Monday, November 15, 2004

Coming to terms, confronting the church

For nearly 50 years, St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary in Hannibal, Mo., served as the first stop on the path to the priesthood for many young Catholics. But for much of that history, at least three priests on the faculty sexually abused their high school-age students.

The scandal first broke two years ago and brought down a popular church leader, Bishop Anthony J. O'Connell. Now, several former seminarians are speaking out - some for the first time - providing more detail about the evil that befell them and the lengths to which the Jefferson City Diocese has gone to keep it secret.

Their accounts show that the abuse was more widespread than has been reported, that at least one other faculty member never publicly identified also abused students and that the abuse occurred more recently than the diocese has publicly disclosed.
What the victims want, they say, is the truth to be told.
Will those responsible EVER be stripped of their faculties? These reports are so horrendous - and those who were accomplices by remaining silent have much culpability in the who sordid affair.

Article here.

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