Accused Priest Flees From Law in U.S. and Mexico

[DoYouEverWonder]

October 21, 2006

TEHUACÁN, Mexico — For two decades, dozens of children have accused the Rev. Nicolás Aguilar of molesting or brutally raping them. He faces an indictment charging sexual abuse in Los Angeles and at least five formal complaints in Mexico. Yet at 65 he remains at large, still working as a priest in villages here.

Father Aguilar’s long flight from the law, critics say, reflects the ease with which priests can avoid prosecution in the United States by hiding in Mexico, where judges and prosecutors are reluctant to challenge the enduring political strength of the Roman Catholic Church.

The case has focused attention on a problem that is not limited to Father Aguilar, but rather, critics say, points to a pattern of complicity by high officials in the church.

In September one of Father Aguilar’s accusers filed a lawsuit in southern California alleging that the cardinals of Mexico City and Los Angeles had conspired to help him escape prosecution by allowing him to slip across the border.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/21/world/americas/21mexico.html?hp&ex=1161489600&en=46d6b33f969d3a71&ei=5094&partner=homepage


In the meantime, the Vatican and the church continues to protect these men.

[tocqueville]

1. OMG, what about all those protestant preachers....

Sex abuse spans spectrum of churches
By Mark Clayton | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

Despite headlines focusing on the priest pedophile problem in the Roman Catholic Church, most American churches being hit with child sexual-abuse allegations are Protestant, and most of the alleged abusers are not clergy or staff, but church volunteers.

These are findings from national surveys by Christian Ministry Resources (CMR), a tax and legal-advice publisher serving more than 75,000 congregations and 1,000 denominational agencies nationwide.

CMR's annual surveys of about 1,000 churches nationwide have asked about sexual abuse since 1993. They're a remarkable window on a problem that lurked largely in the shadows of public awareness until the Catholic scandals arose.

The surveys suggest that over the past decade, the pace of child-abuse allegations against American churches has averaged 70 a week. The surveys registered a slight downward trend in reported abuse starting in 1997, possibly a result of the introduction of preventive measures by churches.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0405/p01s01-ussc.html

who is protecting them ?

not because I condone what the catholic side is doing, or has done, but probably the real problem is elsewhere, but only the catholics get the heat...

[DoYouEverWonder]

2. The real problem is any religion

that demands that their followers to repress their sexuality. The result is all sorts of deviant behavior.

When you are raised to believe that sex is a natural and beautiful thing between two humans that care about each other, you are less likely to behave in inappropriate ways when you reach adulthood.

[Nay]

3. Actually, the real problem is the grouping of sheep all in one

place, like a church, where predators of all kinds will naturally gravitate to in order to abuse or steal from a bunch of credulous and/or vulnerable people at once.

[acmavm]

6. You know, you hav e it more correct than anyone else. Blind obedience

is part of any religion. And the jackals that weasel they way into positions of influence and power just to prey on the 'believers' know that and use it to their advantage.

It's not the religion, it's the predatory bastards who worm their way into a position to prey on people.

It's not the religion, it's the mistaken belief that the 'minister' or 'priest' or 'lay teacher' can do no wrong. You have to question the motives and actions of EVERYONE, never ever blindly accept anything. Because just like in secular life (i.e. the BFEE worming their way into power), bad people with bad motives will find a way to get what they want. And they always prey on the young, the aged, the weak, and defenseless.

[capi888]

4. Thanks for the article!!

The Catholic Church has always been the target for the Fundies as they have been against the Church for years and centuries. They want to see it go down and always use the celibacy of the priest as their target. I know MANY people from these off spring churches who detest the Catholic Church for their wealth, celibacy and want to distroy the church. However, many of these same people are corrupt, selfish, greedy, and wouldn't help the poor if their life depended on it. Also, MANY of the MINISTERS, themselves are pedifiles and sex offenders. Also, the reason they cannot be accused as ONE religion, as the Catholic faith, IS they all have different NAMES. They are NOT organized as the Catholic Church, world wide. They are NOT Methodist, Lutharan, Episcopal, they are Churches, of various names that spring up with an idealogy, and a shared hate for the Catholic Church. It has been a goal for many years. I know of at least 2 in my community!!!

I too, do not condone, anyone priest, minister, laymen, or any man of the cloth for taking advantage of the young and impressionable, for sexual pleasure. However, the arrow is always pointed at the Catholic Church, because it is a huge worldwide, strong faith.
Lets find ALL the "Men of GOD pedifiles, regardless of their named Faith"...their are plenty out there!!

[hedgehog]

5. One of the reactions of the Catholic bishops has been to

require a background check on anyone who is around children or teenagers. For example, choir members in my parish had to get background checks because there are teenagers on the choir. No one is left alone with children, not even to drive them somewhere. At first I thought this was a matter of the bishops trying to shift the blame, but now I can see it's a good idea. Now if they would work a little harder at cleaning up their own house....