There was an unfortunate and untimely death in the extended family this past weekend. One of one of our daughters-in-law sisters died . The sadness is exacerbated by the fact that there are young children left. It’s a difficult and painful time for all. Please keep them in your prayers.
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Father Amer Saka, the priest with Chaldean Catholic Church in Canada who allegedly gambled away refugee funds, has been committed to stand trial in the Ontario Superior court of Justice. His next court date is:
08 May 2018: 9 am, Assignment Court, Superior Court of Justice, London Ontario courthouse ( 80 Dundas St.)
I just spotted an article announcing the news. I will post it shortly.
Please keep those who have been negatively impacted by this priest’s actions in your prayers.
*****
A lawsuit has been filed in Guam alleging sexual abuse by Father Adrian Cristobal , the former Chancellor of the scandal-plagued Diocese of Agana in Guam
11 April 2018: “Former church chancellor accused of sexual abuse” & related article
In January 2017 I posted “Things just got crazier and crazier” , a blog referencing news that Cristobal was here in Ottawa, Ontario studying Canon Law. There were allegations at the time that Cristobal had lied to to cover-up for Anthony Apuron, the former archbishop of Agana accused of sex abuse. Cristobal was Chancellor of the Agana diocese during Apuron’s tenure.
Apuron has since been convicted by the Vatican tribunal.
Now this news. A lawsuit alleging sexual abuse by Cristobal of a former altar boy! The allegations date to 1995-1997.
It seems that around December 2017 Cristobal was ‘recycled ‘ to Arizona when he was, according to a spokesman for the Diocese of Agana, “given permission to be on mission” in the Archdiocese of Phoenix. He has now, thankfully – albeit perhaps belatedly?- been recalled to Guam.
A reminder here that on staff with the faculty of canon law at St. Paul’s are Monsignor John Renken and Father (Mr.?) John Huels
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After years as a fugitive and more recent denials “Mr. Wonder” has entered a guilty plea!
Following a plea bargain Frank Selas, a former teacher at the Brothers of Christian Instruction operated St. Mary’s International School in Japan, has entered a guilty plea to charges related to the sexual abuse of a boy in Rapides Parish Louisiana in 1979.
25 January 2018: “Mr. Wonder will now have to register as sex offender” & related articles and VIDEO
He could be out and about by July of this year!
Selas term of teaching those young boys at SMIS predates his ‘fame’ as Mr. Wonder. I shall repeat here the comments I made at the foot of the above article:
Remember Frank Selas? In the late 60s and/or early 70s he taught at the scandal plagued St. Mary’s International School in Japan, the school run by the the Canadian branch of the Brothers of Christian Instruction. There are stories circulating that Selas was kicked out of SMIS becasue of his conduct around young boys.
It looks like Selas got quite a deal here. Small wonder his lawyer is jubilant. Look at this:
“He was facing two counts of aggravated rape, three counts of sexual battery, and eight counts of indecent behavior with a juvenile stemming back to allegations that he sexually assaulted a child on a camping trip in Rapides Parish in June 1979. As authorities went to arrest him at the time, he fled the country. He was captured in California in 2015.”
And he ended up pleading guilty to indecent behavior with a juvenile!
Remember when this long-time fugitive was finally caught his lawyer claimed police had the wrong guy?
He may be out this summer! Living close to a school. But, have no fear, he’ll be on the sex offenders registry. In other words – if it’s the same as here in Canada, which I think it is – if a child is molested or murdered in that general area Selas’ name is on the list as registered sex offender living in the area and police can check to see if he is the culprit. What that does to give genuine solace to parents and protect children before they are molested is beyond me. What is it that I don’t understand about adding a name to the registry?
Anyway, a great deal for Selas.
And this from the Rapides Parish District Attorney’s Office:
“After several meetings and conversations with the victim in this matter, it was determined that due to the sensitive nature of this case it was in the best interest of the victim and his family to bring this matter to a conclusion in a manner that would avoid putting the victim and his family through a public trial which would have been covered by countless media outlets.”
Is this really what the victim wanted? I don’t know, but I do know that I am tired of reading about authorities both in and out of the Church who when speaking to victims are presumably tied up in knots about the ‘sensitive’ nature of allegations, and the ‘shame’ which the victims may feel and so on and so forth.
Why for goodness sake are authorities not working tirelessly to bring an end to the stigma and shame which victims of childhood sexual abuse feel? When authorities think and speak like this is it any wonder victims feel saddled with shame? Why are they not helping victims to break free of those bonds and place the blame and shame and stigma where it rightly belongs? right smack dab on the shoulders of their molester.
Anyway, there it is. A guilty plea…. A plea deal.
Selas’ lawyer is quoted in part as saying: “While not everyone will agree with the outcome in this case…”
Amen to that!!
Please keep the Selas victims in your prayers
A sweet sweet deal to be sure!
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Monsignor Carlo Capella, the former Vatican diplomat serving at the nunciature in the USA has been arrested. Capella, a canon lawyer and diplomat, served in nunciature in Washington, DC. Last September 2017 a Canada-wide warrant was issued for his arrest in relation to allegations of accessing, possessing and distributing child pornography while visiting a church in Windsor, Ontario Christmas 2016. Capella was recalled to Vatican after USA State department requested the Vatican waive Monsignor Capella’s immunity in relation to some kind of child porn allegations in the States. The Vatican refused.
08 April 2018: “Vatican arrests ex-diplomat in child sex abuse probe” & related articles
The Vatican, it seems, has opted to handle this case via the Vatican court.
If in fact charges are laid, how much will learn of the details? And will ever find out which Church Capella was visiting in Windsor, Ontario at Christmas? and, why?
Final question here: Could Capella still be obliged to stand trial in Canada on these charges?
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The monks referenced in the following article are Benedictines, the same order to which Scottish-born Father Robert MacKenzie once belonged:
09 April 2018: Abbots at £32,000-a-year Roman Catholic School ‘encouraged monks to abuse children while staff there are STILL sheltering paedophiles’
Father MacKenzie taught at the now scandal-plagued Fort Augustus Abbey School in Scotland before moving to Canada in 1988. Fort Augustus was owned and operated by the Benedictines.
Enough for now.
Sylvia
The “Sweet Deal” that Frank received was not what the victim wanted, but evidence discovered during the initial investigation led to Frank’s current federal charges…
“Never stop fighting till the fight is done”
The following links are to media releases relating to Frank Selas A.K.A. Mr. Wonder most recent arrest on 09/27/18…
https://www.thetowntalk.com/story/news/2018/09/26/done-state-sentence-feds-now-seek-try-mr-wonder/1436195002/
https://www.kalb.com/content/news/Mr-Wonder-in-trouble-with-feds-for-applying-for-passport-with-fake-name-494421291.html
Thank you ‘Eliot Ness” 🙂
I have posted the articles:
26 September 2018: “Done with state sentence, feds now seek to try ‘Mr. Wonder’” & related articles
So glad the prosecutors in California got the hold on him before his release and that he is on his way to facing charges for lying on his passport application.
Sylvia, I have additional questions relating to Frank that you might be able to help me with. If you are willing please contact me by email.
Thanks
In November of 2018 Frank was released on bail relating to his Federal charges… He was then able to get his Parole Obligation in Louisiana transferred to California… Following this transfer, Frank violated the conditions of his parole in California. As of 12/07/18, Frank was taken into custody and is again back in San Diego County Jail..!!! Louisiana Probation & Parole is trying to extradite him back to Louisiana as California Officials have indicated they no longer want him in their state…