The Calm Before the Storm in Philadelphia | Dave Pierre | Catholic World Report
2012 looks to shape up as another big year for stories about the Catholic Church abuse narrative.
As things appear now, jury selection for the high-profile trial of priests in Philadelphia will begin on February 21, 2012, and the trial will begin in March. Some observers believe the trial may run as long as four months.
To recap: Five current and former Church employees, arrested last year, face charges for the abuse of children.
The upcoming drama essentially entails three different cases:
Case #1: A man (named “Billy” in last year’s grand jury report) has accused three different men – current priest Rev. Charles Engelhardt, former priest Edward Avery, and former teacher Bernard Shero – of raping and molesting him over a decade ago when he was an altar boy at St. Jerome Parish in Philadelphia.
Case #2: A second man (Mark Bukowski) has accused Rev. James Brennan of raping him over 15 years ago. At the time, Fr. Brennan was parochial vicar at St. Andrew Church in Newtown, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia.
Case #3: Prosecutors are charging Msgr. William Lynn, who was the Secretary for Clergy under Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua, with endangering children and conspiracy, in that he deliberately allowed these priests to molest children. Last summer, one of Lynn’s lawyers argued that the conspiracy charge “doesn’t stand on any legal footing at all” because the monsignor did not directly supervise children. Attorneys have sought to quash the charge, but they have been unsuccessful.
It is essential to note that all of the defendants vehemently deny the charges against them and assert their innocence. In fact, the defendants swiftly rejected plea deals offered to them last summer.
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We need to pray. We need to pray for all of the victims: for the innocent children who have been wounded by sexual abuse, for those who have had a second component of spiritual abuse attached, for those who have been wrongfully accused, and for those that would wrongfully accuse. Also, we need to pray for those who persecute and bless them. In a city torn apart by so many scandals in and out of the church, with so many citizens abused in and out of the church, we need to pray that we can be examples of Christ's light and love during these trials as we stand for truth, justice, and the healing only He can bring. Draw near to the cross!
Posted by: Kacey Brown | Saturday, February 04, 2012 at 04:15 AM