Caught in the act of covering-up pedophile priests! "It was the late Pope John Paul II who consecrated him Bishop of the Nigerian diocese of Warri in March 1997, and in December 2007 Pope Benedict XVI promoted him to Archbishop of Benin City." John Paul II was too busy building up his narcissistic image and travelling that he couldn't care less about the Catholic vicitms of his John Paul II Pedophile Priests Army. No they were not only mere priests-pedophiles but Bishops and Archbisops as well. Geez, the cow has come home see the John Paul II Millstone www.jp2m.blospot.com and the Benedict XVI-Ratzinger God's Rottweiler www.pope-ratz.blospot.com and learn about these two most fallible popes in history!
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Vatican probing child sex abuse allegations against archbishop
Monday, 26 October 2009
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/vatican-probing-child-sex-abuse-allegations-against-archbishop-14542457.html#ixzz0VFeS5EMY
The Irish Church's standing in Rome has been dealt a further damaging blow with a high-level Vatican investigation into a complaint of child sexual abuse against a Tipperary-born archbishop.
This is the first instance of an official charge of clerical child molestation being made against an archbishop of Irish nationality, and it comes as the Irish Church is preparing “for the worst” with publication of the Murphy Report on abuse in the Archdiocese of Dublin.
It was learned yesterday Richard Burke (60), Archbishop of Benin, a city in southern Nigeria, stepped aside earlier this year pending the outcome of an ecclesiastical trial by the Vatican's doctrinal watchdog body, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
The Kiltegan missionary archbishop from Fethard, Co Tipperary, who is believed to be in the United States, has not commented on the allegation.
He is accused by Dolores Atwood, a 40-year-old married woman now living in Canada, of sexually abusing her when she was a minor, aged 14, and ill in a Nigerian hospital which he visited as a priest.
She also alleges that she suffered “emotional torture” during a 20-year secret affair which he conducted with her contrary to his vow of celibacy.
Last night St Patrick's Missionary Society in Kiltegan, Co Wicklow, also known as the Kiltegan Fathers, revealed it received a complaint from a woman against Archbishop Burke on December 16 last.
“We expressed the deep sorrow and regret of the Society for the suffering the complainant and her family are going through and we affirmed the Society's commitment to child protection,” a statement said.
“We assured her that the Society's Child Protection Policy and Procedures would be adhered to. The Society offered to provide counselling for the complainant.”
The statement confirmed that the Society has complied with a request from the Doctrinal Congregation to send to Rome all relevant documents relating to the allegation so that Rome can exercise full jurisdiction.
“Although a member of St Patrick's Missionary Society, Archbishop Burke ceased to be under the jurisdiction of the Society when he became a bishop and is now under the direct jurisdiction of the Holy See,” the Kiltegan Fathers said.
It was the late Pope John Paul II who consecrated him Bishop of the Nigerian diocese of Warri in March 1997, and in December 2007 Pope Benedict XVI promoted him to Archbishop of Benin City.
According to Monsignor Charles Scicluna, a senior advocate for the Congregation, Pope Benedict was informed of the charges against Archbishop Burke, who will be called to Rome for interrogation before it completes its investigations under oath of confidentiality.
Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/vatican-probing-child-sex-abuse-allegations-against-archbishop-14542457.html#ixzz0VFeZrpAB
Abuse claim against archbishop
Michaek O'Regan
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/1025/breaking35.htm
The Vatican is investigating an allegation of child sex abuse against an Irish-born archbishop based in Africa, his missionary order confirmed today.
Archbishop Richard Burke (60), from Clonmel, Co Tipperary, was ordained a priest for St Patrick’s Missionary Society, known as the Kiltegan Fathers, in Co Wicklow, in 1975. He was ordained a bishop in 1997, and installed as Archbishop of Benin, Nigeria, in March of last year.
In a statement, the society said it had received a complaint last December from a 40-year-old woman against Archbishop Burke.
“She alleged that she was sexually abused as a child by Richard Burke. We expressed the deep sorrow and regret of the society for the suffering the complainant and her family are going through and we affirmed the society’s commitment to child protection,’’ it added.
“We assured her that the society’s child protection policy and procedures would be adhered to. The society offered to provide counselling for the complainant.’’
The statement pointed out that although Archbishop Burke was a member of the society, he had ceased to be under its jurisdiction when he became a bishop and was now under the direct jurisdiction of the Holy See.
“However, he agreed to follow the society’s child protection procedures and voluntarily withdrew from ministry while the complaint is being investigated,’’ it added.
“The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith requested that all relevant documents relating to the allegation be forwarded to Rome so that it can exercise its full jurisdiction in the matter. The society has done this.’’
The society, said the statement, had kept in contact with the complainant, and informed her regularly of the steps being taken in accordance with policy and procedures. She had also been informed of the direct jurisdiction of the Holy See in the matter.
“The society is committed to ensuring that justice is done and that no child is put at risk through the behaviour of our members,’’ it added.
The Irish Mail on Sunday featured an interview with Dolores Atwood, who said that the abuse began when she was 14 years old and a patient in a hospital at Warri, Nigeria, in April 1983.
She alleged the archbishop continued to have a sexual relationship with her as recently as 2003.
Ms Atwood, who now lives in Nova Scotia, Canada, said she believed she was “manipulated and controlled’’ as a teenager.
She said she eventually confessed the relationship to her husband because she was wracked with guilt. She wrote to the Vatican and the society reporting the allegations.
Ms Atwood said she had provided phone recordings, letters and airline tickets to Church authorities as proof of their relationship.
Rome investigating abuse complaint
Sunday, 25 October 2009
The Vatican is investigating an allegation of child sexual abuse against an Irish Archbishop based in Nigeria.
St Patrick's Missionary Society, also known as the Kiltegan Fathers, has confirmed that a complaint was made about one of its members, Archbishop Richard Burke, by a 41-year-old Nigerian woman, Ms Dolores Atwood.
Archbishop Burke, 60, from Fethard in Co Tipperary, is one of the most senior members of the Catholic hierarchy known to be facing an accusation of this kind. He denies the allegation.
A statement released by the Society in response to a report in today's 'Irish Mail On Sunday' said that Ms Atwood had made a complaint alleging that Archbishop Burke had begun abusing her when she was a 14-year-old patient in hospital.
The statement said that once the complaint was made, two representatives of the Society promptly met Ms Atwood, who now lives in Canada and is married with three children.
It said that the complaint was received in December and that the Archbishop voluntarily withdrew from ministry six months after it was made while it was being investigated.
The Society expressed its deep sorrow and regret for the suffering that Ms Atwood and her family were going through.
It also confirmed that within the past fortnight, the Society had sent all papers relating to the case to the Vatican following a request from the Catholic Church's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, its second most important office.
Archbishop Burke was ordained a priest 34 years ago and was made a Archbishop of Benin in 2008.
Audio & Video
Nine News: Joe Little, Religious & Social Affairs Correspondent, says that the Vatican is investigating an allegation of child sexual abuse against an Irish Archbishop based in Nigeria
This Week: Joe Little, Religious & Social Affairs Correspondent, reports that the Vatican is investigating a complaint against Africa-based Archbishop Richard Burke
Story from RTÉ News:
http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1025/burke.html
Archbishop accused of sex assault
(UKPA) – 2 days ago
An Irish archbishop is accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl in Africa before having a 20-year affair with her, it has emerged.
The Vatican is investigating a complaint made against Archbishop Richard Burke, who stepped down from his post with the Archdiocese of Benin in Nigeria earlier this year.
He is one of the most senior members of the Catholic Church to be accused of assaulting a minor.
Copyright © 2009 The Press Association. All rights reserved.
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