Collateral Damage - An Innocent Priest Dies of a Broken Heart [Catholic Caucus]

The Boston Globe ^ | June 15, 2011 | Brian McGrory

[sayuncledave]

The first time the Rev. Charles Murphy was cleared of accusations that he improperly touched a minor, a girl 25 years earlier, everyone who ever met him said they had never doubted his innocence.

Article found here: http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2011/06/15/an_innocent_priest_dies_of_a_broken_heart/?camp=misc:on:twit:rtbutton

[sayuncledave]

Please, pray for the repose of the soul of this innocent priest. Excerpted, as per FR Guidelines. Caucus guidelines: http://www.freerepublic.com/~religionmoderator/

Requiescat in pace, Father Murphy.

[surroundedbyblue]

Very sad.

[G Larry]

This is a real danger to many elderly, falsely accused Priests.

The charges are devastating and have a very real impact on the health, especially when other health issues are present.

Truly, “Hell on Earth”!

[marshmallow]

Also HERE.

[mas cerveza por favor]

The Church needs a more formal and thorough investigative body to root out the guilty and clear the innocent.

[Cronos]

It's too difficult.

We don't want to go back to the mistakes of the 70s, right, but then the other extreme is if there is any hint of suspicion or even an unproven accusation, "suspend him" as in Fr. Corapi's case

How do you have a proper mean in this case? it's very difficult. Do you throw out a priest on mere suspicion? Or when he's brought to court? What do you do when his name is cleared before or after court? How does this mud ever get off?

.

Thanks sayuncledave for posting this in Catholic/Orthodox Caucus

[navymom1]

It’s not just priests or the Catholic church. What about the men and women who’ve been falsely accused of sexual abuse through supposed, “Recovered Memory”? What of their heartbreak, the broken families.....

[vladimir998]

The Church simply needs an active inquisition in every archdiocese.

Problem solved.

[wideawake]

I have been saying for years on this forum that most of these claims were false, filed by plaintiff's attorneys and grifters looking for quick cash.

An analysis of the legitimate claims tells the real story, and cuts away all the hysteria.

[Salvation]

Prayers for Father Murphy.

Unfortunately there are many activist judges, ambulance chasing attorneys and Catholic bashing posters here.

I know in my area three attorneys who attended a trial talked to someone on the jury after the verdict.

What happened?

The first thing in the jury deliberation room was “Well, he’s a Catholic priest, he has to be guilty.”

How sad. So many priests have been unfairly accused and proven guilty by false testimony. (Which happened in this particular case, too.)

[Deo volente]

The parish’s announcement of his death:

http://stfrancisxavier.org/Rev_Murphy_info.htm

Requiescat in pace.

[Mrs. Don-o]

You followed what happened to Fr. Mark Gruber, right? Disgraced, suspended from the priesthood, suspended from his tenured professorship at St. Vincent Archabbey, all from an unproven (in fact, ludicrous), false and maliciously-instigated accusation---

The truth is finally coming out, and Fr. Gruber is finally being cleared, though the real malice-butts are walking free. You can read all about it by googling "Fr. Mark Gruber".

Honestly, it makes me so angry I cannot express myself.

[ArrogantBustard]

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour ...

[stfassisi]

Garabedian(the Lawyer) was more concerned about his ego and money in the case against this wonderful priest.

I pray he repents pubically of his error before he dies

[Salvation]

No another priest in my diocese. There were state records since he was the chaplain for an institution.

First accuser — The priest wasn’t even working there yet.

Second accuser — The priest had already left that site and was working somewhere else.

Third accuser — the priest was NOT the one to take him to see where his sister drowned. Another priest (now married) was the person who took the boy out to see that spot.

[Salvation]

Catholic Ping!

[lightman]

That, plus remedial catechesis on the Eighth Commandment.

False accusers must be held accountable under pain of excommunication.

[SuziQ]

The Church needs a more formal and thorough investigative body to root out the guilty and clear the innocent.

The Bishops are again not being responsible. Before, they let the priests continue to abuse children because they wanted to be pastors to the men. Now, it's just the opposite They're allowing priests to be removed from their ministries by 'Commissions', and going to their former parishes publicly announcing that removal, without going into any specifics about the accusation, and even before any real investigation has been done. It's making people think the absolute worst of these priests, and these men will never be able to get their good names back, because someone will always remember the accusation.

We have a family friend in this position, and the Bishop told my sister he had no control over it, because it was the Commission that made the decision. That's BULL! The Bishop should be in charge, but they're so worried about looking like they're covering up, that they're letting good men be absolutely broken.

[Mrs. Don-o]

I'm sorry, I didn't express myself very clearly. I meant that in the case of Fr. Gruber, as in the case of the one in your diocese and others, his superiors were absolutely destroying an exemplary priest without evidence of wrongdoing, and without any realistic recourse to regain the excellent and honorable reputation he had merited over a lifetime.

Good men certainly suffer in this world. But my God, you can read all about it in the Lives of the Saints.

[annalex]

The Church simply needs an active inquisition in every archdiocese.

Yes.