PENNSYLVANIA
Philadelphia Inquirer
By Joel Bewley
Inquirer Staff Writer
On the first Sunday since learning one of their former priests had been accused of molesting a teenage boy more than a decade ago, parishioners at St. Raymond of Penafort in Germantown were urged to report any other cases that might have occurred.
"Anyone who has ever been sexually abused by a priest, or has even heard rumors, please, do something about it today," the Rev. John F. O'Brien, St. Raymond's pastor, told congregants during Mass yesterday. "Does everybody understand? Is that clear to everybody?"
The former priest, Martin J. Satchell, 39, was at the church for four months in 1993. He was removed from active ministry following a credible accusation of sexual abuse, Archdiocese of Philadelphia officials said last week when they announced he had been defrocked.
"This has been very sad and very painful for us," O'Brien said between Masses. "We pray there were no more victims."
Posted by kshaw at June 6, 2005 07:18 AM