Sexual abuse scandal in Stockton diocese
Encyclopedia
The sexual abuse scandal in Stockton diocese is a significant episode in the series of Catholic sex abuse cases in the United States and Ireland.
police investigation into sexual abuse allegations against Oliver O'Grady
was reportedly closed after diocesan officials promised to remove the priest from any contact with children. Instead, he was reassigned to a parish about 50 miles (80.5 km) east, in San Andreas
, by Mahony where he continued to molest children. Mahony, under oath, denied knowing of O'Grady's activity despite evidence to the contrary. During one particular line of questioning, Mahony was asked why he claimed not to remember multiple allegations of rape by one of his own subordinates (O'Grady) when he was the Bishop of Stockton. Mahony was advised by his attorney not to answer the question.
. The Court refused to hear the appeal, and the decision required the archdiocese to comply with a subpoena
from the Los Angeles County District Attorney
for letters to the former priests and notes from counseling sessions conducted by the church.
Deliver Us From Evil
is based on accusations that Mahony, while serving as Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Stockton
, knew that Oliver O'Grady
, a priest who sexually abused children
, including a nine-month-old baby, in a string of Central California
towns for 20 years, was a child molester but failed to keep him away from children. In Deliver Us From Evil, O'Grady says Mahony was "very supportive and very compassionate and that another situation had been smoothly handled". Mahony denies knowing that O’Grady was a child molester. However, the documentary provided copies of letters between Mahony and O'Grady during this time. The letters also were a subject of discussion in Mahony's deposition in a civil lawsuit related to O'Grady.
was defeated in his bid to win the chairmanship of the U.S. bishops' Committee for the Protection of Children and Young People because his track record demonstrated that he had opposed justice for victims of childhood sexual abuse and he did not report an incident of sexual abuse by a priest under his authority to the police.
Oliver O'Grady affair
In 1984, a StocktonStockton, California
Stockton, California, the seat of San Joaquin County, is the fourth-largest city in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. With a population of 291,707 at the 2010 census, Stockton ranks as this state's 13th largest city...
police investigation into sexual abuse allegations against Oliver O'Grady
Oliver O'Grady
Oliver O'Grady is an Irish former Roman Catholic priest who raped, molested and abused many children in California from 1973 onwards. He wrote a letter of confession to parents in 1976 and a copy was given to the Bishop of Stockton at that time....
was reportedly closed after diocesan officials promised to remove the priest from any contact with children. Instead, he was reassigned to a parish about 50 miles (80.5 km) east, in San Andreas
San Andreas
San Andreas is an archaic variation of the Spanish language San Andrés . It may refer to:*San Andreas Fault, a geologic fault that runs through California, USA...
, by Mahony where he continued to molest children. Mahony, under oath, denied knowing of O'Grady's activity despite evidence to the contrary. During one particular line of questioning, Mahony was asked why he claimed not to remember multiple allegations of rape by one of his own subordinates (O'Grady) when he was the Bishop of Stockton. Mahony was advised by his attorney not to answer the question.
Challenging investigations into abuse
Bishop Roger Mahony appealed an attempt to gain access to church documents relating to sexual abuse all the way to the Supreme CourtSupreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
. The Court refused to hear the appeal, and the decision required the archdiocese to comply with a subpoena
Subpoena
A subpoena is a writ by a government agency, most often a court, that has authority to compel testimony by a witness or production of evidence under a penalty for failure. There are two common types of subpoena:...
from the Los Angeles County District Attorney
Los Angeles County District Attorney
The District Attorney of Los Angeles County prosecutes felony and misdemeanor crimes that occur within the jurisdiction of Los Angeles County, California....
for letters to the former priests and notes from counseling sessions conducted by the church.
Deliver Us From Evil
The 2006 documentaryDocumentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
Deliver Us From Evil
Deliver Us from Evil (2006 film)
Deliver Us from Evil is a documentary film directed by Amy J. Berg which tells the true story of Catholic priest Oliver O'Grady, who admitted to having molested and raped approximately 25 children in Northern California between the late 1970s and early 1990s...
is based on accusations that Mahony, while serving as Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Stockton
Roman Catholic Diocese of Stockton
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Stockton is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the Central Valley and Mother Lode region of California in the United States. It comprises the Counties of Alpine, Calaveras, Mono, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tuolumne...
, knew that Oliver O'Grady
Oliver O'Grady
Oliver O'Grady is an Irish former Roman Catholic priest who raped, molested and abused many children in California from 1973 onwards. He wrote a letter of confession to parents in 1976 and a copy was given to the Bishop of Stockton at that time....
, a priest who sexually abused children
Roman Catholic sex abuse cases
The 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...
, including a nine-month-old baby, in a string of Central California
Central California
Central California, sometimes referenced as Mid-State, is an area of California south of the San Francisco Bay Area and north of Southern California...
towns for 20 years, was a child molester but failed to keep him away from children. In Deliver Us From Evil, O'Grady says Mahony was "very supportive and very compassionate and that another situation had been smoothly handled". Mahony denies knowing that O’Grady was a child molester. However, the documentary provided copies of letters between Mahony and O'Grady during this time. The letters also were a subject of discussion in Mahony's deposition in a civil lawsuit related to O'Grady.
Allegations against Stephen Blaire
In November 2007, bishop Stephen BlaireStephen Blaire
Stephen Edward Blaire is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the fifth and current Bishop of Stockton.-Biography:...
was defeated in his bid to win the chairmanship of the U.S. bishops' Committee for the Protection of Children and Young People because his track record demonstrated that he had opposed justice for victims of childhood sexual abuse and he did not report an incident of sexual abuse by a priest under his authority to the police.
See also
- AbuseAbuseAbuse is the improper usage or treatment for a bad purpose, often to unfairly or improperly gain benefit. Abuse can come in many forms, such as: physical or verbal maltreatment, injury, sexual assault, violation, rape, unjust practices; wrongful practice or custom; offense; crime, or otherwise...
- Child abuseChild abuseChild abuse is the physical, sexual, emotional mistreatment, or neglect of a child. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Children And Families define child maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or...
- Child sexual abuseChild sexual abuseChild sexual abuse is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include asking or pressuring a child to engage in sexual activities , indecent exposure with intent to gratify their own sexual desires or to...
- Religious abuse
- Sexual abuseSexual abuseSexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual behavior by one person upon another. When that force is immediate, of short duration, or infrequent, it is called sexual assault. The offender is referred to as a sexual abuser or molester...
- Sexual misconductSexual misconductSexual misconduct is misconduct of a sexual nature. The term may be used to condemn an act, but in some jurisdictions it has also a legal meaning....
- Spiritual abuseSpiritual abuseSpiritual abuse is a serious form of abuse which occurs when a person in a cult-religious authority or a person with a unique spiritual practice misleads and maltreats another person in the name of a deityor church or in the mystery of any spiritual concept...
- Woodstock defence