SACRAMENTO (CA)
The News Tribune
JENNIFER GARZA AND STEVE MAYNARD; The Sacramento Bee The News Tribune
Published: June 28th, 2005 12:01 AM
SACRAMENTO – A Tacoma priest will be at the center of a civil trial in Sacramento Superior Court scheduled to start Thursday for child sexual abuse alleged to have happened three decades ago. If the case isn’t settled this week, it could be one of a handful of sex abuse cases against the Catholic Church to go to trial.
Francisco Chavez says he was repeatedly sexually assaulted by the Rev. Mario Blanco from about age 5 to 13. Chavez’ attorney describes the priest, now working as a schismatic in Tacoma, as a “predator.”
“It’s not true,” said Blanco, after celebrating Mass on Sunday at Our Lady Mary Help of Christians Catholic Church. “It’s a sin. I cannot do it.”
Blanco served in the Sacramento diocese from October 1969 to April 1973 and was later dismissed following allegations of misconduct. A talented musician, he was a popular priest who served at predominantly Latino parishes. The priest floated among several Spanish-speaking congregations where he started youth bands.
The trial is the first in the Sacramento Diocese since the state of California temporarily lifted the statute of limitations for filing sex-abuse claims in 2002. The diocese is dealing with 31 plaintiffs who say they were sexually abused by clergy; 16 of them are allegations against Blanco. The diocese previously settled two lawsuits involving the priest.