Orthodox Reform [Dallas]
May 4, 2007
http://orthodoxreform.org/cases/fr-nicholas-katinas/the-national-herald-reports-devastating-sexual-misconduct-lawsuit/
 |
Page one of today's The National Herald had this to report, directing readers to OrthodoxReform.org for details on the lawsuit:
| Two alleged victims of Rev. Nicholas Katinas, the retired former pastor of the Holy Trinity Church in Dallas who has been accused of sexual misconduct with minors, has filed a lawsuit. The 32-page lawsuit was filed in Dallas District Court last Friday, April 27 (cause #0703807), and is posted in its entirety on the Orthodox Reform website (orthodoxreform.org). |
For more on the scandal and lawsuit, click here.
Hundreds of acts of abuse are reported:
| The lawsuit alleges that the “sexual assaults occurred in the church itself, near the altar and during confession; they happened in the church office and in the church van, as well. The abominations described herein involved hundreds of acts of sexual perversion over approximately three years, usually every Sunday before or after mass (pg. 6).” |
Apparently no officials from the archdiocese or the church are willing to speak to the press about this matter:
| The Archbishop did not return the Herald's telephone call. The Herald also left messages for Rev. Christopher Constantinides, current pastor of Holy Trinity (who was also Father Katinas' assistant during the alleged incidents), at his office, as well as on his cellular voice mail. |
The lawsuit alleges that church officials have known about this sexually abuse for years and have done nothing:
| The lawsuit alleges that, around 1970-72, “Katinas sexually abused at least one other minor 'DZ,' an altar boy like the plaintiffs herein, whose family were parishioners of that church. During the abuses, Defendant Katinas told DZ that he likewise 'played around' with other altar boys (pg. 7)… |
| During a telephone conversation with Katinas in 1998, DZ confronted him about having abused him as a boy. Katinas admitted to the abuse, then asked his victim to pray for him and keep silent, repeating that he had also sexually abused other boys, and further that he had confessed his criminal sexual misconduct to Bishop Gerasimos at Holy Cross and conferred with a psychiatrist in Chicago, as well, both presumably before he was transferred to Dallas. Neither Gerasimos nor any other official in the knowing GOAA hierarchy had bothered to offer counseling to DZ, nor acted to remove Katinas as pastor of Holy Trinity (pg. 8).” |
A cover-up — referred to in the lawsuit in some cases as a 'conspiracy' — is described:
| The lawsuit also alleges a coverup (pg. 9): “There is no evidence that law enforcement officials in Illinois or Texas were ever notified of Katinas sex crimes against children, as required by these states' reporting laws. Likewise, parishioners in both states have been kept in the dark as to the truth behind Father Nick's delayed suspension. Indeed, the Greek Orthodox hierarchy waited almost seven months after his so-called 'retirement' from Holy Trinity to publicly admit the real reasons behind his suspension. They are less candid and more than cryptic. Their continuing secretive cover-up of Katinas' sexual crimes against male children in churches which were under his dubious care further imperils his victims' lives and postpones their hopes for justice and closure.” |
When this article is posted on their web site, paying subscribers to The National Herald can read the full article online at http://www.thenationalherald.com/issue.asp?issue=21716.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.