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Turn over files. Turn in abusers. Stop the cover-up: Church addresses abuse allegations
Amplify’d from reform-network.net
Church addresses abuse allegations
Diocese of Monterey defends its handling of the case
By LARRY PARSONS
Herald Staff Writer
A Catholic priest’s suspension amid allegations that he molested a former altar boy at a Salinas church prompted criticism and a defense Wednesday of church officials’ handling of the case.
A Diocese of Monterey spokesman said the diocese takes “any and all allegations of sexual misconduct very seriously” and immediately suspended the Rev. Edward Fitz-Henry in early January after first being apprised of the allegation against him.
But supporters of an advocacy group for people abused by clergy members called on the diocese to open its records on all priests and said a new civil suit filed by the former altar boy will be a means “to get to the truth.”
“He is an extra-brave young man,” said Joelle Casteix, regional director of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, a national advocacy group also called SNAP.
A handful of the group’s supporters met with media members on the sidewalk in front of diocese offices in Monterey. One member held a sign that said: “Turn over files. Turn in abusers. Stop the cover-up.”
Diocese officials notified parishioners at two churches where Fitz-Henry has worked most of the past 25 years, Madonna del Sasso and the San Juan Bautista Mission, over the weekend about allegations of misconduct involving the priest.
Diocese spokesman Tom Riordan said the priest was notified about his suspension and moved from the San Juan Bautista rectory within two hours after diocese attorneys received documents from the ex-altar boy’s attorney.
During a news conference, Riordan said church officials hadn’t seen the lawsuit and he couldn’t comment.
Church officials had no reason to believe Fitz-Henry was involved in sexual misconduct before the January communication from the former altar boy’s attorney about the alleged 2005 sexual abuse, Riordan said.
He said the diocese hired an independent private investigator — a retired police detective — to look into the allegation. That led the investigator to another incident that occurred almost 20 years ago involving Fitz-Henry.
The investigator found the earlier incident was of a sexual nature, Riordan said. Church officials previously concluded the incident involved an “improper boundary,” but a non-sexual relationship, between Fitz-Henry and a minor, Riordan said.
“There were no red flags … of sexual misconduct,” he said. He denied reports the diocese reached a settlement with a family in the incident.
A diocese review board recommended last weekend’s notification after finding there was credible evidence the earlier incident involved sexual misconduct. The church is encouraging other victims to step forward, Riordan said.
Casteix said church officials recklessly put the young man suing the diocese at risk by not cracking down on Fitz-Henry years ago.
“I’m glad he was suspended, but something tells me that it was way too late,” she said.
Her group called upon the diocese to release “every document” pertaining to priests and accusations of sexual abuse. She accused investigators and church members of trying to intimidate the young man, and said he suffered “years of fear, intimidation and silence” before coming forward.
Casteix said a Salinas police criminal investigation and the young man’s civil suit should go forward without interference.
“We need to get to the truth,” she said.
Riordan said he was unaware of any intimidation, but acknowledged comments posted on online news stories have been critical of the alleged victim.
In his lawsuit, the young man accused the priest of asking unsolicited questions about sex, hugging and touching him, and trying to engage in forcible oral copulation.
“If there is any intimidation, I would be surprised and very disappointed,” Riordan said.
Riordan declined comment on SNAP, but said anyone trying to help people deal with abuse is doing commendable work.
There are no other priests in the diocese who, like Fitz-Henry, have an allegation of sexual misconduct that has been found credible by the diocese’s independent review board, he said.
Fitz-Henry is still on salary, but the diocese is not paying for a Salinas defense attorney he has hired, Riordan said.
His attorney says Fitz-Henry denies any allegations of sexual misconduct.
Larry Parsons can be reached at 646-4379 or lparsons@montereyherald.com.
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Archdiocese of Philadelphia suspends three priests; pledges to reopen complaints against 34 others
Amplify’d from reform-network.net
Pennsylvania: Priests Suspended on Abuse Allegations
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Philadelphia archdiocese has suspended three priests accused in a grand jury report of molesting children and has pledged to reopen complaints against 34 others. Fathers Joseph Gallagher, Stephen Perzan and Joseph DiGregorio were removed from ministry while their cases were reviewed. Cardinal Justin Rigali said a former child abuse prosecutor would examine complaints made against the others.
Read more at reform-network.net
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A Reminder That Laughter is the Best Medicine
Amplify’d from www.caregiverstress.com
A Reminder That Laughter is the Best Medicine
A friend of the couple who founded Home Instead Senior Care, Mary Maxwell was asked to give the invocation at the company’s 2009 Convention. Initially it seemed like a normal prayer, but it soon took a very funny turn. Her deadpan delivery and lines like …This is the first time I’ve ever been old… and it just sort of crept up on me … soon had the franchise owners rolling in the aisles. With the timing of a professional comedian, Mary shines a very funny light on the foibles of aging, to the delight of this audience of senior-care experts.
Download a copy of the poem, Blessed In Aging (PDF 275k), which Mary reads at the end of her prayer.
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Unrest has spread across the Middle East and North Africa. Gen 16:12 is in effect.
Amplify’d from thetruthandthetruthalone.blogspot.com
Unrest has spread across the Middle East and North Africa. Gen 16:12 is in effect.
- The winds of unrest have swept through North Africa and the Middle East
- The demonstrations started in Tunisia in December
- The leaders of Tunisia and Egypt have resigned amid mass protests
- Protests were held Wednesday in Yemen, Libya and Iraq
(CNN) -- Unrest has spread across the Middle East and North Africa. Here's a look at what has happened -- and what is happening -- in various countries:
Wednesday developments:
BAHRAIN
Bahrain's Interior Ministry said those involved in the deaths of two people during recent protests have been taken into custody. Also Wednesday, thousands of people gathered for a peaceful funeral procession for a Bahraini man killed when clashes erupted during another protester's funeral procession, the president of a human rights group said. The king of the small Gulf nation addressed his country on national television Tuesday, promising changes in the law after the deaths.
Protesters initially demanded reform and the introduction of a constitutional monarchy. But some are now calling for the removal of the royal family.
EGYPT
Protests continued Wednesday as Egypt's military moves forward with a plan to enact constitutional reforms. Military personnel dispersed about 200 protesters outside a welding factory between Cairo and Alexandria, state media reported. The protesters were demanding better pay, more compensation for working longer hours and better treatment from management. Meanwhile, the military has formed "an apolitical and independent constitutional committee to propose constitutional reforms within 10 days, according to activist Wael Ghonim. Schools and universities will remain closed for another week, state television reported. Banks and the stock market are also closed.
IRAN
Thousands of people, many of them Iranian government supporters, turned up in Tehran on Wednesday for the funeral of a man killed in anti-government protests. The gathering near Tehran University comes amid tension in the nation following a crackdown on anti-government protests. Government officials said 26-year-old Sana Jaleh was shot to death Monday by members of an outlawed group called the People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran. The group, which is also known as the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization, has opposed the Iranian government for decades. Iranian lawmakers on Tuesday called for the execution of key opposition leaders. On Monday, tens of thousands of pro- and anti-government protesters marched in downtown Tehran.
IRAQ
A least one person was shot and killed and 32 others were wounded Wednesday when private security guards and Iraqi security forces opened fire on hundreds of demonstrators outside the governor's office in Kut, about 63 miles (110 kilometers) south of Baghdad, health officials said. Police in Kut said that more than 1,000 demonstrators were demanding the resignation of the Wasit provincial governor Latif Hamed, accusing him of corruption. Dozens of protesters stormed the governor's office after the shooting, destroyed furniture and then set the building on fire. Another group of demonstrators went to the governor's house and set it on fire too. Thousands of people have rallied this month in cities across the country, protesting rampant poverty, a 45% national unemployment rate and shortages of food, electricity and water.
LIBYA
Libyan police clashed with protesters chanting anti-government slogans and demanding the release of a human rights activist early Wednesday, an independent source in the country told CNN. About 150 to 200 protesters in the coastal city of Benghazi were supporting human rights activist and lawyer Fathi Terbil, who was detained earlier, the source said. Several people were arrested after police confronted the protesters, the source said. A highly-placed Libyan source who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to speak to the media said "there is nothing serious here" and characterized the incidents as "not political" and "just young people fighting each other." "Libya is not Egypt," he said.
TUNISIA
A government-imposed curfew in Tunisia has been lifted, but a state of emergency remains in effect, the Interior Ministry said Tuesday, as reported by the state-run Tunis Afrique Presse. The curfew was from midnight until 4 a.m., and the state of emergency was put into place on January 14. After weeks of demonstrations that started in December, longtime President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali fled the country.
YEMEN
Protests took place for a sixth day in Aden, with eyewitnesses reporting one person was shot and killed when security forces tried to break up Wednesday's protest. Hospital officials had no immediate confirmation of the fatality.
In the capital, Sanaa, a demonstration for campus reforms at Sanaa University turned into an anti-government rally, and pro-government demonstrators showed up and began throwing rocks. Three students walking home after the rally were beaten by pro-government protesters, a Yemeni human rights activist told CNN.
Previous developments:
ALGERIA
Authorities in Algeria said Monday that they would lift a 20-year state of emergency in the "coming days," but it had not been canceled as of Tuesday. They acted after anti-government protesters chanting "Change the power!" clashed with security forces in the capital over the weekend, witnesses said. The state of emergency was imposed in 1992 to quell a civil war that led to the deaths of what U.S. officials estimate to be more than 150,000 people. About 100 protesters were arrested during the protests in Algiers on Saturday, according to the opposition Algerian League for Human Rights.
JORDAN
King Abdullah II swore in a new government last week following anti-government protests in his country. The new government has a mandate for political reform and is headed by a former general, with several opposition and media figures among its ranks. The appointment of Marouf al-Bakhit as the new prime minister was seen as an attempt to shore up support among Jordan's Bedouin tribes -- the bedrock of the monarchy. Jordan's economy has been hard-hit by the global economic downturn and rising commodity prices, and youth unemployment is high, as it is in Egypt. Officials close to the palace have told CNN that Abdullah is trying to turn a regional upheaval into an opportunity for reform.
PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES
Prime Minister Salam Fayyad's Cabinet submitted its resignations to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday, days after the announcement the legislative and parliamentary elections will be held before September. The Palestinian Territories have not seen the kind of demonstrations as in many Arab countries, but the government has been under criticism since Al-Jazeera published secret papers claiming to reveal some of the wide-ranging concessions Palestinian officials were prepared to make in negotiations with Israel. Negotiations have collapsed. Abbas' Palestinian Authority holds sway only over the West Bank. The militant Islamist movement Hamas controls Gaza.
SUDAN
Demonstrators have clashed with authorities on several recent occasions in Sudan. Human Rights Watch has said that "authorities used excessive force during largely peaceful protests on January 30 and 31 in Khartoum and other northern cities to call for an end to the National Congress Party rule and government-imposed price increases." Witnesses said that security forces used pipes, sticks and tear gas to disperse protesters and that several people were arrested, including 20 who remain missing. The Sudanese Embassy said that people in Sudan have the right to "demonstrate as they wish" but that "some opportunists capitalize" on incidents "to inspire chaos or smear Sudan's image."
SYRIAAs protests heated up around the region, the Syrian government pulled back from a plan to withdraw some subsidies that keep the cost of living down in the country. President Bashar al-Assad also gave a rare interview to Western media, telling The Wall Street Journal for a January 31 article that he planned reforms that would allow for local elections and included a new media law and more power for private organizations. A planned "Day of Rage" that was being organized on Facebook for February 5 failed to materialize, The New York Times reported.
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AeroVironment's Nano Hummingbird
AeroVironment's Nano Hummingbird http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=96WePgcg37I
Amplify’d from www.upi.com
'Hummingbird' spy drone unveiled
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- A California company says it has developed a miniature spy plane for the Pentagon dubbed the Nano Hummingbird for battlefield and urban surveillance.
AeroVironment, of Monrovia, says the camera-equipped drone can fly at speeds of up to 11 miles per hour, hover, and fly sideways, backward and forward as well as turn clockwise and counterclockwise, all by remote control, the Los Angeles Times reported Thursday.
The company built the drone for the Pentagon's research arm as an experiment in nanotechnology, designing it to look like a bird for potential use in spy missions, the newspaper said.
Industry experts say a flying "hummingbird-like" aircraft is a step toward technology that could produce drones capable of flying through open windows or sitting on power lines, capturing audio and video while enemies would be none the wiser.
"The miniaturization of drones is where it really gets interesting," defense expert Peter W. Singer, author of a book about robotic warfare, said. "You can use these things anywhere, put them anyplace, and the target will never even know they're being watched."
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'Hummingbird' spy drone unveiled
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- A California company says it has developed a miniature spy plane for the Pentagon dubbed the Nano Hummingbird for battlefield and urban surveillance.
AeroVironment, of Monrovia, says the camera-equipped drone can fly at speeds of up to 11 miles per hour, hover, and fly sideways, backward and forward as well as turn clockwise and counterclockwise, all by remote control, the Los Angeles Times reported Thursday.
The company built the drone for the Pentagon's research arm as an experiment in nanotechnology, designing it to look like a bird for potential use in spy missions, the newspaper said.
Industry experts say a flying "hummingbird-like" aircraft is a step toward technology that could produce drones capable of flying through open windows or sitting on power lines, capturing audio and video while enemies would be none the wiser.
"The miniaturization of drones is where it really gets interesting," defense expert Peter W. Singer, author of a book about robotic warfare, said. "You can use these things anywhere, put them anyplace, and the target will never even know they're being watched."
Read more: http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2011/02/17/Hummingbird-spy-drone-unveiled/UPI-59391297973435/#ixzz1EIUJIMez
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Cancer causing chemicals found in cola coloring ingredient
Amplify’d from www.prisonplanet.com
Mike Adams
Natural News
Thursday, February 17, 2011
(NaturalNews) The “caramel coloring” used to color all the top cola brands isn’t natural caramel coloring at all. Instead, it’s made by reacting sugars with ammonia and sulfites at high temperatures. This reaction results in the formation of 2-methylimidazole and 4-methylimidazole, both of which are chemicals documented by the U.S. government to cause cancer in mammals.
This is all coming to light thanks to an effort by the CSPI, which has now filed a regulatory petition to ban these chemicals from colas (http://www.cspinet.org/new/20110216…).
The National Toxicology Program has conducted animal studies on these toxic chemicals found in colas, concluding there is “clear evidence” that 2-MI and 4-MI are animal carcinogens.
The call to ban these chemicals from use in foods was joined by five carcinogenesis experts who said, “The American public should not be exposed to any cancer risk whatsoever as a result of consuming such chemicals, especially when they serve a non-essential, cosmetic purpose.” (http://cspinet.org/new/pdf/experts-…)
That letter explains:
Even the term “caramel coloring” is extremely misleading to consumers, because most people think it’s related to caramel candy, which is made by browning sugar under heat. But the “caramel coloring” used in colas is made by exposing sugars to industrial chemicals (ammonia and sulfites), resulting in a cocktail of cancer-causing chemicals.
Coke and Pepsi products may soon bear cancer warnings in California
California’s Proposition 65 law limits the consumption of 4-MI to no more than 16 micrograms per day from a single product. Yet colas contain roughly 200 micrograms of 4-MI in a 20-ounce bottle.
That’s over 12 times the allowable limit under Proposition 65, and that’s in every bottle! Many people drink several bottles a day, further multiplying their exposure to this potential carcinogen.
If cola companies are going to continue to sell their products in California, then, they must now carry cancer warning labels in order to be in compliance with Prop 65. You can bet that a desperate effort is now under way by the cola industry to lobby California regulators and make sure 4-MI gets removed from any enforcement of Prop 65.
The cola industry wants everybody to think its products are wholesome and natural while forgetting about the health effects of phosphoric acid, aspartame and high-fructose corn syrup. Now, with 2-methylimidazole and 4-methylimidazole in the picture, there’s yet another potentially cancer-causing chemical to worry about in colas.
Obviously, 2-MI and 4-MI can be avoided by drinking non-colored soft drinks, but those still contain phosphoric acid, high-fructose corn syrup, caffeine and even aspartame in diet sodas.
It turns out, there’s no such thing as a perfectly safe soda. All sodas and soft drinks carry health risks related to their ingredients. I have no doubt that this era of diabetes, obesity and cancer we’re living through right now is due in large part to the widespread consumption of sodas and soft drinks.
Read more at www.prisonplanet.com
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