City of Dublin out of the document and insert the name of any diocese and have the finding still ring true.

The name of the radio show that offered the invitation is “The Wide Angle” hosted by Karen Coleman. It goes on the air in Dublin at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings. The broadcast runs for three hours. Ireland is 5 hours ahead of the East Coast of the United States. The producer told me to expect a call early Sunday morning, the segment that I was going to be a part of was the second hour of the broadcast. The other guests on the program were Marie Collins, a survivor of abuse as a child and Father Tom Doyle.

So how did I end up on the guest list? As far as I can tell, the answer is Google. I saw a lot of search engine hits on my blog related to Father Doyle and the reports in Ireland. I am assuming the producers stumbled on me while researching the topic for the show. I have never been interviewed on the radio on this topic and I was a little apprehensive. I had started reading the Murphy report but lets face it, it was Thanksgiving weekend, I knew I was not going to get through the 700+ pages in a couple of days. I was a little nervous about what I was going to say and hoping i would not sound like an idiot.

The reality of my appearance on The Wide Angle was much different from what I had prepared for. Despite powering through Section I of the Murphy Report (about 170 pages), preparing talking points and discussing strategy with my wife while running errands I was unprepared for my moment, when it came.

The host, Karen Coleman, started the 11 o’clock hour (Dublin time) by giving an overview of the Murphy Report and interviewing Marie Collins. Ms. Collins was molested by a priest while in a hospital as a child in the ’60’s. I listened intently as she discussed the report with the host and related her own heartbreaking experience as a child. Next up was Father Thomas Doyle. Father Doyle is completely woven into the fabric of the survivors’ movement and has paid a personal price for his efforts on behalf of victims of abuse at the hands of clergy. Listening to him discussing the report and answering questions from an American perspective was like hearing the reassuring voice of reason. The clock was running during the conversation. I was so wrapped up in the broadcast that I almost forgot I was on hold, listening to all of this on my phone as the first light of day was coming over southern Virginia.

There were less 10 minutes left in the broadcast when the phone clicked and Karen came to ask me a question. I was almost startled to become part of the conversation to which I had been so intently listening. I had all my talking points and my blog open on my laptop. I wanted to say something that was not a reiteration of the other guests’ comments. I think I wanted to emphasize that the sexual abuse of children is not a thing of the past, that there are still children and vulnerable adults out there who were in danger. There are still predators out there that posed a real threat and there were bishops enabling these monsters by protecting them in order to avoid scandal. The news blogs are refreshed, on a daily basis, with stories of priests who are being arrested or investigated. I also pointed out that there have been cases in the U.S. of police and members of the judiciary that have deferred to the church to handle sexual abuse cases that should have been adjudicated in the courts. These people failed victims as badly as the church had done.

And then it was over. Karen told me that someone would get back to me and bring me on a later show. I really don’t expect that to happen, although they were kind to offer. It was worth it to be on the line to listen to the conversation moving forward.

I want to thank Shona Murray, Eoghan McLaughlin, and Karen Coleman from “The Wide Angle” for including me in the conversation. I really did enjoy the experience. The show’s website has links to podcasts of previous broadcasts available. I am not sure when the podcast for the 29 November 2009 broadcast will be available to download. I plan on monitoring the website so I will let you know when it is available. I will also get my talking points cleaned up and post them with a link to the Murphy Report.

Letters, we get letters…

By Michael Baumann

I get some really interesting comments and mail at times.  Some of my posts have elicited some very insightful comments others have brought out the kind of venom that rely makes me wonder about the smallness of the writer.  One such writer has been trying to get my ire up over the case of Father Gabriel Tetherow, a priest who pleaded out to charges related to child pornography on church computers at Saint Ann’s Parish in the Diocese of Scranton.  That priest, forbidden by the Diocese of Scranton to wear clerical garb or conduct himself in public as a priest, is now affiliated with the Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Mission in York, Pennsylvania.  The Diocese of Harrisburg  dos not recognize  that “Mission”.  Saints Peter and Paul is a throw back to the  pre-Vatican II Roman Catholic Church.

I have had two posts in this blog about Father Tetherow and this “Mission” and I have had some very volatile responses to my blog as a result.  The author of most of the negative comments was a person who goes by the name “D.W. Downey”. He has been particularly vocal in his support for Father Tetherow.  So vocal in his support for this priest with a penchant for child porn, that he decided to take the tact of calling victims of sexual abuse for inviting the attacks.  This individual claimed to be a former “Flight Officer” in the Navy.  I must say up front that in my 23+ years of Naval service I became very familiar with the unique language used by those who served, and this individual was not using the vernacular of someone who served honorably, in any capacity, in the U.S. Navy. Hey D.W., I’ll show you my DD214 if you produce yours!

The email this individual wrote was pretty pathetic.  I would imagine that the narrow-minded, inappropriate and uninformed comments are not the norm for Catholics as a rule.  But I think the comments he made are not far off from the thought process of those who apologize for and support those priests that have been exposed as dangers to children.  These apologists for pedophile priests are so intently focused on blaming everyone else for the crimes of these priests and attacks on the “mother church” that they will say anything to try to bring the critics of the Catholic Church’s handling of the child sex abuse scandal into a pitched battle of personal attacks. The writer obviously blames me for my complicity in being raped by a priest (see the text of his latest email below).

I thought I would pass along “D.W Downey’s” latest email gem as an example of the idiocy of those who will go to any length to try to discredit survivors and critics of the church.   You can draw your own conclusion from “D.W.’s” latest epistle to this blog.  Here it is:

“You have to examine your own conscience.  The fact of the matter is the great majority of those being abused by the homosexuals who have invaded the Catholic Church since the 1960s have a degree of moral guilt for their participation in these perversions.  The adult perverts have the greater sin but their “victims” are not altogether free from any moral responsibility. They are old enough to recognize the near occasion of sin and remove themselves from it.

The Catholic Church is a greater victim from these homosexual predators than most of the young men who are publicly airing their stories. Possessing no faith, they have lied themselves into seminaries and religious orders for no other purpose than to use the cover of the Catholic Church for their own immoral ends.  They have established networks throughout religious orders and diocesan bureaucratic structures that actively provide cover for their own.

You have, without sufficient evidence, made assumptions and accusations based upon those assumptions against Fr. Tetherow, that you have no right to do.  And I think very little of for doing it. Your analysis is superficial, immature and self-serving.

Downey”

downey789@yahoo.com

I won’t spend a lot of time responding to this email.  For one, the writer has most of his “facts” wrong.  Secondly, I suspect that “D.W. Downey” is a pen name for someone who does not want to sign their real name to their work.  Finally, I think this individual has so fully convinced him/herself that Father Tetherow is innocent, despite his guilty plea, that anyone who says otherwise (no matter what the evidence says) is following a strategy of personal attack. The truth be damned.

I believe “D.W. Downey” is a homophobic Catholic ideologue.  He also seems to infer that all of the problems in the church were spawned by Vatican II. If you follow this logic, you would think there were no instances of sexual abuse of children before the early 1960’s. Of course that abuse is well documented. If this is reflective of the opinion of parishioners at the “Mission” that harbors Gabriel Tetherow I fear for the safety of the innocent children who are members of the mission or live the area of York where this group of breakaway Catholics gather. Perhaps the local authorities should keep a close eye on this flock and their “shepherd”.

Something good has become of all this, though.  A photograph of Father Gabriel from the internet has been included in Database of Credibly Accused Preists in the United States at the Bishop Accountability website along with information on his assignements and the crimes he was charged with as a result of his activities.

Abuse is Abuse

I have been in Houston all week for a work related training seminar.  As a result I have been off the radar and not posting on this blog.  But tonight, the perfect combination of a stable internet connection at the hotel (who knows how long that will last), prediction of rain and no “homework” from the seminar this evening has allowed me to catch up on the blogs I normally review regularly.  One article caught my eye in particular.

A group in the Washington DC area has started a website that is dedicated to “outing” gay Catholic Priests. The site, ChurchOuting.org states that the “site was created to provide you with the opportunity to save LGBT youth from the hypocrisy of priests in the Archdiocese of Washington who are socially, romantically or sexually active gay men, yet stand silent while Archbishop Wuerl and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops increase their dogmatic war against gay families.”

I fully support any effort to arrest the abuse of anyone by the hierarchy of the Catholic Church.  Hypocrisy in the church,  in whatever form it takes, should be exposed.  I think that the Bishops should be held accountable for their actions and for the actions of those who do their bidding.  I also think that Bishops are fair game if they are demanding a certain behavior of their parishioners and are not applying that same standard to themselves or their subordinates.   I am not fully on board with the idea of outing priests (gay or not) who are faithfully and compassionately ministering to members of their parishes,  no matter what their sexual preferences of those parishioners may be.  To do so would be the equivalent of inflicting the same emotional, spiritual and physical abuse meted out by the hierarchy of the Catholic Church.  I don’t see this as holding the high ground.

I am left looking at the hierarchy of the Catholic church and seeing just how intellectually and spiritually bankrupt they are.  Compassion and ministry have gone by the wayside.  The church, seems so lost and unwilling to embrace the theology which they purport to preach.  The targeting of homosexuals by the church is an abomination.  For these “men”, these bishops to sit in judgement of anyone is beyond reason.  I wonder how many bishops sitting in the  meeting in Baltimore earlier this week are gay. Should that even matter?   Whether they are sexually active or celibate, they should focus on their Christ’s message of love and acceptance instead of embracing a policy of intolerance and targeting a segment of their parishioners.

These are the same men who allowed pedophiles to prey on children and protected those predators from prosecution.  This is the same church that blamed the pedophile problem on gay priests.  These are men who have lost touch with the basic tenants of their own religion and lost their humanity because they have been seduced by the trappings and treasure that come with position and favor.

The Catholic church is on a course charted to its own demise.   The spiral will continue as long as these old men are blind to the needs of their flocks.  As long as parishioners support these Dioceses that embrace the targeting of any group, the active persecution of those who do not curry favor with the hierarchy will continue.

Is the solution the outing of gay priests?  I don’t know. I am thinking that will make headlines, but it will not make headway.  Casting that net will catch innocent priests along with those who truly are hypocrites.  I am not sure the collateral damage is worth it.   I recommend that parishioner let their pastors know where they stand by cutting off the flow of money into collection plates and saying “No” to the annual donation drives sponsored by the various diocese across the country.  Cut off the money and the head will die.

Abuse is abuse and there should be no room for church sponsored bigotry in any Christian denomination.

“Father” Gabriel Tetherow – “Ultimate Service Provider!”

By Michael Baumann

An astute reader of this blog provided a website that has a photo of Father Tetherow. While Tetherow is prohibited from presenting himself as a Catholic Priest, he is doing just that. He is also listed as an “Ultimate Service Provider Priest” on Dave Romeo’s Ultimate Service Providers Referral List. I did a screen grab of the site to make sure I had it just in case it somehow changed in the next couple of days. You know how frequently web pages are adjusted after all.

Convicted Priest operating in a Latin Rite "Mission" in York, PA

So here he is folks, Father Gabriel, A.K.A Father Virgil Bradley Tetherow, formerly a priest in the Diocese of Scranton.  Father Gabriel pleaded guilty in a case where child pornography was found on church computers at St Ann’s Church in Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania.  As a result of an investigation into the incident, Father Gabriel pleaded out to lesser charges and received two years probation.  His case is allegedly now with the Vatican to determine his status as a Roman Catholic Priest.  Although he has been prohibited from wearing clerical garments and acting as a priest, “Father” Gabriel is now ministering at Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Mission. This Catholic Mission is a schismatic church in York, Pennsylvania operating without the approval of the Diocese of Harrisburg.

To quote the write up for “Father Gabriel” on the Ultimate Service Providers website:

Father Gabriel Tetherow

Priest

Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Mission
129 South Beaver Street
York, PA 17401
Phone: (717) 309-8866
Web: SaintsPeterandPaulRMC@suscom.net
Email: posenti3@yahoo.com

Specialty Providing the Traditional Latin Rite Mass to the Diocese of Harrisburg

Dave’s Comments: I first met Father Tetherow in 2006. He is a warm, compassionate, and approachable priest who immediately connects with people. He is extremely devout and knowledgeable in his faith and he is one of the finest speakers I have ever heard. His sermons are meaningful, inspirational and unforgetable.

I bet Dave would not be so effusive in his praise of this “priest” if he was aware of Father Gabriel’s appreciation for photos of children in various stages of undress and in sexual situations which are most inappropriate for children.

Perhaps we should let Dave Romeo know that many of us are not pleased with a priest who engaged in the types of behaviors let led to his entering a guilty plea in court.  We are also not pleased that this man is conducting himself as a priest in open defiance of an order by the Bishop of Scranton to cease doing so.

Send Dave Romeo an email and let him know what you think about Father Tetherow.

Thanks to NEPA Catholic for the tip on the photo and the web location for  “Ultimate Provider” Tetherow.  Lets keep the spotlight squarely on this threat to children in the York, Pennsylvania area.

More information on Father Tetherow and his troubles at St Ann’s can be found at:

Scranton Times-Tribune article from February 12, 2005
Star-Ledger article from March 18,2005
Scranton Times-Tribune article from March 18, 2005

The friend of my enemy is my enemy…

By Michael Baumann

I received a comment to an older post about a week ago that had me a little baffled at first.  The comment was from a “D. W. Downey” and it was intended to get me to wonder if  Father Virgil Bradley Tetherow, formerly a priest in the Diocese of Scranton, was framed by Bishop Martino.   It seems that Father Tetherow, who was ordered to refrain from acting as or presenting himself as a Catholic priest, has joined a “Catholic Mission” located within the Diocese of Harrisburg that is not recognized by that diocese. Father Tetherow is now at Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Mission.   This is now a case of a rogue priest that has found sanctuary and acceptance in a rogue church.

To get you up to speed, Father Tetherow, who also goes by the name Father Gabriel, pleaded out to charges after child pornography was found on a computer he used. To quote from the database of accused priests in the Diocese of Scranton from Bishop Accountability:

Also known as “Father Gabriel.” Tetherow admitted in 2005 that he downloaded child porn while working at St. Ann’s Catholic Church rectory in Tobyhanna, Pa. in 01/05. He was arrested in West Orange NJ while staying at St. Anthony of Padua. Pleaded guilty to one charge of criminal use of a communication facility and was sentenced to two years probation. Case sent to Vatican for review. Privileges were removed when he was found celebrating mass in PA.

Note I said he pleaded guilty.  That will be important in a moment.

The church in which he is now masquerading as a “holy man”, priest, shepherd, spiritual leader is mounting what looks to be a public relations campaign to rewrite Father Gabriel’s past. The Chairman of the church, Dr David M. Drew, O.D, has “looked into the 2005 police charges and found them meritless”. I wonder what kind of investigative credentials Dr. Drew possesses? His findings  seem to be in direct contrast to the facts. I guess when you are the lay leader of a schismatic church you take what you can get when you are shopping for a priest. I wonder what the job requirements may be for this position. It seems that someone who pleaded guilty to a felony in connection to having downloaded child pornography is not disqualified. As long as the incumbent priest will stand in front of Planned Parenthood in full clerical garb, in direct defiance of an order from the Roman Catholic Church, actively intimidating, threatening and insulting the staff, volunteers and people coming to that office, the “Catholic Mission” thinks this “man” is qualified for the job.

While Planned Parenthood is not my favorite organization, I think that one can arrive at the conclusion that a priest with a criminal history that involves child pornography would be the least credible protest leader against abortion. One could make the leap that he supports saving those children so that fresh images of little boys could be available in 5 to 10 years for his perverse pleasure.

One may question the leadership of this church/cult in selecting this particular low-life as their priest. I, personally, would seriously question the judgment of Dr. Drew for choosing and defending a convicted felon. If the good doctor has children, I would be especially worried that he may have his head up his ass in standing by Father Gabriel. I wonder if the administration at Hanover Hospital would have some concerns about one of the doctors who has privileges at their hospital supporting a priest with a taste for child pornography? That kind of indirect  association can’t be good for the reputation of the hospital. I am very happy that I do not live in the area where this guy practices medicine, I would definitely not want to  seek any medical care from any organization that is comfortable with a person  like this on the staff.

As I see it, the friend of my enemy is my enemy. Anyone that stands by a priest who, by his own admission, stands convicted in relation to crimes involving child pornography and allows him a position of trust with access to children is my enemy.  They are the enemy of children and of decency.  Despite what Dr. Drew and his followers at the rogue “Catholic Mission” may say, Tetherow pleaded guilty.  If he was not guilty, he should have fought the charges and sought to have his name cleared.   As much as I dislike the Diocese of Scranton, the actions of Bishop Martino and those who protect pedophiles, I loathe anyone that would consider allowing access to children to a subscriber of child pornography.

Any organization, Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Mission for example, that accepts this predator and reasons away his criminal behavior as being “without merit” poses a great danger to children.  If you are a member of this congregation/cult you may want to consider joining another congregation/cult that, at a minimum, does not choose a felon with a penchant for child pornography as their spiritual leader.

I find Dr. Drew’s findings “without merit”.  I find the total dismissal of facts to be a clear and present danger to children who live near the church in York, Pennsylvania.  It is just a matter of time!  Which one of the parishioners will sacrifice a child to Tetherow?

If you have a photograph of Father Tetherow, please send it along to me.  I will be happy to get his mug out for the world to see and I would love to get it up on Bishop Accountability so that he can be identified and avoided by the people of York.

More information on Father Tetherow and his troubles at St Ann’s can be found at:

Scranton Times-Tribune article from February 12, 2005
Star-Ledger article from March 18,2005
Scranton Times-Tribune article from March 18, 2005

It keeps happening in the Diocese of Scranton

An email from a reader alerted me to yet another priest that has been relieved of duties in a parish in the Diocese of Scranton. In a report from the Times Leader, a priest was removed after he attempted to project an informational DVD about the annual diocesan fundraiser on October 25th. Allegedly four photographs of “minimally attired adult males” were displayed.  Bill Genello,   spin master for the Diocese of Scranton, announced that the photos were not pornographic.  Well thank goodness for that!

Father Edward Lyman was removed as administrator of St. Anthony, St. Bridget and St. John the Baptist parishes in Throop, Pennsylvania. The current whereabouts of Father Lyman are unknown.

At some point the parishioners of the Diocese of Scranton need to start demanding accountability from the Diocese. I don’t know what the last straw will be. These people have rallied behind priests that have abused, molested and raped children. They have supported priests with child pornography on church computers and they have tolerated priests that have had inappropriate relationships with adult parishioners. What does it take? I am at a loss.

I would love to see an independent investigation into the Diocese and their policies to determine if the parishioners, particularly the children are safe. The diocese will not take responsible action. It seems that bishop after bishop has failed to take proactive steps to set standards and turn over priests who have violated the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the United States to appropriate authorities.

Local District Attorneys and the U.S. Attorney should look into the continuing saga of sexual crimes against both children and vulnerable adults, fraud and conspiracy to obstruct justice on the part of the Chancery, all the way to the office of the Bishop. (I know the Diocese of Scranton is currently without their own shepherd, I could argue that has been the case for decades…)

I would hope that law enforcement officials got a look at the laptop to determine if child pornography laws were broken before the IT gurus wiped all the evidence from the hard drive. Given the chance, I have no doubt that the diocese will destroy evidence to protect itself.

Where ever Father Lyman is, I hope he has been questioned thoroughly by law enforcement. If no crimes have been committed, I would hope the Diocese takes the appropriate sanctions against this priest if he has violated Diocesan rules. What will probably happen is that this guy will get shuffled to the next unsuspecting parish.

I wonder if Father Lyman is bunking in with Father Timchak, they seem to have a common interest in photography.

Bishop “Nicky the Don” DiMarzio of Brooklyn

By:  Michael Baumann

Bishop “Nicky the Don” DiMarzio, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Brooklyn, New York is staying true to his support of those things that are neither Catholic nor Christian.  The New Jersey transplant and “wannabe mobster”,  has decided to record a political phone message in support of Assemblyman Vito Lopes who is in the midst of a tough reelection campaign. Taking a strong political stand and putting the tax exempt position of his Diocese at risk, the Bishop is supporting a proponent of many issues that are  in direct opposition to Catholic positions.

“Nicky the Don” is openly supporting the Assemblyman Lopez who was instrumental in defeating an attempt in the New York State legislature to pass window legislation that would allow adult victims of sexual abuse as children to seek a civil remedy for the crimes committed against them.  The Bishop, obviously a great man of god, opposed the bill because the Diocese is potentially still harboring pedophile priests who preyed on children and would have faced law suits for protecting the predators instead of handing them over to authorities. This is all a matter of political payback.

Nicky has decided to prostitute himself by supporting Vito Lopez.  Mr. Lopez has championed the rights of gay couples to marry and supported the liberalization of abortion laws in New York State.  Both of these issues are obviously high on the list of issues that the patriarch of the Catholic Church in Brooklyn embraces even though they are not supported, as a rule, by the Catholic Church.   It must be nice for the Bishop to be able to pick and choose which moral issues he can embrace and which ones he can cast aside as politically inconvenient.

“Nicky the Don” is showing his true colors as a bishop who would subjugate the official policies of the Catholic Church to his own political agenda.  That agenda is focused on making sure that justice is denied to people who were abused (sexually, physically, and mentally) at the hands of Catholic priests over the years.  He is showing just how beholden he is to those that supported his desire to derail justice to victims of priests by supporting the same legislators who support killing the unborn and permitting same-sex marriage.

Bishop DiMarzio shows a moral and ethical defect in supporting a man who champions patently un-Catholic and un-Christian policies.  Yes, the Bishop is comfortably in bed with the devil so he can have his cake and make his flock choke on it.

All of this is more proof that this worm of a cleric is nothing more than a New Jersey carpet bagging hood who is more interested in his own personal advancement than standing up and supporting the bedrock issues upon which the church is built.  What a great example he sets!   In effect, he is telling his flock in Brooklyn that his example is one of religious bankruptcy and personal vanity.

This from the same Catholic leader who threatened to shut down the parishes and schools in districts where support for the New York Child Victims Act and opposition to abortion and gay marriage are hallmarks of the Catholic populace.   Do you need more proof that this is yet another example of a spiritually deficient Catholic leader?

I guess for Bishop DiMarzio the initials “WWJD?” stand for “Who Wants Jelly Donuts?”  He doesn’t seem to know or care how his “savior” would want him to lead his flock.  He is just another morally and ethically corrupt hack.

Support the New York Child Victims Act.  Sign the petition here.

Innocent until proven guilty…

It is already beginning.  The troops are rallying around the disgraced priest.  If you read the online reports of the arraignment of Father Bob Timchak in the various news outlets you will find comments by people weighing in on both sides of this issue.  Parishioners and former students are expressing shock and disbelief.  Some are even rallying around him.  Many are questioning their faith and wondering how a man who has been so outspoken on issues important to his parishioners could fall from grace in this manner.  They lament that he was so involved with children in the respective parishes and schools he has been affiliated with over the years and they can’t reconcile the man and the crime with which he is accused.  And yet this “good, kind man” now stands accused of possessing child pornography and tampering with evidence.   Not very priestly activity when you think about it.

Watching news reports online, I am amazed at both the support for Father Timchak and the lack of concern for victims.  Yes, the kids in those photos are victims.  A state trooper interviewed for one Scranton TV news report lamented that this case will make it more difficult for other priests in the diocese.  Excuse me?  You are worried about the other priests?  Where is the concern for the kids in the photos?  Some of them could be from parishes or schools where this man worked.  At a minimum, these photos need to be reviewed by the organizations that search for lost and exploited children.   They are living (I hope), breathing people who need protection from the filth that exploits them.    Not just the people with the cameras and websites, but from the people who get off on  photos of children.

There has been some outrage in the comment sections of online reports, I added my own comments in some cases.  But I am also seeing commenters and at least one columnist who seem to be rallying to the defense of this man.  I get it, really I do.  Innocent until proven guilty.  But that only goes to a point.  When faced with a lot of evidence, Catholics still tend to go with the disbelief option and explain away the truth in front of them.  The indoctrination of the church manifests itself in support for people who engage in horrible behavior.   Love the sinner not the sin.  Platitudes run amok in cases of clergy sex crimes.

I am a firm believer in the concept of innocent until proven guilty.  Father Bob needs to be presented with the evidence against him and make a decision.   I am sure he has gone to his confessor and received absolution.  You know how priests take care of their own.  Part of that absolution should be to atone for his sins and take his punishment.  That, after all, is part of Catholic tradition.  You are told to take responsibility for your actions and do the right thing.  Alas, what your are taught and what the priests do is often a contradiction.

If the evidence against him is irrefutable shouldn’t part of his penance be to stand up and enter a guilty plea?

Here is what I would like to see.  I would like to see him enter a plea of not guilty.  I would like the Pennsylvania state courts to issue search warrants  to allow the police to search the Diocese of Scranton for evidence in this and other cases of sexual crimes that the Diocese helped to suppress.  I would like to see the Pike County District attorney issue subpoenas for Father Bob’s records.  I would like the Diocese to fight that subpoena with every fiber of their being.  And then I want to see them lose.  I would love to see news reports featuring law enforcement carrying boxes of evidence from the Chancery.  All of which should become a matter of public record.

I would like to see investigators go to the parishes and the schools that this priest has been affiliated with and actively search for victims of sexual crimes at the hands of Father Timchak.  It is not a stretch to think that hemay have  acted on his impulses over the years.  There are families with children that were particularly close to this priest.  Start there.  The tell tale signs are very clear in hindsight.   He may have favored a particular child, taken him under his wing, taken him on day trips, maybe an overnight stay somewhere? The best candidates are kids from broken homes or homes with significant addiction or medical issues.  The family, especially the mother, will be very devout in their faith.  The priest is the spiritual advisor or perhaps a  marraige or grief counselor.  This is how he would work his way in.    The targets have to be in awe of the priest and fully accept that the priest is the representative of god on earth.  These are the families in which victims are targeted.

There needs to be an in depth investigation.  I would be willing to bet that the kiddie porn may just be the tip of the iceberg.

I anticipate that the Diocese of Scranton will generously fund this man’s defense (with parishioners’ money, of course) and will stop at nothing to downplay the crimes, absolve the perpetrator and make the victims look invisible.  They will employ whatever sleight of hand is necessary to divert attention away from the church.  Their mission is to avoid scandal.  And yet, they fail at that mission over and over again.

I think all the records of all credibly accused priests in this diocese should be turned over to the U.S. Attorney for review of the crimes that they have committed and to determine the extent of the sexual crime cancer in the Diocese of Scranton.  I would like to see anyone who has covered up sexual abuse reports or moved priests to avoid prosecution dragged in front of a judge.  Let Bishops Timlin and Martino lead the procession to the bench!

Now would be an excellent time for Cardinal Rigali, the Archbishop of Philadelphia and the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Scranton, to clean house and make right what has been wrong for decades.

Below is a listing  of Father Timchak’s assignment history to let people know where he has been.  He has probably left a trail of questionable behavior and, possibly, young victims in his wake.   Why do these guys always have lots of access to schools?  The authorities need to go to these parishes and schools before the Diocese of Scranton starts passing around confidentiality agreements and checks.

Father Timchak’s history as a priest presented from TimesLeader.com:

Timchak’s history as a priest

According to Diocese of Scranton records:

June 27, 1992: Father Timchak was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Scranton.

1992-94: Assistant Pastor, St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Parish, Wilkes-Barre.

1994-96: Director of Religious Formation, Seton Catholic High School, Pittston; in residence at St. John the Evangelist Parish, Pittston.

1996-98: Director of Religious Formation, Bishop Hoban High School, Wilkes-Barre; and Assistant Pastor, Holy Saviour Parish, Wilkes-Barre.

1998-2000: Assistant Pastor, Annunciation Parish, Williamsport.

2000-06: Pastor, Transfiguration Parish, West Hazleton, and SS. Peter and Paul Parish, Hazleton. Also Chaplain, Bishop Hafey Jr./Sr. High School, Hazleton, 2005-06.

2006-07: Leave of Absence. During this period, he worked in the Luzerne County Probation Office.

2007-April 2009: Assistant Pastor, St. Vincent de Paul, Milford, and St. John Neumann, Lords Valley. Also, he was an occasional substitute teacher in area elementary schools.

April 2009-present: Leave of Absence.

Child Pornography in the Rectory at Lords Valley, Pennsylvania

In case you are one of the people who believe that the worst of the sex scandal in the Catholic Church is over, I have more bad news.  Another priest in the Diocese of Scranton has been reported, this time for child pornography.

According to news reports, and this is a story that is just breaking this evening, Father Robert Timchak was in court in Milford to begin answering charges for possession of child pornography and tampering with evidence.  According to news channels in Scranton, the investigation has been ongoing since December 2008 when someone tipped off the Diocese of Scranton that he had child pornography on his computer.

According to Channel 16 in Scranton, Timchak has served as pastor at several Catholic churches in the area, including the Transfigurations Church in West Hazelton, Saints Peter and Paul in Hazelton and most recently Saint John Neumann in Lords Valley

On the St John Neumann website this evening is a note to parishioners that reads:
Due to the recent problems in the Catholic Church,The Church has provided information for any individual that may have questions about the Bishop’s decision in Dallas. Please go to the following web site of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops www.usccb.org.

You will note that the Diocese has not put any information that tells you that your priest has child pornography on his computer nor does it tell you to contact the Pennsylvania State Police if you have information that would benefit law enforcement or the Pike County District Attorney. There is nothing on the website for the combined Transfigurations Church and Saints Peter and Paul in the Hazelton area. No need to let too many people know that a potential predator was in their midst. That is the way the Diocese of Scranton rolls!

I have to ask the obvious question here, why did it take the Pennsylvania State Police 11 months to check this guy’s computer and arrest him? Why did the Diocese of Scranton leave this “priest” in the parish since December 2008? I would love to ask if the Diocese of Scranton went into the community looking for possible victims. I wonder how many families in the parish where close to Father Timchak? Of those families, how many had young boys that were left alone with Father Timchak? Are any of the photos on the computer children of the parishes to which he was assigned?

Once again the Diocese showed the blinding speed with which it deals with potential child molesters wearing Roman Collars.  I imagine it took Bill Genello that long to practice the line “the Diocese has no comment” in front of the mirror in the bathroom. It was, no doubt, Bill Genello that put the brilliant and totally useless line on the church website. In case you are reading this Bill, I did a screen grab to document your referral to an organization that your most recent Bishop, Joseph Martino claimed did not have any authority in his diocese.

I am very familiar with this area. I served mass at Good Shepherd.  I lived in Hemlock Farms from 7th grade through my graduation from high school in 1978. I also lived there during the first two summers when I attended the University of Scranton.St John Neumann draws parishioners from that development. I lived in Hemlock Farms during the time frame where I was abused and raped by Father Gibson.

I am sure that there are a lot of parents in Lords Valley, West Hazelton and Hazelton who are having some very difficult conversations with their children tonight. If I may offer advice, please be supportive and don’t overreact if you child starts to tell you about things that make you uncomfortable. If your child has had a noticable change in personality, attitude, school behavior or has been withdrawn, moody or depressed seek help. I strongly recommend you do not go to the Diocese of Scranton. As kind and gentle as Joan Holmes may seem to you, the Diocese will try to collect information and spin this to their advantage. Do not let them control any aspect of this process, they will turn on you.

Contact the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests at 1-877-SNAP HEALS ( 1-877-762-7432) or go to their website. Send an email to Barbara Dorris or David Clohessy and they will help you. Contact me, I will help you get in touch with people who will be able to help you work through this.

The Diocese of Scranton has an adversarial record in dealing with victims and their families over the years. Don’t let them re-victimize you, your family or your community. Believe me when I tell you from first hand experience, they will not make you a priority. They will protect the Diocese, the Diocese’s bank account and the priest before they will do anything for victims.

Working the Congregation, A Story of a Philandering Priest …

The Year of the Priest rolls on. I just don’t think that this is what the Pope had in mind!

A New York Times article that ran on 15 October tells the story of “a mother, a sick son and his father, the priest”. The priest a, Franciscan Friar, was able to work his way into the family, taking advantage of the woman by using his position as “spiritual director” and marriage counselor after the woman’s marriage fell apart. He eventually ended up “sharing a bed, meals, movie nights and vacations with the children”.

The relationship finally ended up producing a son. The Franciscans eventually acquiesced to providing child support after convincing the woman to sign a confidentiality agreement. The relationship between the priest and the woman came to an end when another woman confronted the woman who gave birth to the priest’s child because she too had a long term sexual relationship with the same priest.

The priest in question did get to go to a program run for priests with sexual disorders in New Mexico. Can it be the Servants of the Paraclete that worked with this priest? ( This is the same organization that helps American Dioceses with their “Pedophile Relocation and Protection” issues.) The recidivism rate for the graduates of these programs seems to be quite high.

The woman is seeking assistance for the son who was the product of this union. Now 22, the young man has been diagnosed with terminal cancer on the one hand and is fighting the Franciscans on the other for help with the medical bills. While they cry poverty and claim they are doing more than the law requires (a familiar battle cry of the Catholic hierarchy), the order is providing some financial assistance until the man turns 23. The priest is doing nothing.

Despite the fact that the order was aware of this man’s playboy lifestyle, it appears that they did not sanction him in any way. In fact, he was successful in being selected for positions of greater authority and responsibility, with the order knowing full well about his extracurricular activities. This guy even was in a position to teach seminarians about how to stay celibate.about his relationships with women. I think he maybe teaching the priests of the future how to score.

This story is not all that surprising, and the fact that the New York Times ran with the story at all is pretty remarkable. But what I found to be the most fascinating bit of information in the story is that a landmark study in 1990 by the scholar A.W. Richard Sipe, a former Benedictine, existed that documented this phenomenon in the church. That study found that 20% of Catholic Priests were involved in “continuing sexual relationships with women” and another 8-10% had “occasional heterosexual relationships”. An earlier study by Sipe concluded that 30% of Catholic priests had a homosexual orientation. Other studies put that number closer to 50%. The studies also suggest that up to 98% of those priests are sexually active.

You do the math. That puts 5-6 out of 10 priests who are sexually active with partners presumably over the age of 18. Throw in the 5-8% who have a pedophilia orientation and it seems that the number of priests living up to their vow of celibacy, regardless of their sexual orientation, is the minority of Catholic Clergy.

It seems to me that the Catholic Church may not be encouraging this kind of behavior, but they are definitely not taking steps to curb it. They are passively accepting it, allowing  vulnerable adults and children to be put at risk.  The priest in this case was finally suspended from his duties by the Catholic Diocese of Superior over this past weekend according to a brief article by the Duluth News Tribune. I note that the Franciscans were not the organization taking this action.

There are many that will say the woman in this case knew what she was getting into by having a sexual relationship with a priest. It is always easy to blame the woman who seduced the priest away from God. But this is a clear case of a philandering priest (with other girlfriends) taking advantage of his position to push his advances on a woman he was supposed to be counseling. If he was a psychologist, he could lose his license for such behavior. No, the faithful will brand the woman as the one to blame. They will forgive the priest for being “all too human”. There will be no consequences for him. Unfortunately, the damage will continue to permeate every facet of this woman’s life. And in this case, the consequences are visited on the son as well. The son is terminally ill and the father just sloughs it off. 

The priest, for his part, did send the young man a card during his medical battle with brain tumors. That has to count for something, right?