PHILADELPHIA: Top Catholic Official Convicted Of Child Endangerment

Joe.My.God. reports:

In a historic verdict, today a Philadelphia jury found a high-ranking Catholic Church official guilty of child endangermentfor shielding the crimes of pedophile priests. This is the first time an American church official has been convicted of such charges.

• Monsignor William Lynn helped the archdiocese keep predators in ministry, and the public in the dark, by telling parishes their priest was being removed for health reasons and then sending the men to unsuspecting churches, prosecutors said. Lynn, 61, had faced about 10 to 20 years in prison if convicted of all three counts he faced — conspiracy and two counts of child endangerment. He was convicted on one of the endangerment counts and acquitted of the other two counts, leaving him with the possibility of up to seven years in prison.
• On cross-examination, Lynn acknowledged that he had not helped the 10-year-old altar boy raped by the Rev. Edward Avery in 1999, seven years after Lynn met with another Avery accuser. “And I’m sorry about that,” Lynn said. Avery is in prison after admitting the crime. One of the key exhibits was a gray folder found in a locked safe at the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The folder contains a list of 35 suspected predator-priests — and was compiled by Lynn in 1994. At least one priest on the list was a parish pastor until this year. Lynn, the former secretary for clergy, testified that he created the list from secret church files containing hundreds of child sex-abuse complaints.

Bill Donohue is somehow claiming victory.

• The witch-hunt has come to an end, and those who have been clamoring for blood lost big time. What made this a witch-hunt was the decision of former Philadelphia D.A. Lynne Abraham to summarily ignore what she was empowered to do in 2001: she was given the charge “to investigate the sexual abuse of minors by individuals associated with religious organizations and denominations.” Had she done so, those cases of minors who may have been sexually molested by ministers, rabbis, and others, would have been investigated. Instead, absolutely nothing was done about these cases.

PENNSYLVANIA: Philly Pedophile Catholic Priest Jokes About Molesting 3 Boys A Week  

A jury in Philadelphia has heard the most repulsive testimony yet at an unprecedented trial of a Catholic priest for shielding pedophile collegues. (Via Yahoo News):

In the day’s most startling testimony, a detective read internal church memos about a priest who allegedly “joked about how hard it was to have sex with three boys in one week.” His accuser also stated that the priest had a “rotation process” of boys spending time sleeping with him. Defense lawyers argue that Lynn tried to address the problem as secretary for clergy from 1992 to 2004, but was blocked by the late Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua and others in the Philadelphia archdiocese. The testimony Monday also included a 1992 complaint about a different priest who allegedly molested boys at a church-owned camp three decades earlier. Several junior counselors complained in the early 1960s that the priest was on the prowl at night, molesting them in their tents. They said it was a well-known secret among teen counselors for several years.

According to Joe Jervis, last week Father Edward Avery, Lynn’s co-defendant, abruptly changed his plea to guilty just as the trial was to begin. During his allocution, Avery confessed to molesting parish boys and admitted that his diocese knew about his assaults yet did nothing.

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For Your Entertainment: Nation’s Bravest’s Mr. Philly - John “Jack” Slivinski 

From today’s post about Nation’s Bravest’s Calendar.

BIO

John “Jack” Slivinski, Jr. (May 24, 1979 – June 25, 2011) was a member of Philadelphia Fire Fighters’ Union IAFF Local 22, which supports Nation’s Bravest. Jack served his country as both a 3rd generation US Marine and a 2nd generation Philadelphia firefighter. He advocated the support of the Widow’s Fund, which assists the families of fallen Philadelphia firefighters.
“Mr. Philly” was a member of the prestigious Rescue 1, an elite, FEMA-certified unit that conducts daring rescues throughout the city. His father was an original member of Engine 1, founded in 1991. In addition to firefighting, Jack was a sous chef at an Italian restaurant in Northern Liberties.

PHILADELPHIA: Catholic Priests Molestation Scandal Widens

(Via Joe.My.God.)