Despite the claim that the sex abuse crisis has ended in the U.S. by "safe touch" programs and zero tolerance policies, the practice of bishops harboring pederasts continues. Read Randy Engel's letter and press release (which you can read here) about Opus Dei Biship Rogelio Ricardo Livieres Plano of the Diocese of Ciudad del Este, Paraguay incardinating disgraced priest, Fr. Carlos Urrutigoity.
Urrutigoity and Fr. Eric Ensley were the movers and shakers behind the Society of St. John established in Pennsylvania that defrauded donors of over $5 million allegedly to build a Catholic community in the hills complete with the College of St. Justin Martyr. It was a sham and a scam from the beginning. Since he failed in the U.S. (thank you, Bishop Martino), Urrutigoity has moved to South America to plant the seeds of a new scandal.
Homosexuals in the priesthood are still being protected while good priests are still being driven from the priesthood for daring to object.
Pray for priests.
The Romans said: Audiatur et altera pars (hear the other side), before condemning a person accused - Always a prudent and just thing to do, and particularly when there has been a bankruptcy and economic losses...
ReplyDeleteSo I went to the website from the Diocesis of Ciudad del Este and found a defence from the Bishop(in Spanish), which sounds plausible:
http://www.diocesiscde.org/index.php/diocesis/documentos/cartas-informativas/52-carta-informativa-sobre-el-pbro-carlos-urrutigoity
You also have a bishop from Pennsylvania who presumably also looked at both sides who removed the priests and forced them to close up shop after bilking contributors of millions of dollars. I've been following the Society of St. John from the beginning and what happened in Pennsylvania stinks to high heavens.
ReplyDeleteGiven that the Founder of Opus Dei is a canonized saint - which most traditional theologians regard as an infallible act - and that the Holy Father has just chosen an Opus Dei bishop to head the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, I think that the kind of criticism and uncharitable comments contained in this posting are very inappropriate. They are an implicit criticism of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict himself, at a time when Catholics should be showing their loyalty and personal commitment to him. Like any other religious society or group in the Church, Opus Dei is certainly not "for everybody," and may be the object of legitimate inquiry and scrutiny; but no one has the right to call them a "sect" if the highest Authority of the Church has accepted and recognized them.
ReplyDeleteI also believe that the comments on the Society of St. John are lacking in accuracy and in charity. I too have followed that story from the beginning. Ms. Engels' press release plays havoc with historical chronology and data reported in the secular press. She also uses language that might be considered slanderous and even libellous . Certainly If criticisms are to be made of any group in the Church, should they not be made in language that is ACCURATE AND CHARITABLE?
I have found Randy Engel to be an accurate reporter. Since you don't give any specifics (and write anonymously), I can't take your comments too seriously. As for the founder of Opus Dei being a saint, so is the founder of the Jesuits. Does that mean all the Jesuit schools featuring the V-Monologues are above criticism?
ReplyDeleteIt is only a matter of time before the SSJ priests reoffend. How many more victims will there be?
ReplyDelete