|
Of the Suburban Journals
Jefferson County Journal
Below is the link to the story.
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday
Here is the story.
A former pastor at St. David's Catholic Church in Arnold is named in a
Philadelphia grand jury report that blasts the Philadelphia Archdiocese for
covering up accusations of sexual abuse by priests, including the Rev.
Joseph R. Monahan.
Monahan was pastor at St. David's from January 1985 to December 1990,
according to a spokesman for the St. Louis Archdiocese.
In a scathing report issued S ept. 21, a grand jury that first convened
three years ago listed the names of 63 priests "whose abusive behavior was
well-documented in archdiocese files and by witnesses who testified" before
the grand jury.
Monahan, 68, was ordained a priest in 1962. He initially came to St. Louis
in 1975 to seek treatment for alcoholism. He was incarnated into the St.
Louis Archdiocese in 1980. From 1982 to 2002, Monahan was assigned to
several St. Louis-area parishes, including St. David's.
The grand jury report states that Monahan and other priests were
transferred from parish to parish in an effort by the Catholic Church to
conceal accusations of sexual abuse against them.
"To protect themselves from negative publicity or expensive lawsuits ?
while keeping abusive priests active ? the cardinals and their aides hid
the priests' crimes from parishioners, police and the general public," the
report said.
Monahan was accused in Ap ril 2002 of sexually abusing an eighth grade boy
in 1969 when he was assistant pastor at Presentation BVM Church in
Wynnewood, Pa. At the time of the accusation, the Philadelphia Archdiocese
said Monahan was "under the jurisdiction of the St. Louis Archdiocese."
None of the 63 priests named in the grand jury report will face criminal
prosecution because the statute of limitations for many of the crimes have
passed and because of limitations in Pennsylvania state law.
Monahan is reportedly in poor health and lives "in a monitored environment
suitable for his healthcare needs," according to a church news release. |
