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Ex-priest busted in kiddie sex sting
NY Daily News ^ | 03.23.06 | BY TARA CONRY

Posted on 03/23/2006 7:39:54 PM PST by CAWats

Equipped with gummy bears, lubricant and gay porn, a defrocked Pennsylvania priest was ready for sex with a boy but instead got busted by an undercover cop, police said.

Thomas Bender, 72, of Macungie, Pa., was arraigned yesterday in First District Court in Hempstead on five counts of first-degree disseminating indecent material to a minor and one count of attempting to commit a criminal sexual act.

Since September 2004, cops said, he engaged in online conversations with a detective who was posing as a teenager.

"During that year, he was grooming the boy - or who he thought was a 14-year-old boy," said Detective Sgt. Lucy Graziano of the Nassau County Police. "He was building a relationship through trust."

For a year, the conversations remained innocent, with Bender asking the boy about family, his hobbies and his favorite candy.

(Excerpt) Read more at nydailynews.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: abusivepriests; busted; catholic; catholics; defrocked; expriest; homosexualpriests; kiddiesex; pedophile; sting
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1 posted on 03/23/2006 7:39:58 PM PST by CAWats
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To: CAWats

Disgusting.


2 posted on 03/23/2006 7:53:43 PM PST by ncountylee (Dead terrorists smell like victory)
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To: ncountylee

Does it mention how long he's been an "ex" priest? Isn't he just a 72 year-old sick son of a bitch at some point?


3 posted on 03/23/2006 7:57:21 PM PST by Emmett McCarthy
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To: Emmett McCarthy

Removed from the priesthood in the mid-80s, according to the article.

Apparently the RC church got one right, at least.


4 posted on 03/23/2006 8:01:55 PM PST by Restorer
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To: CAWats; ncountylee
Detectives also are working with law enforcement in Pennsylvania and the Catholic Church, which removed Bender from the priesthood after he was convicted of abusing a teenage boy in the mid-1980s.

How SICK to read about a convicted former priest going after another boy...

He needs to be taken off the streets.

5 posted on 03/23/2006 8:02:28 PM PST by Dr. Scarpetta (There's always a reason to choose life.)
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To: CAWats

Notice that "Catholic priest" is prominent in the article though he was defrocked 20 years ago. 'Course the fact that he is a homosexual now is irrelevant.


6 posted on 03/23/2006 8:09:10 PM PST by Eagles6 (Dig deeper, more ammo.)
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To: Restorer

There was one in my diocese of Nashville who also was booted in the 80s. He went to work - working with children - as an employee of the state. The diocese TOLD the state why they had gotten rid of him. The state kept him in his job where, naturally, he sexually abused young boys. And the young boys he abused while working for the state - after the Church had warned the state about him - who do you think they sued? Why, the Church, naturally. A lot like Willie Sutton's answer about why he robbed banks, "Because that's where the money is"


7 posted on 03/23/2006 8:16:38 PM PST by Emmett McCarthy
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To: cyborg; Petronski
Thomas Bender, 72, of Macungie, Pa., was arraigned yesterday in First District Court in Hempstead on five counts of first-degree disseminating indecent material to a minor and one count of attempting to commit a criminal sexual act.

This is in Cyborg's neighborhood. I wonder if he was going to meet the kid at the Home Depot.

(Home Depots were major gay cruising areas when I lived in Miami).

8 posted on 03/23/2006 8:17:30 PM PST by Clemenza (I Just Wasn't Made for These Times)
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To: All

LOL, what a shock that he was formerly a Catholic priest...


9 posted on 03/23/2006 8:25:55 PM PST by Malcolm (There's no substitute for good manners)
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To: CAWats

You and other readers may think I'm quibbling but there is no such thing as an "ex"- priest. One is a priest forever. A priest can be suspended, deposed from holy orders, and excommunicated. But he can never be ordained again. Because a valid, apostolic and canonically (the proper Form, Intention, etc.) rightful ordination confers indeliable character. Yes, he can be RESTORED to the ministry but NEVER ordained again. This has always been an inherent and permanent truth in the catholic theology of holy orders - it applies to all validly ordained deacons, priests, and consecrated bishops. This is commonly misunderstood but it's one of my pet peeves because I'm in orders. Thanks for your patience!


10 posted on 03/23/2006 8:26:49 PM PST by T.L.Sink (stopew)
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To: Clemenza

or Roosevelt Field, easily accessible by bus.

gay cruising at Miami home depots? where did they meet, the power tools area? forget it, I don't want to know....


11 posted on 03/23/2006 8:29:33 PM PST by oceanview
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To: T.L.Sink

What I don't understand is why the Catholic Church refuses to adopt a zero-tolerance policy against this sort of activity.


12 posted on 03/23/2006 8:31:56 PM PST by CAWats (And I will make no distinction between terrorists and the democrats.)
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To: oceanview

Back by the lumber?;)


13 posted on 03/23/2006 8:32:30 PM PST by Frank_2001
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To: CAWats
Thomas Bender, 72, of Macungie, Pa., was arraigned yesterday in First District Court in Hempstead on five counts of first-degree disseminating indecent material to a minor and one count of attempting to commit a criminal sexual act.

I have nothing to do with this...and if you don't believe me, you can kiss my shiny metal a...

14 posted on 03/23/2006 8:33:08 PM PST by JRios1968 (A DUmmie troll's motto: "Non cogito, ergo zot")
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To: Restorer

ARE YOU KIDDING?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

The church knew about the molestation in '84 and didn't say ANYTHING until 'early '88.


15 posted on 03/23/2006 8:34:14 PM PST by SengirV
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To: CAWats

What I want to know is what happens when the priests are quietly removed from their posts, but not arrested. Stories like these are bound to continue because of that policy.


16 posted on 03/23/2006 8:36:09 PM PST by NotJustAnotherPrettyFace
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To: T.L.Sink

Thank you for sharing your knowledge.


17 posted on 03/23/2006 8:37:24 PM PST by Kimmers
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To: SengirV

I was merely stating what the article said.

I knew nothing else about this particular case.


18 posted on 03/23/2006 8:44:57 PM PST by Restorer
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To: CAWats

For a more complete account, you can go here - http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16357773&BRD=2626&PAG=461&dept_id=532624&rfi=6

This guy is a pure scum, but the Diocese of Allentown isn't much better. In accordance with their coverup policies, the Diocese of Allentown, upon learnig of the abuse, simply shuffled Father Bender off to another parish to hunt for new prey.

I knew the kid from the 1979-87 molestation. It ruined his life. The Diocese of Allentown KNEW about the molestation, which prompted his move in 1985, BUT NEVER TOLD THE PARENTS. Good job "Thomas our Bishop".


19 posted on 03/23/2006 8:46:43 PM PST by SengirV
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To: Restorer

Sorry, I got the dates a little off. MY prior post has a link to a story with more deatils.

I honestly can't blame you if you don't want to fill you mind with such perversion.


20 posted on 03/23/2006 8:52:43 PM PST by SengirV
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