Features Feb 5, 2009 at 4:00 am

Alaska Natives are accusing the Catholic Church of using their remote villages as a “dumping ground” for child-molesting priests—and blaming the president of Seattle University for letting it happen.

As originally printed, 2-5-09

Comments

104
Thank you - a comprehensive and horrible article, well articulated. It feels like a bruise is being punched with each new set of revelations. To those who doubt the authenticity, I'd say that your views are important to ensure that this train stays on track: but there is a consistency from around the world here that is very unlikely to have been coordinated maliciously or invented coincidentally.

For those apologists who point out that abuse happens "in every profession" (the favourite RCC defence right now), that is such a mendacious argument, it takes my breath away. The teaching profession for example, where abuse does of course occur, does not hold itself up as the one true global moral arbitor, telling the world how to live. Nor do they conspire to protect abusers when they are found. On the contrary abusers are outed and vigourously prosecuted when found. The RCC is unique in its position here - and as such truly deserves special mention and attention. Particularly as they have been so successful in blocking those who would stop the abuse - and protecting the abusers from justice.

I really worry about the motivation of Catholic's who attack those exposing the abuse. What are you worried about? It clearly is not the abused...
105
The waves of accumulating scandal engulfing the roman catholic church will look a mere trifle compared to the 'perfect storm' that is shortly coming. For these growing, worldwide sexual scandals and endemic institutional corruption, having destroyed virtually any remaining 'moral' authority or presumption to understand human nature, are just setting the stage for the 'churches' worst nightmare: the questioning of it's very origins! And that has already begun on the web. Not by any atheist ravings, but with first wholly new interpretation for 2000 years of the Gospel/moral teachings of Christ. Redefining all primary elements, For the first time in history, however unexpected, the world must now measure for itself, the reality of a new claim to revealed truth, a moral tenet not of human intellectual origin, offering access by faith, to absolute proof, an objective basis for moral principle and a fully rational and justifiable belief!  This is not reformation but revolution. We may very well come to 'remember' the church as two thousands years of hubris, theological self deception, retailing a counterfeit copy of revealed truth. Check it at: http://www.energon.org.uk  
106
Can anyone explain to me why the Department of Justice has not pursued action against the church under RICO laws? If a huge company was transferring employees from state to state in light of criminal behavior wouldn't that at least be investigated at a federal level? Isn't that racketeering? Someone called this a crime against humanity and I'm hard pressed to argue with that.
107
I have been reading most of the comments, and I think that they are all valid for the most part.
As a human being, I think it's safe to say that humans who are in the right state of mind all agree that what is happening in our world is horrible. This story and others like it really highlight the evil that has permeated our world.
As a Christian, I also think that it is safe to say that it is a shame that there are people like Poole who have been given power to continue to ruin the lives of innocent children. I believe that evil truly has a grip on our world and it doesn't leave anyone untouched. Thankfully, I believe that there is hope that the world will be made right. The world was not intended to be filled with evil.
I think it was BeReasonable (I apologize if I'm wrong) who said that Jesus fought the power of the earth in order to pave the way for a new world order - a new world order of complete goodness. I think that it is up to those who recognize evil in any way, shape, or form to stand up to the injustices of the world and do something about it. I hope that fellow Christians (including myself) will have the courage to fight for justice and goodness.
Thanks for such a well-researched article.
108
I'm not Catholic, and that's a good thing, because if I were, I would puke after reading this.
How can anybody continue to support an institution that allows such atrocities to flourish?
109
Pedepriests on parade. Remarkable so little is ever done to stop it. But see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpuYoK6wv…
110
Remarkable that so little is done to stop this. But see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpuYoK6wv…
111
I grew up in Gympie Queensland Australia .Things were pretty much the same there .I am no longer a christian,no god could allow these crimes.
112
Find it a bit tasteless of your mag, to advertise your half-naked "Stranger Personals" from the "Lovelab" next to this article.
113
It is now impossible to separate the decent priests from the mass of perverts whom the Bishops and Pope have given free reign to abuse children. I wouldn't give a cent to the Catholic Church as long as they keep up this perversion and would encourage others to do the same until they really clean house. They could have been a massive force for good, instead they have become perverted predators. They are killing the Church and maybe it should die as it has chosen to distort Christianity in this sick way. Maybe the pedophiles should be sent quickly to St. Peter to face their fate. MAP
114
Those molested as children by Poole while he was in Barrow, Alaska are still suffering.
115
Have got here from comments about Pope's visit to GB. Very good detailed article. I'm glad to see even catholics getting outspoken and no longer supporting the present type of church. The question of the pope being a head of state and getting state visits is also getting eroded. I wish some gvts would refuse his visits as such.

I know some people say religions do some good, which they obviously do. But non religious groups do too. All religions are to be blamed for promoting lies myths and legends. I used to practise buddhism but realized it was lies too, even if meditation can be useful, it doesn't need beliefs.

Unfortunately, there is very little about the buddhist practise of child monks, who are extremely vunerable to sexual (and other) abuse. There are some ex monks who have published this.

Surely it's well over time that all countries take strong measures against these religions. We are supposed to be capable of non religious morality and universal charters. I wish that the UN universal rights charter includes an article for children to be free of religion. At the moment, it's the opposite, allowing parents and authorities to impose religion. As is seen with abuse, it leaves lifetime trauma, learning irrational beliefs as a child also leaves traces that can influence one's behaviour and thinking. Adults can choose their beliefs, children can't.
116
I know there is abuse in the Catholic Church and most other churches as well as in most organizations that involve children. I have actually encountered it in a parish in Dallas that I lived in. However, I also have evidence that things are not quite squeeky clean on the other side and there is a serious risk of psychologically dysfunctional people cooking up stories of abuse. For example, just recently I encountered a story on the Internet by some person who claimed to have been at a Church run boarding school at the same time as I attended back in the late 1960s. He described horrific sexual abuse and wide spread sexually degenerate behavior by students and priests. I was first surprised when I couldn't actually remember any student by his name at the school at that time and checked the rosters and no such person attended. I also know that the school was a VERY happy and healthy environment and other than a few kids getting up to a few teenage sexual indiscretions which is not really surprising or shocking for a bunch of teenage boys, there was not a whisper or a hint of such sexual deviancy at the school. This guy even described in detail how he was abused in the communal showers....There were no communal showers!!! All the showers were enclosed cubicles. Also we were given strict instuctions about dressing and undressing in changing rooms in a modest and respectful manner. I never encountered a single incident like he described and I am fairly sure his story was a pack of concocted lies. Motive....who knows? But I have a strong suspicion that this guy was being swept along by the hysteria against the Catholic Church in the media and the Internet And while I sympathize with victims who stuggled so much because no one would listen to them, we can't become naive and assume that just because someone tells you something that it must be true. You don't even know whether my story here is true!!!!
117
All this should not surprise anyone if you ever read the books of nuns who escaped convents. The priests would rape the nuns, torture them in the dungeons they have below the convent. The woman could hardly fight back as their diet was one of forced malnutrition,so they were weak, while the filthy priests had 3 square meals a day and whatever they wanted!
118
All this should not surprise anyone if you ever read the books of nuns who escaped convents. The priests would rape the nuns, torture them in the dungeons they have below the convent. The woman could hardly fight back as their diet was one of forced malnutrition,so they were weak, while the filthy priests had 3 square meals a day and whatever they wanted!
119
A child is a ten times more likely to be sexually abused by his or her own biological father than a priest. This would mean that the celibate priesthood is in fact rather effective at preventing sexual abuse. Do the math.

That doesn't I condone the "hide the pedophile in the poorest places on Earth" tactics. That, much more than the abuse itself, places shame on the RCC.
120
My husband was a Deaf student at St. John School for the Deaf in Milwaukee. They couldn't hear Murphy approaching their beds at night. They had to lay in wait to be awakened by a hand on them. He admitted to it and admitted to using the confessional to start it. He was not defrocked and was buried as a priest in good standing with all the paraphanalia in a Catholic cemetary. No one believed the boys for years as he would say they were mentally defective. Since sign language was their means of communication and he signed and most parents didn't, he had full control. For people saying there are good hard working priests out there then WHY DON'T THEY STAND UP AND DEMAND THE POPE STOP THE COVERUPS. THEY ARE STILL MOVING PEDOPHILES AROUND. Pam Kramer-Kohut
121
I BELIEVE THE CATHOLIC CHURCH HAS A SECRET SOCIEY OF SEXUAL PREDATORS AND IT IS SICKENING THAT OUR LEADERS OF THIS COUNTRY AND ALL COUNTRYS ALLOWS THIS TO GO ON AGAIN AND AGAIN SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE I WILL PRAY ON THIS IF THIS EVER HAPPENED TO ANYONE IN MY FAMILY THERE IS NO TELLING WHAT I MAY DO !!!! IT SEEMS THAT THERE IS OTHING BEING DONE ABOUT THESE SICK PEOPLE COME ON THEY DESERVE MORE PUNISHMENT PEOPLE WHO COMMIT PETTY CRIMES ARE PUNISHED MORE THAN THESE PRIESTS THERE SHOULD BE NO STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS WHEN IT COMES TO THE ABUSE OF A CHILD PERIOD !!!
122
the abuse is monstrosity the cover up is evil . the society can forgive a heinous act but not the continuous cover up .Bishop Lynn is indicted hopefully bishop Vlazny is next . Those two are well known patron saints of pedophile priests .
123
You would think that after all of these stories have surfaced that this society of so-called religious men would start to study the reasons why this happens and address them. But as I have sadly realized- religion is all about money- and now obviously a sexual predators free society. If it were anything but, the catholic society would do something about it other than payoffs. I was raised catholic and so was my brother who was an altar boy for a year or too. He spent the rest of his teen childhood raping my sister and trying to rape me the fighter. In my opinion he was molested and it was a learned behavior. We girls were raised to believe these were things we should've been quiet about, ashamed of. My parents didn't even see what was happening and we were too scared to tell on my brother the golden child. The Catholic society should be abolished- especially the idea that men can go without sex-it's unnatural. This "religious" society does not care, does not take care of it's own, and believes money is god. It all sickens me and I think that the government should step in. This group has gotten away with too many crimes & too many lives crushed. When does it end? They obviously do not care about anything but hiding the truth. The worse part is pedophiles rarely change as studies have shown. I say we take all perpetraters and send them to the vatican where they can live happily together and hide the truth behind there own closed doors; away from the futures children.
124
F**k the piece of sh** Catholic Church and the whole world!!!
125
Please tell us your story and help us get the word out about these scum bags....It happened to my cousins daughter recently and the criminals have not been charged yet.....http://pedophilereport.com/
126
I grew up Catholic, and I was baptized by one of the priests mentioned in your article. I do not practice this religion anymore, nor do I believe in it. I'm grossed out by all the allegations, and I have Uncles that have been paid off by the Church. When will this horror ever end? The Catholic Church should be ashamed of themselves, for sending these perverts to our Western Alaska People.
127
as long as they can pay people off.....it will continue..........the catholic religion and its priests are sick.....
we all need to stand up and say no more payoffs...take it to court take it to the papers.....shout it out......what the church is really like
128
Fr.Craig Boly is being moved from his current post at St.Pius X in Portland to another church on the other side of town. I'm wondering if there is something sinister that is being covered up. Anyone with info on this?
129
I have the greatest idea ever, get rid of the fucking church, people can grow the fuck up, lose the imaginary friend in the sky, and start doing the right thing. Instead of taking money, take the fuckers to court. Instead of being on your knees talking to yourself, call the fucking police. Religion is long overdue to be destroyed, starting with christianity and islam.
130
Then one those 'victims', actually two of them, molested me for five years when I was a child. Do I get to sue the church too?
131
The article incorrectly states that:
Servants of the Paraclete—is a Jesuit-run psychiatric facility for troubled priests in Jemez Springs, New Mexico.

It is not run by the Jesuits.
Try wikipedia for Servants of the Paraclete --- very interesting.
133
I am a Catholic from Alaska. This article was so informative and as I was reading it, I thought, "How could this get any worse?" And then I got to one of the last paragraphs and literally gasped when it described the financial incentive the Catholic Church has to continue sending criminals back into small villages: because the Church makes an enormous amount of money from donations from Catholics in the Lower 48 who want to support inexpensive missions in Alaska. Why did I gasp? Because I knew first-hand this to be true. I lived in NYC and Washington DC for 5 years. My ex-boyfriend was from NYC and his father went to mass daily. I was visiting and walked into their family kitchen and I saw a copy of The Alaskan Shepard newsletter on the counter. Because I belong to the Diocese of Fairbanks, I wanted to know why my boyfriend's dad felt the need to donate to missions in my Diocese of all places. It's the 21st century after all! He's a really sincere, devout man who really walks the walk of a good person. He really lives his values. The motto of The Alaskan Shepard newsletter is (paraphrased from what I recall) "Some serve by going to the missions, Some serve by giving to the missions. Without either, there would be no missions." He was sincere and they were exploiting that sincerity for their own financial gain! Never was that connection put into context for me than when I read this article! The website for the Archdiocese of Fairbanks is very streamlined to assist abused people. When I say that, I mean their website has a list of priests and laity found guilty and the number of victims they had!!! I googled one man with 112 victims! He's dead now. It was on Frontline on PBS, also online. The Bishop Donald Kettler is presently being transferred to the Lower 48. The Archdiocese declared bankruptcy in 2008. My advice to Catholics wanting to donate to a Catholic mission up here: seek elsewhere. There are plenty of Catholic nonprofits doing a whole lot of good in Alaska. Yes, I know donating to a far away mission sounds exotic and inspiring, but, hey, this this Alaska, not Mars. Do some research. It is sad to say this, but by supporting these missions, you are being duped into subsidizing criminal activity. Legal reform is necessary to lengthen the statute of limitations so the criminals can be prosecuted and put in jail where they belong.
134
I was raised in Faibanks and had native foster siblings. for various reasons, I may have heard heard more than others, but I know I heard on the radio and read in the news of these abuses as well as the personal friends and family of all ages. This information was common knowledge in all social circles circa 1970 and I know my parents reassured me "it would never happen again now that it was out in the open"

I am miserable that I would accept such nonsense and see nothing has changed in all this time! this is all newer than my life in Alaska. DO NOT THINK THIS WILL NOW CHANGE

New ways will be found to exploit children by the RCC and others in power. Look at those with power over children, foster care is big business. Look at the famous and wealthy who into children's charities .....

LOOK!
135
I was raised in Faibanks and had native foster siblings. for various reasons, I may have heard heard more than others, but I know I heard on the radio and read in the news of these abuses as well as the personal friends and family of all ages. This information was common knowledge in all social circles circa 1970 and I know my parents reassured me "it would never happen again now that it was out in the open"

I am miserable that I would accept such nonsense and see nothing has changed in all this time! this is all newer than my life in Alaska. DO NOT THINK THIS WILL NOW CHANGE

New ways will be found to exploit children by the RCC and others in power. Look at those with power over children, foster care is big business. Look at the famous and wealthy who into children's charities .....

LOOK!
136
I tried to reopen the page because it closed when I registered and I found out why some have two posts. it puts another one when you try to return to the article!
137
http://www.awid.org/Library/Exposing-Ped…

    Please wait...

    and remember to be decent to everyone
    all of the time.

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