Priests removed

[The*Empress]

Eleven Chicago Priests Removed
Tuesday, September 27, 2005

The men cannot present themselves as priests, engage in public ministries or act as an agent of the archdiocese, although they have not been removed from the priesthood, said Chancellor Jimmy Lago.

Lago would not disclose specific allegations or the priests' names or parishes.

The 11 were among a group of 14 priests whose alleged sexual misconduct was forwarded to Vatican officials two years ago by Cardinal Francis George (search), archdiocese officials said. One of the priests has died and two other cases will be decided by pending canonical trials.

The Vatican studied the cases last year and authorized George to conduct a review that included opinions from advocates for the priests and advisers, Lago said.

"Cardinal George has determined, based on the information presented, that sexual misconduct did occur," he said.

The sexual abuse, which allegedly took place 20 to 30 years ago in all of the cases, was reported both to the parishes and civil authorities, Lago said.

The statue of limitations has expired in all the cases, officials said.

Victim advocates said the church should have made the priests' names public.

"I think that this begrudging, long overdue action ... does not relieve Cardinal George of his responsibility," said Barbara Blaine, president of the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests. "There's 11 known child molesters out there that are not going to be found on any sex offender registries."

George's actions follow changes adopted three years ago by U.S. Roman Catholic bishops at the height of the clergy sex abuse scandal. In June, the bishops extended their policy of permanently barring sex offenders from church work.

The crisis erupted in January 2002 over revelations that many bishops had moved guilty priests among parishes without warning parents or police.

The archdiocese paid out $18.2 million in the last fiscal year to settle legal claims by people alleging sexual abuse by priests. Since 2002, 19 of its priests have been removed from ministry, Lago said.

 

[The*Empress]

Priest pleads guilty to receiving child porn over the Internet

By DAN LEWERENZ
The Associated Press

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - A Roman Catholic priest pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of receiving child pornography over the Internet.

The Rev. Elwood F. Figurelle, 70, on Friday admitted to viewing Web sites that included pictures of adults and children in sexual situations.

Prosecutors said they discovered the offense last February when Figurelle asked a computer store to transfer files from his old hard drive to a new computer he had just bought. Store employees turned the old hard drive over to the FBI after finding file names indicating they might contain child pornography.

During the hearing, Figurelle said he had never intended to store files on the computer and didn't know how they got there. But he admitted that he had viewed child pornography on the Internet and agreed to plead guilty.

"I am not objecting to the fact that I was guilty of looking at pornography on the Internet. I am objecting to the fact that I stored it," Figurelle said during the hearing. "I certainly plead guilty to looking at pornography on the Internet and that it was on my computer."

Federal guidelines list no minimum sentence, but a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine; because Figurelle has no prior convictions, attorneys for both sides agreed that the guidelines would likely call for a sentence of between two years, three months and two years, nine months in prison. A presentencing conference was scheduled for Jan. 22.


Figurelle's attorney, P. Alan Zulick, said he would file a motion asking for a shorter sentence, saying that Figurelle had completed four months of in-patient counseling since his arrest and that the sentence in the guidelines would be too long.

"I think that would be a grossly excessive sentence for a 70-year-old Catholic priest to undergo, who had no prior record," Zulick said.

Figurelle, pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Church in Mount Union, resigned earlier this month after having been on leave since March, said Bishop Joseph V. Adamec, who heads the Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown. The images on Figurelle's computer did not involve any children from the diocese, Adamec said.

Two priests from the diocese were in court to support Figurelle, and the Rev. Carl A. Spishak, of St. Rose Church in Altoona, said Figurelle had strong support back in his parish.

"I felt a need to support him in this difficult time," Spishak said.

The diocese spokeswoman, Sister Mary Parks, said Figurelle had been removed from ministry and was not allowed to publicly function as a priest. The church may take further action after he is sentenced, she said.

Figurelle had been at St. Catherine of Siena since 1995.


October 24, 2003 4:15 PM