Priest allegedly rapes teenager at gunpoint and (surprise - not) an alleged coverup

[moobu2]

Allegation of sexual abuse by priest shocks West Texas town

Father John M. Fiala was a trusted spiritual leader in Rocksprings, a small ranching community. A suit filed Thursday alleges that he sexually assaulted a teen at gunpoint.
April 10, 2010|By Louis Sahagun

Reporting from Rocksprings, Texas — Allegations that a local parish priest raped a teenager at gunpoint have spawned a wave of soul-searching in this remote West Texas sheep- and goat-ranching community and denials of a coverup from the Catholic archdiocese in San Antonio led by Archbishop Jose Gomez.

Accusations that Father John M. Fiala sexually assaulted the boy in 2007 and 2008 -- twice at gunpoint -- surfaced Thursday in a lawsuit filed against the archdiocese and Gomez, who was named earlier this week to lead the archdiocese in L.A.

The lawsuit alleges that Fiala was pastoral administrator at Sacred Heart of Mary Church in this remote Texas hill country community when he began sexually abusing the teen during catechism lessons.

Edwards County, Texas, Sheriff Don Letsinger said the archdiocese and Gomez had handled the case properly.

"Up to this point, they have cooperated fully in this investigation," Letsinger said in an interview in a cluttered office adorned with a framed portrait of John Wayne. "The first time I called the archdiocese about it, they sent Father Martin Leopold, their chief administrator, out to see me. He got here in two hours flat and signed consent forms for me to search the church."
"They have provided all the information I asked for," he said, "and they suspended Fiala almost immediately after I called about the investigation."

(( Link - L A Times ))

[Lars39]

1. Lots of evidence could have been destroyed in "two hours flat".

[ZombieHorde]

2. "they suspended Fiala almost immediately after I called about the investigation"

They might be starting to listen to us.

[Peregrine Took]

3. Jeez! Do they let any weirdo walking around in the priesthood these days?

I'm glad my devout parents are no longer around to see their church dragged down into the gutter like this.

[laconicsax]

6. What do you mean, "these days?"

Child rape has been a problem in the Church for a very long time. The only difference is that now it's being reported.

[asjr]

4. Who would have thought! A pistol-packin' priest.

[sheilahi]

10. what happened?

So what happened? He couldn't catch the goat?

[DeSwiss]

5. K&R

[progressoid]

7. .

speechless.

[smoogatz]

8. What does it say about the Church that none of this is surprising

anymore. What's next--human sacrifice? Cannibalism?

[MindandSoul]

9. If the Church cooperated so well. . .why is it still not a closed case with the priest in jail???

[iris27]

11. Presumably he is out on bail awaiting trial.

I'm not sure how bad a person's crimes have to be before they are denied the option of bail.

From the article:
Letsinger said the case involves criminal investigations in three counties, adding: "This investigation is about a year-and-a-half old, but it is complete and we're ready for indictments. I think we have a good case."

[laconicsax]

12. But...but...but...

What about all the non-priests who did the same thing. This isn't as big a problem as you're making it out to be. Leave it to fundamentalist atheists to try to make it look like religious figures are bad people. They're no worse than any other group of sick fucks!!