Kevin Kite
Encyclopedia
Kevin Lee Kite was the first person to come forward with accusations of sexual impropriety against Father Bruce Ritter
, founder of the charity Covenant House
.
In December 1989 Kevin Lee Kite, claimed in an interview in The New York Post that Father Ritter had used some $125,000 in Covenant House funds to support him in return for sexual favors. Kite also claimed that Ritter had provided him with papers that allowed him to assume the identity of Tim Warner, a young boy who had died of cancer. Subsequently three former residents of Covenant House — Darryl J. Bassile, Paul Johnson, and John Melican — came forward stating that they had been involved in past sexual relationships with Father Ritter.
Kite's accusations opened the door for financial scrutiny of Covenant House which led to charges of financial impropriety stemming from the use of a $1 million tax-exempt "Franciscan Charitable Trust." This fund was established by Ritter in 1983, apparently without the knowledge of his Franciscan
order or of the full board directors of Covenant House. The fund was not registered with the state of New York
, nor did it file returns with the IRS. The trust, ostensibly set up to support Covenant House charitable work, was used primarily to make substantial personal payments to Kite and others. The Covenant House board eventually found no serious financial impropriety, but uncovered extensive evidence of sexual misconduct. The "Franciscan Charitable Trust" funds were turned over to Covenant House to use for the work of helping rescue homeless teens from the street.
Bruce Ritter
Rev. Bruce Ritter was a Roman Catholic priest and one-time Franciscan friar who founded the charity Covenant House in 1972 for homeless teenagers, from which he was forced to resign in 1990 after accusations that he had engaged in financial improprieties and had engaged in sexual relations with...
, founder of the charity Covenant House
Covenant House
Covenant House is the largest privately funded agency in the Americas providing shelter, food, immediate crisis care, and an array of other services to homeless, and runaway youth. In addition to basic needs, Covenant House provides a continuum of care to homeless youth aged 16–21 designed to...
.
In December 1989 Kevin Lee Kite, claimed in an interview in The New York Post that Father Ritter had used some $125,000 in Covenant House funds to support him in return for sexual favors. Kite also claimed that Ritter had provided him with papers that allowed him to assume the identity of Tim Warner, a young boy who had died of cancer. Subsequently three former residents of Covenant House — Darryl J. Bassile, Paul Johnson, and John Melican — came forward stating that they had been involved in past sexual relationships with Father Ritter.
Kite's accusations opened the door for financial scrutiny of Covenant House which led to charges of financial impropriety stemming from the use of a $1 million tax-exempt "Franciscan Charitable Trust." This fund was established by Ritter in 1983, apparently without the knowledge of his Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
order or of the full board directors of Covenant House. The fund was not registered with the state of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, nor did it file returns with the IRS. The trust, ostensibly set up to support Covenant House charitable work, was used primarily to make substantial personal payments to Kite and others. The Covenant House board eventually found no serious financial impropriety, but uncovered extensive evidence of sexual misconduct. The "Franciscan Charitable Trust" funds were turned over to Covenant House to use for the work of helping rescue homeless teens from the street.
Sources
- Sennott, Charles M. Broken Covenant Simon & Schuster, ©1992. ISBN , 0671767151
- "Covenant Report Is Said to Find Sex Misconduct" New York Times August 4, 1990 - By RALPH BLUMENTHAL
- Village Voice - March 20, 1990 Vol. XXXV No. 12 Russ Baker
See also
- Roman Catholic Church sex abuse scandal
- Roman Catholic sex abuse casesRoman Catholic sex abuse casesThe Catholic sex abuse cases are a series of convictions, trials and ongoing investigations into allegations of sex crimes committed by Catholic priests and members of religious orders. These cases began receiving public attention beginning in the mid-1980s...