Click here to read: “Reporting priest’s porn got her fired, witness says,” by Joseph A. Slobodzian, April 9, 2012
Excerpt:
A few months after DePaoli arrived at the rural parish, Scary testified, she began noticing mail for him being delivered to her address at a parish building rather than the rectory where he lived.
The mail was addressed to him without using his clerical title, Scary said. Some of it was from Denmark and contained computer disks while other magazines had sexually graphic content.
Catholics4Change 
“The priest – the Rev. Edward M. DePaoli – had been arrested on child pornography charges in 1985 and convicted and sentenced to probation. ”
Defrocked in 2005. A 20 year span for this one.
Yes Kathy, The 20 year “free pass” from arrest to being defrocked caught my attention to be sure. I hope the AD, at least made a concerted effort to keep him away from ministering to children.
Ratigan in KC, (priest with over 200 lewd photos of children, some naked pics of a 5 year old girl private parts) was allowed to participate in 1st Communion. How sick is that?
And just a detail connecting DiPaoli and Ratigan: Dr. Richard Fitzgibbons was DiPaoli’s psychiatrist and he was also the doctor to whom Ratigan was sent for an evaluation 2 years ago.
John,
Its sicker than that.
Here’s the correction, which isn’t your fault, since the Catholic church hides the truth so well, and you really have to dig to find it.
In Dec of 2011, (7 months after a school principal had written a 4 page memo about Ratigan’s pedophilia), the KC church found a computer full of child porn on Ratigan’s computer. They called a police friend (not the police station), and said they found a picture of a naked 2 year old relative, and asked if that was considered child porn.
In fact, the picture was the last in a series of a staged strip tease of a 2 year old out of a diaper, with all genitalia fully exposed.
Yeah, you’ll have to re-read that last one a few times.
margin, great research.
However, it isn’t deliberate enough to just say, “he was the doctor”. The CHOSE the same, Catholic-sympathizing, silent, pedophile-compassionate doctor.
Thanks margindweller and Patrick for the additional information.
This winner Ratigan actually had a naked picture of a 2 year old relative on his computer.
You’re right Patrick, It is sicker than I thought.
What is sicker is the calculated Catholic distortion of the truth, as you can see in the Catholic League report at http://www.catholicleague.org/taking-aim-at-bishop-finn/
Note the deliberate attempt to:
– imply it started in Dec 2010 when it actually started in May of 2010 with a letter from a school principal
– imply they contacted the police station when they really just called a police friend
– it says “crotch shot pictures were found”, when in fact, Ratigan had taken those pictures
– imply that they told the police the truth. They out and out lied. They said it was a naked picture of a 2 year old relative, which could be innocent if it wasn’t on the computer of another Catholic pedophile priest
They didn’t mention the other hundreds of photos, or the staged strip tease out of a diaper. They also aren’t clear about how many opportunities Ratigan had around groups of children after this was all discovered.
This is the standard Catholic procedure – take a shred of the truth, and intentionally mislead the trusting congregation, knowing they will assume the best. However, you can always say later, “I never said it started in December of 2010”.
My father used to call this lying – a deliberate attempt to mislead someone, even though you may be stating some facts.
Spoiler alert – God calls it lying, too, although most Catholics don’t care.
Kathy, might be interesting to check how many ‘lags’ of oh so many years between the initial report of the ‘problem’ and AD ‘involvement’ so often have a 2003, 2005 end point…think the Boston blowup in 2002 was an incentive…would be very instructive to find any USCCB communications to the AD on the matter..
Doubtless shredded.
Sure, it was 20 years that he moved freely as a known child sex offender, but the Catholic church then did the only possible Christian option of using their riches to take every means necessary to make sure that children that were in contact with him were never harmed, right?
Why isn’t that heroic story of “doing the right thing as a Christian leader would do” being told by the mainstream, liberal, catholic-bashing, gay loving media?
*listening on earpiece*
What? They hid this guy and never checked to see if he had sex with other children?
What? They did that with every one of the child rapists that they hid?
What? Worldwide?
What? With 4,392 “Jerry Sanduskys” in the US alone according to the own John Jay report?
Is this a church of monsters?
Is this a church of monsters?
——————————————
Pope Paul VI warned us of the “smoke of Satan” within the Church. We have now reached a point where Catholics must decide for themselves if the hierarchy, along with this pope, are fit for further duty. If not, how do we get rid of them and what structures and methods are available to do that?
By invoking an Ecumenical Council called by the People of God to demand the pope and his bishops’ resignation (yes mass firings or resignations across the earth?), or should Catholics free themselves completely by switching to the Orthodox Church? Severing themselves from the continuing acts of sacrilege performed by an arrogantly unrepentant hierarchy deciding to remain at the helm of their dioceses to protect their careers, preserve control, and have access to the loot they’ve got from those who “pay, pray, and obey”?.
Catholics will have to start making some very painful choices even their shepherds haven’t the moral fiber and backbone to do it themselves.
Seems like alot of these priests have issues with porn.
I really believe a life of celibacy is unnatural and the priesthood has served as a good hideout for men who are uncomfortable having a sexual identity (be it gay or straight). For those whose sexual identity is as an abuser, rapist, etc, it provides the hideout and the access. This theory leads me to think that the candidacy of some seminarians was approved in spite of red flags that the priesthood was not a true calling, and that allowing priests to marry would broaden the pool of candidates. Sick as it is, the hierarchy must have bowed to priest shortage pressure and dealt with the slim pickings by putting the blinders on. More options would alleviate that temptation. Just my two cents… And God Bless, Sister for reporting him.
My favorite Catholic-priest-gay-porn story of the week (which is actually from last week, “Holy Week”) is that of a priest in Ireland doing a powerpoint presentation for a first communion meeting in front of dozens of adults and at least one child.
All of a sudden, gay porn starts being presented to the crowd. Priest rushes out, comes back later, and asks that some of their first communion money go to the church. See http://huff.to/Id0iNQ
God is quite the prankster.
If you watch 60 Minutes, you know that Irish churches are down 88% in terms of mass attendance. I wonder what those 12% (who were probably all in that room) think about showing gay porn at first communion meetings?
I wonder if they call that last 12% the “hardcore Catholics”.
New report – the title of the gay porn was “Youth Men-istry”
Patrick, I had to read that story because it is just too much to think the priest literally came back into the room and asked that Catholic children donate their communion money back to the church. Beyond belief. My favorite story today is from Milwaukee, where the bishop favors those who cover up the Roman Continuing Criminal Enterprise. http://03409bc.netsolhost.com/snapwisconsin/2012/04/09/listecki-honors-milwaukee-bishop-who-led-cover-up-of-child-sex-crimes/
I agree Maureen, especially if entering junior seminaries at 13 years old.
I too take my hat of to the religious sister who reported him. She would have had to have the consent of her Religious Leader. The only ones in Australia I know of are the Brigidines, not forgetting of course Mary
MacKillop, but she’s long gone and things have changed mightily there.
I agree that the sister deserves credit for testifying in open court despite the pressure she must have gotten from the corrupt members of the church. Way to go Sister!
Patrick, there is nothing new here in connection to the name, Carmelo Abbate, Italian investigative journalist had his book released last year accusing the Vatican of double standards in relation to gay clergy++++
Italy Shuts Out Sex…….The Guardian May 13 2011. Disgusting and hypocritical to say the least.
Ok. So a sister arrives to work at a parish church. The first words out of the pastor’s mouth are: Keep your mouth shut. The last words out of the pastor’s mouth are: Get the hell out of here. In between, her ministry includes porn-detail thanks to her shared address with the convicted, parish porn-priest who had no ministry, whatsoever, except the day it snowed hard.
Is this for real?
Dear Sisters,
Add this phrase to your vernacular: F_ _ _ every last one of you!
Sounds like the movie “Doubt”. The picutre that keeps getting shown of nuns as completely subservient women to this bizarre brotherhood of often sick/disturbed men/priests, is very troubling. Sounding more and more like a cult every day. I think comparing pedophiles to homosexuals, is insulting to homosexuals. The continued hypocracy of a religious institution who protects thier own…men… to such outrageous measures that the RCC has done is mind blowing. Equally mind blowing is thier dissaproval of alternative lifestyles, while protecting/hiding/lying for each others disturbing habits. To allow this kind of covering up to continue would really be an epic fail.
The Philadelphia Priest Abuse Trial blog detailed the testimony more specifically,
“Scary, a Sister of Mercy who wore cross earrings and a cross necklace, testified how she mailed one magazine along with an anonymous note to Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua that said, “Your Eminence, Is this appropriate for a Roman Catholic priest?”
The note shown in court was attached to a Details magazine that featured articles such as “Sex: The Ultimate Buyer’s Guide,” and “Anka: The Naughty DAughter Talks Dirty to Her Mom and Dad.” On the witness stand, however, Sister Scary testified that the prosecutors had the note attached to the wrong magazine. Scary testified that she sent the cardinal a magazine that had two men on the cover embracing.”
What did the AD do with the correct magazine? You know…the one with men embracing on the cover? You can’t make this stuff up!!!
Gormley…is he deceased? Or still floating around somewhere exacting his control in other parishes?
http://www.priestabusetrial.com/2012/04/priest-alleged-to-have-made-hush.html
This was the link to the blog I meant to add to my post.
Thank you for posting this link, survivor’s wife.
I am absolutely blown away with the excuse given: ” “We’re here to help,” Lynn told the priest. The monsignor asked if it was possible “Tom Shea was seduced into it” by the former altar boy.”
Not only is this a ridiculous statement that a child could seduce a priest into doing something so horrid, it is even more ridiculous when you consider the fact that Shea is a sizeable man, towering at least 6ft 6in. Just visualize that against the build of a 6th grade boy.
survivors wife ,as different priest’s names have emerged from the trial I have been checking the AD website to see where they are now. This whole ‘cast of characters” involved in many of these situations. Some are now elderly and retired and living at Villa St Joseph which is also where they put the abusive priests in the life of prayer and repentance. All these years later some of the abusers and some who covered, under one roof . It feels like an episode of the TV show “Cold Case” which ironically takes place in Philly.
Kathy, when I was in high school, I remember that many kids used to work at the Villa. I sure hope it’s not that way anymore.
I didn’t mean to imply that all priests at the Villa are involved in either abuse or covering up,I know it operates as a nursing care facility for aged/ill priests. But the thought of some priests who may have covered and others who abused ,ending up together all these years later…
Mimzy, I certainly hope no minors work at that facility.
Kathy,
From the AD clergy whereabouts page: http//archphila.org/clergy/priests.htm#G
Gormley is listed with a residence of Villa St. Joseph.
Whether he lives there as a resident or he is in ministry there to the residents is not noted on the site.
Gormley, Rev. James W., (1954)
Pastor Emertius, St. Gabriel Parish, Stowe
Villa Saint Joseph 610-586-8535
1436 Lansdowne Avenue
Darby, PA 19023-1218
On bishopaccountability.org there is a listing for John J. Gormley as a pedophile. I can’t seem to track whether they are related or not.
Gormely also retains the honor of the title “Pastor Emeritus” of St. Gariel’s parish in Stowe.
http://www.sgsmstowe.org/index_files/Page1301.htm
oops, correction, that was supposed to read St. Gabriel’s parish in Stowe.
Kathy, I mentioned that to am member of the Franciscan Order a few years back, living under the roof of so many “scallywags, his response was “he’s my brother”.
I suppose it boils down to the old saying, ” you can choose your friends but you can’t choose your family”.
There’s an issue I must address here. I wouldn’t be the person I am today if I kept my mouth shut about things I felt were offensive toward myself and an entire group of people who do not rape children or view child porn. The issue is everyones disgust with “gay porn.”
You may not like gay porn, or straight porn for that matter, but it’s completely legal so long as everyone is over 18 years of age, and it is consensual with all involved. Now, I’m actually not a fan of gay porn at all. Personally, I’ve always felt like sex is a very private thing and should happen between two people, who actually care and love each other, and it shouldn’t happen out in the open. Having said that, my partner, before he and I started getting serious, was always the winner in Male Eroctica Trivial Pursuit, and had quite the catalogue of gay porn throughout his house. We are both gay of course. He is not a child abuser or someone who uses child porn for their own sick sexual deviance. Just before I moved in with him he trashed or sold ALL of his prized porn possessions, because it was a “trigger” for me.
Maybe I’m over-reaching here or taking these little innuendos as something they are not meant to be, but I do get somewhat insulted when I see something like “gay pedophile,” or “gay priest with child porn,” or “gay this, and gay that.” Homosexuality is not the cause of child sexual abuse. It is the cause as much as heterosexuality is the cause of child sex abuse, I could easily claim. In fact, more children are sexually abused, both girls and boys, but heterosexual married men, or rather their own fathers. Why is it that I never see “Hetero priest with child porn?” or “hetero priest abusing children?” I tend to believe I don’t see those headlines or comments because “of course, an entire harmless group of people have to be the scapegoats and the catalyst for something so deviant as sexually abusing a child, as if heterosexuals couldn’t be considered evil.”
Again, if I’m way off base with these comments I apologize, but it’s just how I see it sometimes. Also, I do believe there is a lot of hypicrosy in the Catholic Church, whereas gays are constantly in the crosshairs of finger-pointing from Catholic priests and parishioners, I once read that as much as 60% of the priesthood themselves were/are homosexuals. It seems kind of unfair that gays are being accused in this day and age, with all the information available, the facts from mental health professionals, when in fact we [gays] never blame any group for anything, or take cheap shots like the Bill Donahues’ of the world.
Homosexuality, heterosexuality, bisexuality is not the problem in the priesthood, and I couldn’t possibly care any less what someone’s sexuality might be, regardless of whether they’re a priest or not. “Pedophilia” is the problem!
i hear what your saying Rich…and I know how it must feel to hear a negative distinction made between gay and straight porn.–as if one is somehow more legit or acceptable than the other. Personally, I think all porn is potentially damaging to some degree.That which falls in a gray area between adult material and the exploitation of minors — is where my intolerance lies.
The real outrage should be directed to the HYPOCRISY of our church and its clergy who aren’t all practicing what they preach (and they sure do preach a lot about sex!)– and whose celibate, pious and unworldly lives are supposed to be what elevates them above the laity. Hypocrisy, lies and cover up, not homosexuality, are at the root of the entire mess.
If I may add also, the church still espouses a stance against homosexuality – for crying out loud, the ‘pray the gay away’ group courage still exists! Ridiculous, in my opinion, and quite a distraction to our call to serve the sick, poor, etc. However, to answer your question, Rich, I think ‘gay’ is included to show the two counts of hypocrisy – having sex, which is against their vow of celibacy, and with other men, which is ‘against their religion’. Some folks with this mindset can’t even process this, and cannot then get to the third level of hypocrisy – abuse of children. The church’s stance on homosexuality is yet another reason I think I just don’t belong there … Hope this attempt to explain what I think is going on has been somewhat helpful.
V4J,
I know a few adults that were groomed with porn as children……….I don’t know if it was straight porn or gay porn……just porn……that’s one of the many reasons I don’t like porn….it objectifies people and there is more to us than just our sexually. which child sexaul abuse so tragically points out…I think if you bring it into your house you are opening window of opportunity to the devil to lead you somewhere else…..alot of adultry and also children innocently coming across porn on the internet etc these days…….I think it is very healthy that you don’t want to be associated or identified with your offender in anyway…….it’s kinda like someone saying hey your catholic you must be a predator……..thanks for giving me something to think about……..
Homosexuality may not be the cause of child sex abuse v4j, but for clerics/brothers and no less others, it has been introduced somewhere down the line in more cases than one.
For those, we have to understand that point.