March 17, 2005

Valley Family Angry Former Priest Still Preaching

WESLACO (TX)
KGBT

Reported by Romeo Cantu

A Weslaco family told Action 4 News Wednesday night that they were very upset after learning their former priest was still leading worship services after being banned from doing so due to accusations that he sexually assaulted several children.

"I felt very angry," said Josie Rocha, the mother of two sons who have accused their former priest of sexual assault. "I know how much this meant and the pain it had caused my children -- my sons."

Rocha, her husband, Joe, and their youngest son, Jaime, said that they were upset after seeing their former priest on television celebrating a mass.

"We were flipping channel and we noticed there was a procession going on. And all of a sudden my husband pointed him out to me and said, 'There he goes,'" Josie Rocha said. "I couldn't believe it seeing him dressed as a priest walking among the other priests.

The Rocha's former priest is Monsignor Ivan Rovira, who two weeks ago was discovered celebrating the mass of a new bishop in Matamoros.

Posted by kshaw at March 17, 2005 08:11 AM